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Tally Systems Releases TS.Census for Microsoft SMS

Tally Systems Corp. released a new integration between Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS) and its asset tracking software, TS.Census. The new TS.Census 1.1 will allow network managers to import PC hardware and software asset information directly from TS.Census into SMS versions 2.0 or 1.2.

TS.Census uses Tally Systems’ Census recognition technology to enhance SMS with product-oriented and accurate details about PC hardware and software, such as language edition and serial number, and hardware make, model, asset tag, and serial number.

The new TS.Census SMS integration uses .MIF file formats to enable SMS to gather and report TS.Census inventory data. Once imported, TS.Census data appears as standard SMS inventory data. TS.Census also offers complete asset historical tracking and inventory scan-on-demand, as well as a client-server database, and TCP/IP-based infrastructure.


Contact Tally Systems, (603) 643-1300, www.tallysystems.com.


About the Author

Scott Bekker is editor in chief of Redmond Channel Partner magazine.

Reader Comments:

Thu, Jun 26, 2003 Anonymous Anonymous

A lot of folks here seem to forget the idea that learning should be a life-long process. Staying up-to-date on technology is a good thing. Sure lots of us don't have time to pursue certs or even maintain the ones we have, but that is a copout. Such folks don't know how to manage their time properly. When the headchoppers come by, the guy without all the papers stands a good chance of "getting the push" compared to the geek that struggled to earn 1 or even 2 certs a year and stay current.

For those that are so smart to say they have all that real-world experience, try picking up a good study guide and reading all the chapters then taking the test. If you know so much about how to do stuff, then learning the little details from the book or the new stuff for an upgrade test should be a breeze for you and passing the test should be a breeze too.

I just don't buy the excuse, "No time to study for a test." and the other excuse of "Got all this experience so who needs a test." Both excuses are lame, really lame...and demonstrate a lack of balance in the individual.

Lots of real world experience says you know how to get YOUR JOB done but says nothing about your understanding of the underlying concepts. The tests are a way of evaluating your knowledge of those concepts, not measuring your experience level.

The folks that can't manage their time so as to accomplish 1 or 2 tests per year is equally lame...and their managers are lame also for not pushing them to make study & certification an ongoing process. If I'm a manager I want staff that can look into the future and give me a good evaluation of upcoming technology based upon study for upgrade certs and beta test work in a lab. I don't want an opinion of Windows 2003 Server from an NT4 MCSE that has never bothered to demonstrate to me that they are serious about keeping their skills updated even if they handle their job responsibilities perfectly.

Mon, Jun 23, 2003 Dude SCOTLAND

I have over 21 certifications and been in the Engineering & IT business for 19 years. I can honestly say that experience backed up by certification has opened doors. I agree with mcp lev too, once you get into a good post you're too busy to study exam guides - you get the experience using the kit on the job.

Thu, Jun 19, 2003 Anonymous Anonymous

Technology changes constantly, change with it of get left behind, a simple concept

Thu, Jun 19, 2003 Anonymous Anonymous

WhuEva

Thu, Jun 19, 2003 mcp lev england

You all have good points but the product market is changing so fast that keeping up to date with certification is hard to do. Experience is very important but who can pass the cert without having the practical experience anyway. Got to admit I am so busy I havent done any certs in the last two years myself.

Thu, Jun 19, 2003 Raymond Philippines

what else is new?...get rid of the old one so that business will continue...

Wed, Jun 18, 2003 Hacksmith Texas

Don't worry.It's almost impossible to get an IT job worth getting up for without some certification.Most people can't afford an array of domains in their living rooms to learn from otherwise.So how else would all of you "know it alls" get on the payroll if you had to do it all over again?NT is lame & history and anyone still running it needs to hire an NT MCSE burnout to make excuses for it. The market demands more than 1 cert for an worthwhile interview.I have all my domains in my living room and a 60 hour a week Fed job{even the dumbass
Feds knows when to upgrade to Datacenter} and I'm still getting certs at my own expense.Most fools never figure out that knowledge is the ultimate weapon,anyway you can get it.And before you burn outs get fired for being burnt out,I suggest you learn how to spell.You obviously haven't had enough experience at this specialty,but you've got that prima donna 'tude down pat!

Wed, Jun 18, 2003 Anonymous Anonymous

nah! nah! nah! your a "paper MCSE" and I'm not! nah! nah! nah! nah! Duh give me a break. I already have a job and you don't! Grow up. I'm inside the circle and your not! People of this ilk need a bigger slice of humble pie in their lives.

Wed, Jun 18, 2003 Mohammed Imran Ali Chowdh Bnagladesh

i wanted to join examp

Tue, Jun 17, 2003 MCT Anonymous

Some people think the paper will carry them somewhere, it may get them an interview and that is when the truth comes out, all the interviews I conduct are 2 parts, P1 is to see if you are a good guy and P2 is all technical, and I have a member of help desk, desktop support and the admin team there with a chance to ask questions of the candidate

Tue, Jun 17, 2003 samir bierut

We hope MCSE2000 Exams wont be replaced soonly

Tue, Jun 17, 2003 IT Bob Anonymous

What makes these people think that we arent focused on learning the material, like it is either learn for the exam OR learn for the job. You wont survive unless you can do both.

Mon, Jun 16, 2003 Dr. Deuel MCSE CCNA Colorado

Retiring Exchange 5.5 is like trying to retire NT 4.0. It doesn't look like either one is going away in the near future . . . even though it seems that I have been spending more time with Linux products than MS software lately.

Mon, Jun 16, 2003 MCSEMCDBA Chicago

Good post MCT. I agree most admins don't learn because it's not required once your in the seat.
I've discovered two facts:
1) Certs do help you get in the door especially when combined with an IS degree AND experience. Expect to prove that you have the knowledge to back up the cert.
2) Most people who trash certs aren't willing to put in the 1-2 years it takes to EARN it (boot camp certs don't count).

Sat, Jun 14, 2003 Max NY

Few things:
One is that getting through the exams would not hurt - you might actually learn something new just a result of reading so many pages. On the other hand there is so many bullshit questions there regarding the technology that nobody in his right mind would ever use in MS implementation. (Yet to see a place that uses dynamic disks or software RAID)
Nothing beats real world experience when you deal with this stuff on everyday basis. Unfortunately a lot of places require MCSE just to be qualified for the position and if you're going throu the agency-headhunter they just say no MCSE - cannot submit.
Hopefully the whole certification idiocy will just die like any other artificial schema. Wonder if we can speed it up somehow...

Fri, Jun 13, 2003 MCT Anonymous

Certifications have their place, there are only 2 ways to get into the IT field. Get a degree in IS or CS or you can get certified and that will open some doors for you. I am an MCSE and I come across so many admin (some senior) that are good, but still don't know what they should. Some things experience won't teach you and experience usually causes you to learn from your mistakes. Being an MCSE I have an indepth knowledge of so many things. You know why admins don't like change, because often they only know what they have to. (example: I had a client that ahd several admin that were pretty sharp, but they had never setup a RADUIS server because they never had to, so they paid me $175hr. to do it. My point is that if they had been MCSE's they would have known how to set up everything they paid me for, on the other hand it keeps me working, but do you see my point?
If yoiu hire an MCSE they will have configured all of these things before
VPN
Dial-Up
WINS
EFS
Certificate Server
PKI
Active Directory
Replication
Operations Masters
Group Policy
SNA
NAT
RIS
DHCP
DNS
DFS
Router
IPsec
Group Policy
Terminal Services
IIS
FTP
Web Server
And many, many more things

Fri, Jun 13, 2003 MCSE, MCT, MADSCI NH

Hey, If you have a job, the certs don't mean much. If you're looking, you might be surprised at how many pointy-haired employers still buy in to this scam. Besides, how many Net Admin wanna-bes would be screwing up corporate america if they didn't have training centers and boot camps to work in? You want a real cert? Lock somebody in a room with an old POS server with no OS and see if they can build it. Modify this formula as needed for websites and software development.

Fri, Jun 13, 2003 Beth Las vegas

I'm with everyone else! Where's the exams for real-world experience? I set up my branch's network from the ground up, complete with getting the friggin' place wired (new construction, old lines tore out) and at no time during the project did anyone ask for paper. They just wanted me to tell them what was needed and to make sure that's what they got. The only thing the certs are used for is as a tie-breaker for promotion. It's a lot of money to spend for a $2 raise...

Fri, Jun 13, 2003 John Athens GA

Every other day I hear about certifications expiring. I'm with Dennis... That Microsoft Icon on my resume doesn't seem to matter. Experience is what counts.

Fri, Jun 13, 2003 idiots Anonymous

Exhange 5.5 isnt going anywhere. Almost all the Exchange instalations Im coming across are 5.5 running on Win2K. Another example of MS not paying attention to its customers.

Fri, Jun 13, 2003 Fahkit Anonymous

retire all the exams. Let's get back to focusing on our real work.

Fri, Jun 13, 2003 Dennis Hoboken, NJ

I have been on of the first to get certified on NT 4.0. Since that time I have never had the time or money to spend on certification. Yet I have remained qualified to manage all of the current products that are relevant to my 60 hour week. Who cares about certification...at least at my career level and age. Nobody ever bothers to ask me for cert anymore.

Fri, Jun 13, 2003 MCAD, MCSD Richmond

70-105 is a hard exam and surprisingly Outlook developers are in demand still. I hope they come out with a replacement. What is killing Outlook development is the economy.

Fri, Jun 13, 2003 TMoney D.C.

I am with Steve from Detroit. Anyone can study hard and pass a test. Learn the products for real! I am certified, but it takes the real-life experiences to really know the stuff.

Fri, Jun 13, 2003 Steve Detroit

Stop worrying about the exams and start learning the products!

Thu, Jun 12, 2003 Anonymous Anonymous

The replacement should be the Host Integration Server exam except that it doesn't exist. I suspect MS won't invest the money in the exam development because so very few people want it.

Thu, Jun 12, 2003 Mark New Jersey

Is there a product and exam replacing the 70-085: Implementing and Supporting SNA Server 4.0 If there isn't a replacement product why retire what's available.

Thu, Jun 12, 2003 Michael Domingo Irvine, CA

Yeah, it's old news, but who remembers this stuff a year later?

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