Symantec releases new version of pcAnywhere

by Ashlee Vance

February 20, 2001 —

Security specialist Symantec Corp. released Tuesday the latest version of its
pcAnywhere remote access software, a product designed to help IT administrators
manage users' PCs across a network.

Version 10 of pcAnywhere aims to build on the company's past efforts to give
administrators access to servers and PCs across a corporate network or the Internet.
The software allows an administrator to log on to a computer remotely, identify
certain types of problem and fix them. The software includes security features
and tools for speeding data transfer.

Companies with offices in multiple locations, workers who telecommute or a
congested IT helpdesk can benefit from the remote management approach, Symantec
said.

Past versions of pcAnywhere came with encryption functions, Windows NT authentication
and remote callback. The new software adds functions for mandatory password
protection, an encryption wizard and eight new authentication types. Symantec
also added a Remote Access Perimeter Scanner for surveying corporate networks
to make sure remote hosts have properly configured security protocols.

David Scott, product manager for pcAnywhere at Symantec, highlighted some new
features directed toward European customers.

"One thing we didn't do very well in 9.0 was our channel building,"
he said.

Symantec retooled its ISDN (Integrated Services Digital Network) support to
provide European users with access to two data channels, boosting connection
performance, according to Scott.

"For an end user, performance is a key thing," he said. "You
want the speed of the remote session to simulate real-time as closely as possible."

A Packager application comes as a new customization feature for tailoring installation
packages. IT administrators can create install sets that should smooth the end
user's experience with software installation. An administrator could, for example,
set up a file transfer-only scenario, take out unnecessary protocols and remove
superfluous applications, Scott said.

Users can alter components to reduce the size of the installation. Version
10.0 is available through Symantec distributors and resellers at $179 per seat.

IDG News Service