Diskeeper 2007 Administrator Disk Optimization Software User Manual
Below you will find brief information for Diskeeper 2007 Administrator. This user manual outlines the installation, operation, and features of Diskeeper Administrator, a powerful application for centralizing the management of various Diskeeper software installations across a network. It enables administrators to deploy Diskeeper, set defragmentation policies, configure alerts, generate performance reports, and remotely control disk optimization, ensuring enhanced file system performance and system reliability automatically.
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User’s Manual
Diskeeper
®
Administrator for Windows
®
Enhancing File System Performance – Automatically.
March 2007
This document describes the installation and operation of Diskeeper Corporation’s Diskeeper Administrator for
Microsoft
®
Windows. It is intended primarily for Windows system administrators and managers.
Revision/Update Information: This is a revised manual
Software Versions:
Operating Systems:
Diskeeper 2007 Administrator
Windows Server
®
2003
Windows XP (all editions except Home)
Windows 2000
Diskeeper Corporation, Burbank, California, USA
________________________
March 2007
__________
© 2002 – 2007 by Diskeeper Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
The Software described in this document is owned by Diskeeper Corporation and is protected by United States copyright laws and international treaty provisions. Therefore, you must treat the Software like any other copyrighted material (e.g. a book or musical recording) except that you may either (a) make one copy of the
Software solely for backup or archival purposes, or (b) transfer the Software to a single hard disk provided you keep the original solely for backup or archival purposes. You may not copy the user documentation provided with the Software, except for your own authorized use.
RESTRICTED RIGHTS LEGEND
The software and documentation are provided with RESTRICTED RIGHTS. Use, duplication, or disclosure by the Government is subject to restrictions as set forth in subparagraph (c)(1)(ii) of the Rights in Technical Data and Computer Software clause at DFARS 252.227-7013 or subparagraphs (c)(1) and (2) of the Commercial
Computer Software-Restricted Rights at 48 CFR 52.227-19 as applicable. Manufacturer is Diskeeper
Corporation, 7590 North Glenoaks Boulevard, Burbank, California 91504.
Diskeeper, the Diskeeper Corporation logo, I-FAAST, InvisiTasking, “I/O Smart”, “Frag Shield”, “Set It and
Forget It”, “Terabyte Volume Engine”, and TVE are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Diskeeper
Corporation in the United States and other countries.
Active Directory, Microsoft, Windows, Windows NT, Windows Server, and Windows Vista are either registered trademarks or trademarks owned by Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Contents iii
CONTENTS
OVERVIEW OF DISKEEPER ADMINISTRATOR
INSTALLING DISKEEPER ADMINISTRATOR
DISKEEPER ADMINISTRATOR OPERATION
iv Contents
OVERVIEW OF DISKEEPER FEATURES 39
TABLE OF DISKEEPER EDITIONS 45
Contents v
ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS 47
Preface vii
Preface
What This Book is About
Welcome to the Diskeeper Administrator User’s Manual. This book will first give you a quick look at the major features in Diskeeper Administrator, then help you get it installed and running. Next, it describes the various features in Diskeeper Administrator and how to use them. It also describes the key features available in the
Diskeeper Professional and Server editions. Finally, it defines disk fragmentation and its effect on your
Windows systems.
Structure of This Book
Chapter 1 gives a brief overview of Diskeeper Administrator.
Chapter 2 describes how to install Diskeeper Administrator.
Chapter 3 explains how to use the various features of Diskeeper Administrator.
Chapter 4 gives an overview of the features available in the Diskeeper Professional and Server editions.
Chapter 5 presents the theory of Diskeeper operation.
Appendix A has tables showing the different Diskeeper editions, and the operating systems, features and capacities they support.
Appendix B tells you where to get answers to Frequently Asked Questions
Appendix C lists all the available menu options
Appendix D lists possible error messages and their causes
Appendix E explains how to contact your Diskeeper Corporation Customer Service Representative for
Support Services.
The Glossary provides definitions of technical terms used in this manual.
Introduction
Throughout its history, Diskeeper has improved with each new version. Diskeeper 2007 continues this tradition with even more innovative new features and approaches to solving fragmentation problems for everyone, from home users to the world’s largest enterprise IT departments.
The Diskeeper family of products includes Diskeeper Administrator. Diskeeper Administrator is not a defragmenter, but an application that provides a single point of control by which you can centrally manage all the Diskeeper versions 9.0, 10.0 and 2007 installations on your network.
Diskeeper Administrator provides very flexible policy-based management of Diskeeper in a network environment. Key to this control are these network administration features:
The PushInstall feature makes it easy to deploy Diskeeper to any supported computer on your network.
Need to install Diskeeper on a few hundred machines? Diskeeper Administrator can do it in a few mouse clicks.
Controlling defragmentation operations is simple, whether you’re managing a handful of computers or thousands network-wide. You can establish policies that dictate how Diskeeper runs on one or multiple computers at a time.
viii Preface
For ease of management, you can arrange the computers on your network into logical groups. Diskeeper
Administrator supports Microsoft Active Directory
®
groups, or you can create your own customized groups. For example, you can easily set up different defragmentation policies, reports or preferences for the computers in the Finance department compared to those in Engineering—or deploy Diskeeper to all the computers on the fourth floor.
Diskeeper Administrator provides a wealth of report and exception-based alert notification options detailing the fragmentation on the computers across your network, and also collects performance and reliability data that you can use to proactively maintain your systems.
The Updates and Upgrades module enables Diskeeper Administrator to detect and deploy Diskeeper updates and upgrades to all your managed Diskeeper computers. Note that an update is a no-cost incremental version of a specific Diskeeper version number (such as from version 2007 build 100 to version 2007 build 101). No additional Diskeeper licenses are necessary to update a Diskeeper installation.
An upgrade is a change from one major version number to another (such as from version 10.0 to Diskeeper
2007). You must own or purchase the appropriate Diskeeper license to upgrade a Diskeeper installation.
You can use Diskeeper Administrator Edition to remotely-control Diskeeper 9.0, 10.0, and 2007 installations on computers all over your network. Without ever leaving your desk, you can perform any
Diskeeper task as if you were sitting in front of the remote machine.
About Fragmentation
As used in this manual, the term disk fragmentation means two things:
a condition in which pieces of individual files on a disk volume are not contiguous, but rather are broken up and scattered around the disk; and
a condition in which the free space on a disk volume consists of little pieces of space here and there rather than a few large free spaces.
The effects of excessive fragmentation are twofold as well:
file access takes longer because a file must be collected in pieces here and there, requiring several disk accesses instead of just one; and
file creations take longer because space for the file must be allocated in little pieces here and there instead of just one contiguous allocation.
The bottom line
⎯fragmentation slows Windows system performance. The longer you wait to defragment your disk volumes, the slower your computer runs.
With Diskeeper, all the volumes in a Windows operating system can be kept defragmented indefinitely.
Diskeeper cleans them up and keeps them that way. This includes volumes with compressed, encrypted and sparse files on NTFS volumes.
Running either invisibly as a background process or as a manual defragmenter, Diskeeper carefully rearranges files and free space on a disk volume so they consist of as few pieces as possible. Diskeeper runs when other processes are active on the computer, so there is no need to lock users off a disk while it is being defragmented.
The end result: Your computer will run faster when Diskeeper is enabled.
Overview
1
C h a p t e r 1
Overview of Diskeeper Administrator
Diskeeper introduced the concept of enterprise-wide defragmentation, and Diskeeper Administrator represents the next generation of this technology. Diskeeper 2007 Administrator advances the concept of policy-based centralized management of Diskeeper throughout your network.
With Diskeeper Administrator, you can install, control, and monitor Diskeeper on computers throughout your network.
Here are the major features provided by Diskeeper Administrator:
The PushInstall feature makes it easy to deploy Diskeeper to any supported computer on your network.
Need to install Diskeeper on a few hundred machines? Diskeeper Administrator can do it in a few mouse clicks.
Controlling defragmentation operations is simple, whether you’re managing a handful of computers or thousands network-wide. You can establish policies that dictate how Diskeeper runs on one or multiple computers at a time.
For ease of management, you can arrange the computers on your network into logical groups. Diskeeper
Administrator supports Microsoft Active Directory groups, or you can create your own customized groups.
For example, you can easily set up different defragmentation policies, reports or preferences for the computers in the Finance department compared to those in Engineering—or deploy Diskeeper to all the computers on the fourth floor.
Diskeeper Administrator provides a wealth of report and exception-based alert notification options detailing the fragmentation on the computers across your network, and also collects performance and reliability data that you can use to proactively maintain your systems.
The Updates and Upgrades module enables Diskeeper Administrator to detect and deploy Diskeeper updates and upgrades to all your Diskeeper computers.
You can use Diskeeper Administrator Edition to remotely-control Diskeeper 9.0, 10.0, and 2007 installations on computers all over your network. Without ever leaving your desk, you can perform any
Diskeeper task as if you were sitting in front of the remote computer.
In a typical scenario, you would use Diskeeper Administrator to deploy Diskeeper Professional, Pro Premier,
Server, or EnterpriseServer to remote computers throughout your network. Then, you would optionally use
Diskeeper Administrator to establish policies that control the manner in which Diskeeper would run on those computers. These remote computers can optionally be divided into groups—you can use your existing Active
Directory grouping structure or create your own custom groups. After establishing any desired defragmentation policies, you can specify which alert messages you’d like to see, and how often you’d like to see them. At this point, you’re done! Diskeeper will automatically handle the fragmentation throughout your network. At any time thereafter, you can use Diskeeper Administrator to generate reports that allow you to easily check up on
Diskeeper operations network-wide—without ever leaving your desk!
Diskeeper Administrator consists of two main components — the Administrator Console and the Administrator
Database.
The Administrator Console is the “control panel” by which you send commands to Diskeeper computers throughout your network.
The Administrator Database component works in the background to collect and store the policies and properties, logging, reports, alerts and other informational data for all the computers on your network with valid Diskeeper licenses.
2 Overview
Remember Diskeeper Administrator is not a defragmenter. In order to defragment the computers(s) it is installed on, it is necessary to also install Diskeeper on the machine(s).
Other Useful Information
In order to start using Diskeeper Administrator, it is necessary to first configure the Administrator Database.
This includes specifying whether to use an existing SQL Server 2005, SQL Server 2000 or Microsoft SQL
Server Desktop Engine (MSDE) database, or installing MSDE locally on the computer running Diskeeper
Administrator. If neither of these are installed on your computer, you will be prompted to download and install a free version of MSDE from the Diskeeper Corporation web site. The database configuration also includes
about configuring the Administrator Database.
To gather the Diskeeper data from remote machines, Diskeeper Administrator must use login credentials for an account that is a member of the Administrators group on the domain or workgroup being polled. (This account
to use different login information for each domain on which you want to control remote Diskeeper installations.
See page 16 for more information about entering account information.
After Diskeeper Administrator has found the other Diskeeper installations on your network, it can then gather any existing defragmentation-related data from the remote machines. It gathers post-defragmentation performance and reliability information about each individual computer and stores that data in the
Administrator database. From then on, any time Diskeeper-related activity occurs on one of the remote computers, the Diskeeper Administrator database is updated, so information about the condition of the remote computers is always instantly available. You can view reports showing either the information currently in the database, or poll specific Diskeeper computers for reports showing up-to-the-minute information (including data from computers that have been temporarily off the network—such as laptop systems).
Installation
3
C h a p t e r 2
Installing Diskeeper Administrator
This chapter provides information you need before, during, and after installing Diskeeper Administrator.
Before the Installation
Platforms and Windows Versions Supported
Diskeeper Administrator runs on the Intel® x86 platform (including Pentium™ and compatible CPUs from other manufacturers) running Windows Vista
™, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP (all editions except
Home), and Windows 2000.
Important Note: If you are installing Diskeeper Administrator on a computer running Windows XP Service
Pack 2, be sure to visit
www.diskeeper.com/sp2
for the latest information about running Diskeeper with
Service Pack 2.
Additional Software Requirements
Diskeeper Administrator requires either SQL Server 2005, SQL Server 2000, or the Microsoft SQL Server
Desktop Engine (MSDE) to store Diskeeper-related information. The MSDE provides local data storage and is based on the data engine used in Microsoft SQL Server 2000. It is provided on the Diskeeper Administrator
CD-ROM, and is also available free of charge from the Diskeeper Corporation web site.
Diskeeper Administrator also relies on the Microsoft .NET 2.0 Framework and the Microsoft Management
Console (MMC).
The .NET 2.0 Framework provides the communication facilities necessary for the various Diskeeper
Administrator components.
The MMC provides a single point of control for system utilities such as Diskeeper Professional and Server editions. The MMC is used as a central location for a variety of Microsoft and other third party administrative tools.
Note: The Diskeeper Administrator setup process will automatically install the .NET Framework or MMC on your computer if needed.
Resource Requirements
The disk space requirements for Diskeeper Administrator depend on several factors. On most systems,
Diskeeper Administrator will need 80 megabytes or less. Allow up to 450 MB of extra free space for temporary files during the installation. If the Microsoft .NET Framework is not installed on your computer, this requires approximately 70 MB of additional disk space. Further, your system may require a new or updated version of the Microsoft Management Console (less than 6 MB). Finally, if Internet Explorer is not present on your computer, some other needed files (hhupd.exe, 50comupd.exe, and wintdist.exe) may be added.
4 Installation
If you install the MSDE when you first configure the Diskeeper Administrator database, it initially requires less than 70 MB of disk space, although as the database grows, the additional disk space requirements will increase.
Also, the MSDE uses the Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC), which will require approximately 26 additional MB of disk space if not already present on your system.
A Note About Firewalls
As a normal part of its operation, Diskeeper Administrator acts as a server on your network. If you are running a hardware or software firewall, you may see messages indicating Diskeeper Administrator is trying to act as a server. These messages are expected; you can safely allow these events.
You may also be notified that Diskeeper Administrator is trying to access the Internet. It is important to note that Diskeeper Administrator does not access the Internet (except when you specifically use the Check for
Updates feature), but it does use Windows mechanisms that may trigger these alerts from your firewall. Again, these messages are expected and you can safely allow the events.
Installation Procedure—The Short Version
The Diskeeper Administrator installation is typically fast and simple. Here are the basic steps:
Note: Make sure you are logged onto an account that is a member of the Administrators group.
1. Insert the Diskeeper Administrator CD-ROM into the appropriate drive on your computer. (If you are installing from a downloaded file, double-click the file you downloaded.)
2. Follow the screens displayed, answering the questions asked as prompted.
installation.
Installation Procedure—The Details
Installation Overview
Diskeeper Administrator is installed by the SETUP.EXE program supplied on the Diskeeper CD-ROM (or within the installation package, in the case of a downloaded version). The SETUP.EXE program:
Confirms that you have Administrator privileges.
Determines which Windows version you are running.
Checks for sufficient space on the disk for the installation.
Detects and removes any previously installed Diskeeper Administrator software.
Copies the necessary files to the destination directories, updates the Windows registry, starts the Diskeeper
Administrator service, and creates a link in the Windows Start menu for Diskeeper Administrator.
Installation Procedure
Diskeeper Administrator can be installed from a CD-ROM, or it may be downloaded from the Web. This procedure applies to both methods. Before you start the installation, please note the following:
You must be logged into an account that is a member of the Administrators group to install Diskeeper
Administrator.
This installation procedure assumes you are installing from CD-ROM. If the Diskeeper software was downloaded from the Web, double-click the executable file in the directory into which it was downloaded and go directly to step 3.
Installation
5
1. Insert the Diskeeper CD-ROM into the appropriate drive on your computer.
2. The Windows AutoPlay feature automatically displays a screen that allows you to install Diskeeper
Administrator or choose from an assortment of Trialware versions of Diskeeper Corporation products.
If you have disabled the AutoPlay feature, simply double-click the Setup.exe file in the root-level folder on the CD-ROM and follow the instructions displayed.
3. Click Next when the welcome message appears.
4. After you have read and accepted the license agreement, click Next to continue.
5. You can choose a different disk volume or directory for the installation. Click Change and navigate to the location where you want the files for Diskeeper Administrator installed.
6. After making any desired changes to the file destinations, click Next to accept your changes. If any directory you specified does not exist, a new directory will be created.
7. If Internet Explorer 4.01 or higher is not installed on your computer, another installation program is started and a package of necessary components is installed on your computer. Microsoft Management Console
(MMC), which is the interface for Diskeeper Administrator, requires these components. These components are a small subset of Internet Explorer
⎯not the complete Internet Explorer product. Installing these components (hhupd.exe, 50comupd.exe, and wintdist.exe) will not affect your current web browser. Note that you must restart your computer after installing Diskeeper Administrator if these components are installed.
8. If the MMC is not installed on your computer, the MMC Setup program is started automatically. After the
MMC files are installed, the Diskeeper Administrator Setup program resumes.
9. After the Diskeeper Administrator files have been copied to your system, you may be presented with the opportunity to register Diskeeper Administrator online.
10. You can immediately start Diskeeper Administrator by clicking Finish.
11. To run Diskeeper Administrator, click the Windows Start button, select Programs, and then Diskeeper
Administrator.
After the Installation
Registering Diskeeper Administrator
After the installation is complete, you may be given the option to register your Diskeeper Administrator purchase online. Be sure to register your purchase to receive the free 90 days of telephone support included with Diskeeper Administrator.
Check for Product Update
The first time you run Diskeeper Administrator, it automatically checks to see if a more recent version of
Diskeeper Administrator is available. If so, you are given the option to download and install the newer version.
When the download screen is displayed, click Run this program from its current location to begin installing the update. Or, click Save this program to disk to save the Diskeeper Administrator update installation package on your computer for later installation. (To install an update stored on your computer in this manner, simply double-click the file you download and follow the instructions displayed.)
You can check for Diskeeper Administrator updates any time you want. Select the Configure Diskeeper
Administrator option under the Configure task group in the Quick Launch task pane and choose Diskeeper
6 Installation
Administrator Properties
. From the Properties Console, select the Diskeeper Administrator Updates option on the left to see if a newer version of Diskeeper is available.
About Windows Service Packs
There is typically no need to upgrade Diskeeper Administrator each time you install a new Windows Service
Pack upgrade.
Important Note: Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) establishes default security settings that can prevent
Diskeeper Administrator from communicating with Diskeeper computers throughout your network. Be sure to visit
www.diskeeper.com/sp2
for the latest information about configuring your Windows XP SP2 computers to run Diskeeper Administrator and Diskeeper.
About the Diskeeper Administrator Service
Diskeeper Administrator creates a Windows service. The service allows the Administrator Data Controller to run in the background while other applications are running. As long as your operating system is up and running, Diskeeper Administrator can do its job, whether you are logged on or not.
After installation, the Diskeeper Administrator service starts automatically each time your computer is restarted.
This service runs all the time, whether or not any Diskeeper Administrator actions are occurring. This service consumes negligible system resources, and in most cases will never need to be disabled.
The Windows Application Event Log
Diskeeper Administrator messages are placed in the Windows Application Event Log. By default, this log is
512 kilobytes in size (except on Windows Server 2003), and is set to overwrite events older than 7 days.
Diskeeper Administrator may quickly fill the log file if these default settings are used. To prevent this, perform the following steps to change the size and overwriting characteristics of the Application Event Log:
1. Right-click My Computer on your desktop and select Manage.
2. When the Computer Management Console is displayed, select System Tools, and then Event Viewer.
3. Expand the Event Viewer by double-clicking it and select Application.
4. Next, click the Action menu and select Properties. a) Set the Maximum log size to 2048 KB. b) Enable the Overwrite events as needed option. c) Click OK.
Repairing Windows Systems
Performing an emergency repair, upgrade or reinstallation of a Windows system can possibly change or disable certain system information or services, which may make it necessary to reinstall Diskeeper Administrator after repairing your Windows system.
Uninstalling Diskeeper Administrator
To uninstall Diskeeper Administrator, you must be logged into an account that is a member of the
Administrators group.
Note that the controls may have slightly different names, depending on the version of Windows.
Follow these steps to completely remove and uninstall Diskeeper Administrator from your computer:
Installation
7
1. From the Control Panel, double-click Add/Remove Programs.
2. Highlight the Diskeeper Administrator entry.
3. Click Remove. This removes the Diskeeper Administrator program files from your computer. In most cases, the Diskeeper Administrator installation directories will not be removed.
4. Manually delete the Diskeeper Administrator installation directories if they exist.
Note: If the MMC has been installed on your computer, it will not be removed when Diskeeper Administrator is uninstalled.
Also Note: Any data or installation files stored by the Administrator Data Controller are not removed when you uninstall Diskeeper Administrator (in the event you are planning to reinstall Diskeeper Administrator).
Manually delete these files if they are no longer needed.
Diskeeper Administrator Operation
9
C h a p t e r 3
Diskeeper Administrator Operation
This chapter describes the features available with Diskeeper Administrator, and what you can do with them.
Overview
These are the main Diskeeper Administrator features:
Diskeeper Deployment—Install or uninstall Diskeeper Professional, Pro Premier , Server or
EnterpriseServer on selected computers throughout your network.
Logical Grouping Control—Supports Active Directory groups, or you can create custom logical groups of systems on which to manage Diskeeper operations.
Policy-Based Centralized Management—Set and view Diskeeper defragmentation properties that control how and when Diskeeper runs on selected computers on your network.
Reports—Establish and view several Diskeeper reports showing information about selected computers on your network.
Alerts—Get e-mail notification of critical issues regarding the condition of the disk volumes all through your network.
Single Remote Computer Control—Connect directly to a remote system and have full control of
Diskeeper on that system.
Cross-Platform Support—Diskeeper Administrator runs on a variety of Windows operating system platforms, from Windows 2000 through Windows Server 2003.
Using the Diskeeper Administrator Console
Navigation in Diskeeper Administrator is done through the Diskeeper Administrator console. This console provides a convenient central location to start all Diskeeper Administrator tasks and view reports.
Some Diskeeper Administrator tasks are performed in separate “Wizard” windows. These wizards guide you through the steps necessary to perform that particular task. The layout of the wizards is similar to the main
Diskeeper Administrator console, and like the main console, the information and options displayed differs depending on the task.
The Diskeeper Administrator console and various wizards were designed to guide you through all of the available tasks quickly and easily. If any information or variables are required for a task, Diskeeper
Administrator takes you to the appropriate page and prompts you for the necessary input.
Common operations, such as scheduling a task, are presented in a consistent manner—scheduling a report scan is done the same way as scheduling a Diskeeper deployment operation. Because of this, you will see similar screens as you use the different the Diskeeper Administrator modules.
10 Diskeeper Administrator Operation
Although the information displayed differs depending on the task you are performing, this example shows a typical view of the main console:
Menu Bar
Toolbar
Quick
Launch
Task
Menu
Description
Area
Information
Area
Actions
(shown when applicable)
Properties
(shown when applicable)
Here are brief descriptions of the different sections of the Diskeeper Administrator console:
Toolbar
The Toolbar at the top of the display allows you to select common Diskeeper Administrator tasks, grouped into these main categories:
Getting Started – Includes the Task Overview, which provides a graphic representation of the recommended tasks, and how they relate to each other. Also includes an overview of Diskeeper Administrator, answers to Frequently Asked Questions, and easy access to the Diskeeper Administrator Help system.
Manage Diskeeper – This group includes tasks to manage Diskeeper computers and groups, install and uninstall Diskeeper, configure defragmentation properties, and manage your Diskeeper licenses.
Reports and Alerts – Includes a variety of reporting options, as well as exception-based alerts triggered by events that could affect the performance and reliability of your computers.
Diskeeper Job Queue – View information about pending, running, or completed Diskeeper jobs.
Configure – View and modify Diskeeper Administrator settings.
Diskeeper Administrator Operation
11
Menu Bar
The menu bar of the display offers a menu-based (and keyboard-accessible) path to all of the different
available.
Quick Launch Task Pane
The Quick Launch task pane mirrors the options available via the toolbar, providing another convenient way to start any Diskeeper Administrator task.
Description Area
This section of the display gives a brief description of the page displayed, telling you what it does and what you need to do.
Information Area
This is where the various Diskeeper Administrator tasks display requested information, and where you can initiate tasks based on the information displayed. Here you can select the computers you want to manage, select available task actions, make policy changes, and display reports. Many of the screens shown in the work area also include Actions and/or Properties buttons, which give you options that are related to the current task.
Action and Properties Buttons—These buttons provide quick access to a wide variety of available options.
They are displayed when there are applicable options for the tasks you are performing, and the options available vary by task. Since these buttons are only displayed for options where they are applicable, at times they will not be displayed.
Other Navigational Tips
You will notice Diskeeper Administrator uses several methods for getting your input or displaying information that are consistent from one task to another. For example, selecting computers for a Diskeeper deployment task is done in the same manner as selecting computers from which to generate reports. Or, filtering the data within the different Diskeeper Administrator reports is done in the same way for each report type. This section briefly describes some tips for using this consistency to your advantage.
Selecting Computers
Many Diskeeper Administrator tasks—such as creating reports or deploying Diskeeper—include a page for you to select computers on which you want to perform the task. You can choose between two different views of your network hierarchy: a tree view or a detail view.
Here is an example of the tree view:
12 Diskeeper Administrator Operation
Navigating the tree view is done in a manner very similar to other Windows-based applications like Windows
Explorer.
Click the plus sign in the tree to expand a branch, or click the minus sign to collapse the branch.
Click the View drop-down list to include custom groups, domains, Active Directory Organizational Units, or computers grouped by IP address range:
View drop-down list
Click the Tree/Detail view option to switch between the tree view and the detail view:
Here is an example of the Detail view:
Diskeeper Administrator Operation
13
Tree/Detail view option
Navigation
Buttons
Use the navigation buttons to move back, forward, and up through your network hierarchy to the desired computers.
In either view, you select a computer by clicking on it. To select more than one computer, hold the <Ctrl> key while clicking on the computers you want to select.
After selecting the desired computers or groups, use the Actions and Properties buttons (when displayed) to perform a wide variety of tasks on the selected computers.
If you choose to display computers by IP address range, a page is displayed allowing you to provide the starting and ending IP addresses for the range you want to display. See the following section for more information about specifying an IP address range.
14 Diskeeper Administrator Operation
Specifying an IP Address Range
When you select Add IP Addresses from the Action option at the bottom of either the Tree or Detail computer views, you can view a specific group of computers by entering an Internet Protocol (IP) address range. If you enter an address in only the IP Address Start field, only the computer with that IP address is included. If you specify an end address, all computers between the start and end addresses are included.
If the IP range covers multiple domains, you must enter the trusted domain name in the Domain field. When one domain “trusts” another, the user name and password defined in the “trusted” domain can be used for authentication and authorization in the “trusting” domain(s).
Additionally, if you want to indicate a mask used to determine the subnet an IP address belongs to, you can do so on this page.
Follow these steps to enter an IP address range:
1. In the Domain field, enter the name of the domain containing the machine(s) with the IP address or IP address range you want to enter.
2. You can include a single computer by entering an address in the IP Address Start field only.
3. If you select the option to Specify End IP Address and enter an address, all computers with IP addresses falling within the range are included.
4. If you want to indicate the mask used to determine what subnet an IP address belongs to, select the Specify
IP Mask option and enter the mask in the accompanying field.
Filtering Reports
Grids in the various Diskeeper Administrator displays feature “Quick Filtering.” Quick Filtering allows you to quickly and easily display only the information you want to see in the grid. Click the down arrow at the top of any column and choose filtering options to determine what displays in the entire grid.
When you select an item, only that item appears in the grid. When you select “(none)” no filtering is applied and all items appear in the grid.
When you select “(custom)” the Custom Row Filter screen appears so you can build a custom filter statement to determine the information that appears in the grid.
Diskeeper Administrator Operation
15
First Things First
Before using Diskeeper Administrator for the first time, there are several steps you should take.
Configuring the Database
Diskeeper Administrator relies on a database of Diskeeper-related information gathered from remote computers across your network. Before using Diskeeper Administrator for the first time, you must configure the database.
You can also change the database configuration later with the Diskeeper Administrator Database
Configuration Wizard option available from the Configure task in the Quick Launch pane or Diskeeper
Administrator menu bar.
There are several steps involved in configuring the Diskeeper Administrator database. The entire process is explained on-screen as you go through the configuration process.
Click Configure Database in the Diskeeper Administrator Task Overview under Getting Started in the
Quick Launch task pane to open the Configure Database Wizard, which guides you through the configuration process.
Here is a summary of the steps:
Specifying whether to use Microsoft SQL Server or MSDE
As the first step of configuring the Diskeeper Administrator database, you must specify whether to use
Microsoft SQL Server 2005, Microsoft SQL Server 2000 or the Microsoft SQL Server Desktop Engine
(MSDE) for the Diskeeper Administrator database.
The MSDE provides local data storage and is based on the data engine used in Microsoft SQL Server 2000.
It is provided on the Diskeeper Administrator CD-ROM, and is also available free of charge from the
Diskeeper Corporation web site.
Specifying the database server location
If you opt to use an existing database, the next step in the database configuration task is to specify which computer you want to use as the database server for Diskeeper Administrator. The Database Servers: drop-down list shows you the database servers detected on your network by Diskeeper Administrator.
Also as part of this step, you have the option of using your Windows login authentication to access the
Diskeeper Administrator database, or you can enter your SQL Server authentication login name and password. Note that if the SQL database is not in the same domain as the instance of Diskeeper
Administrator you are running, you must use the SQL Server authentication method.
16 Diskeeper Administrator Operation
Specifying whether to use a new or existing database
This step allows you to specify whether to use a new or an existing database. You can also configure more than one database as long as you give each database a unique name.
Specifying the database information
During this step you specify the directory folder where you want the Diskeeper Administrator database to reside. You will also specify the maximum size for the database and optionally specify a name for the database.
Note that you cannot create a directory on a remote server from this task. We recommend you create a
C:\Diskeeper Administrator directory folder on the remote server for the Diskeeper Administrator database.
Update Legacy Database
This step is only displayed in cases where you have chosen to use an existing Diskeeper Administrator database from an earlier version if Diskeeper Administrator. This step will update the older database to be compatible with Diskeeper Administrator 2007.
Summary
The final screen displayed in the Database Configuration Wizard confirms the successful configuration of your Diskeeper Administrator database.
Setting Up Administrative Permissions
In order to gather the Diskeeper data from remote machines, Diskeeper Administrator must use login credentials for an account that is a member of the Administrators group on the domain or workgroup being
Diskeeper Administrator allows you to use different login information for each domain or workgroup on which you want to perform remote Diskeeper installations.
If you have not already specified login credentials, you will be prompted to do so the first time you initiate a
Diskeeper Administrator task requiring it.
You can change previously-entered account information at any time by following these steps:
1. Click Configure in the toolbar to display the Configure task group, select Diskeeper
Administrator Properties, then select Administrative Permissions from the task pane on the left.
2. Highlight the domain(s) or workgroup(s) for which you want to specify login credentials.
3. In the Type column, click the drop-down menu and select either Domain, Workgroup, or Local Admin, depending on the type of account you are using to access the selected domain(s) or workgroup(s).
4. Click the User Name field and enter the user name for an account that is a member of the Administrators group on the selected domain or workgroup.
5. Click the Password field and enter the password for the account entered in the previous step.
6. If you are using a Domain account (as opposed to a Workgroup or Local Admin account), you can optionally click the button in the Verify Account column to check the validity of the user name and password you have entered.
7. Click OK. When you click OK, the login credentials are verified on each domain or workgroup. A message is displayed if any of the verification processes fail.
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Ports Used by Diskeeper Administrator
In order to deploy Diskeeper and remotely control Diskeeper computers with Diskeeper Administrator, the computers running Diskeeper must be configured to allow Diskeeper Administrator to communicate via these ports:
Diskeeper Administrator PushInstall port: 31029 — Diskeeper Administrator uses this port to deploy
Diskeeper to remote computers.
Diskeeper Administrator console port: 31036 — Diskeeper Administrator remote control console receives data from remote Diskeeper computers via this port.
Spare Diskeeper Administrator console ports: 31056, 31076, 31096, 31116, 31136, 31156, 31176, 31196, and 31216 — Diskeeper Administrator will use these ports if the default ports are unavailable.
Diskeeper Administrator SQL port: 1434 — Diskeeper Administrator uses this port if the SQL database is located on a remote computer.
Getting Started Display
After you have configured the Diskeeper Administrator database, the Getting Started task overview is displayed. You can also display this page at any time by clicking Getting Started central starting point for the primary Diskeeper Administrator operations. in the toolbar. This is a
Toolbar
Task
Menu
From this page, you can:
Use the Configure Diskeeper Administrator task to launch the Configure Diskeeper Administrator properties page to view and edit the Diskeeper Administrator configuration settings. Once specified, most
Diskeeper Administrator configuration settings need no additional action.
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Use the Add License Files task to add Diskeeper licenses to the Diskeeper Administrator database for use with Diskeeper installations throughout your network. A license is required for each instance of Diskeeper on your network unless you install Diskeeper in Try and Buy mode—a fully functional 30-day trial.
Use the Deploy Policies task to deploy defragmentation policies to the computers or groups you select.
Defragmentation policies are used to centrally manage how Diskeeper defragments your computers. You can deploy the policies immediately, or at a later scheduled time.
Use the Install Diskeeper task to install Diskeeper on the computers you choose. You can easily install
Diskeeper on one or more computers via central management with Diskeeper Administrator.
Use the Create Policies task to establish and save different defragmentation policies for your computers or groups. After the policies are created, you can then deploy them via central management to your Diskeeper computers.
Use the Create Reports task to launch the New Report Wizard and create a report. Diskeeper
Administrator Reports show useful information about the computers on your network, the versions of
Diskeeper installed on them, and a variety of other data related to the performance and reliability of your computers.
Use the Scan Computers task to scan your network and gather data from your remote Diskeeper computers for use in the Diskeeper Administrator database. In order to have meaningful data, you can run a one-time scan now or at a later time, or schedule recurring scans. After the initial scan, the database is updated each time a Diskeeper-related task or job occurs.
Use the Configure Alerts task to configure the thresholds at which Diskeeper Administrator Alerts are triggered, and customize the list of recipients and the message they receive with the alert. Diskeeper
Administrator Alerts are sent when exception-based events occur that could affect the performance and reliability of your computers.
Use the Remote Control Diskeeper task to connect to an individual Diskeeper computer and control
Diskeeper on it as if you sitting in front of that computer. You can perform any Diskeeper operations on that computer in the same manner as running Diskeeper on a local computer.
Use the Configure Database task to launch the Diskeeper Administrator Database Configuration Wizard, which will guide you through the necessary steps for the initial database configuration, or to make changes to a previously-set configuration.
Scanning the Network
Diskeeper Administrator can scan your network to gather information about Diskeeper installations and properties network-wide. By scanning the network, you will increase the accuracy ease of use of the other
Diskeeper Administrator tasks and features. You can choose to scan all your computers or a selected subset.
You can run a one-time scan, or schedule recurring scans.
Network scans are done via the Scan Computers Wizard. Follow these steps to use the Scan Computers Wizard to scan one or any number of remote computers:
1. Click Scan Computers in the Diskeeper Administrator Task Overview under Getting Started in the
Quick Launch task pane. (Or you can select the Scan Computers option in the Manage Diskeeper task, then click Scan Computers.) This opens the Scan Computers Wizard in a separate window.
2. In the introduction screen displayed, enter an optional name and description for the network scan job. The details of the network scan will be displayed in the Diskeeper Administrator Job Queue, so having a recognizable job name and description can be useful. When you have made your selections, click Next.
3. The next screen displays a tree view of your network. (You can also switch to a Detail view as described
selecting the computers to scan, click Next.
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4. Since scanning a large number of computers across the network can take some time and use network bandwidth, you are next given the option to schedule the network scan task for a later time, or perform it now. If you select to schedule the task for a later time, you are prompted to specify when the task is to begin. You can also specify a time for the task to be stopped, even if it has not yet completed. This gives you the flexibility to perform the task at a time when network bandwidth will not be impacted. Choose when to scan the network, and click Next.
5. Next, a summary is displayed, showing you the ongoing status of the network scan task. When the task is complete, the summary is automatically saved in the Diskeeper Administrator Job Queue, along with other
report, or when you are ready to perform another task, click Close.
Deploying Diskeeper
Use the Install and Uninstall Diskeeper task to install or uninstall Diskeeper Professional, Pro Premier,
Server, or EnterpriseServer on selected computers across your network. Be aware that you must have valid
Diskeeper licenses for the computers on which you intend to install Diskeeper. If you do not have licenses available, Diskeeper will be installed in Try and Buy mode, with full functionality, but for a limited time only.
Note that you must have administrative permissions on all the selected computers to deploy Diskeeper. If necessary, you will be prompted for the appropriate credentials.
Also note that the deployment operation requires the presence of a shared folder named ADMIN$ on each of the target computers. The ADMIN$ share exists by default on Windows systems, unless it has been specifically
computer(s)
The Install and Uninstall Diskeeper task establishes a network connection with the selected machines, then installs the selected Diskeeper edition to those computers. It relies on having the installable Diskeeper package(s) available to be installed. The first time you deploy Diskeeper, you are prompted to browse for the installation package you intend to use. You can use either a CD-ROM or downloaded installation package.
Once you choose the Setup.exe file, the installation package is copied to the Administrator database. If you have previously selected an installation package, the Install Diskeeper 2007 wizard will display the edition and version of the package, and allow you to browse for a different package if desired.
If you try to deploy a Diskeeper version that is not compatible with the target machine, a message explaining the situation is displayed. Messages are also displayed to let you know the status of the installations.
Diskeeper installation is performed as a “job”, meaning the operation can be run immediately or scheduled to run at a later time
Installing Diskeeper Across the Network
Follow these steps to use the Install Diskeeper 2007 Wizard to deploy Diskeeper to one or a few hundred remote computers:
1. Click Install Diskeeper in the Diskeeper Administrator Task Overview under Getting Started in the
Quick Launch task pane. (Or you can select the option to install Diskeeper in the Manage Diskeeper task, then click Next.) This opens the Install Diskeeper 2007 Wizard in a separate window.
2. In the introduction screen displayed, enter an optional name and description for the deployment job. The details of the installation job will be displayed in the Diskeeper Administrator Job Queue, so having a recognizable job name and description can be useful. When you have made your selections, click Next.
3. In the next screen displayed, select the Diskeeper edition you want to install on your computers, and select the installation file to use. You can choose to download and install the latest build of the selected
Diskeeper edition, or click Browse to navigate to and specify an existing Diskeeper installation file in a shared network folder or CD-ROM. Select from these options and click Next.
20 Diskeeper Administrator Operation
4. The next screen shows the number of licenses available for the selected Diskeeper edition, and displays a
combination of one or more computers, groups or domains on which you want to install Diskeeper. After selecting the computers on which to install Diskeeper, click Next.
5. Next, you are given the opportunity to select a defragmentation policy to apply to the Diskeeper installation job. Select from any of the policies displayed. You can modify an existing defragmentation policy by clicking Properties, or click Actions and select the option to create a new policy. After selecting the defragmentation policy, click Next.
6. In the next screen displayed, specify whether to install Diskeeper in the default location
(%SYSTEMROOT%:\Program Files\Diskeeper Corporation\Diskeeper) or a folder location you specify.
Note that Diskeeper Administrator will append any location you specify with \Diskeeper
Corporation\Diskeeper. After making any selections, click Next.
7. Since installing Diskeeper on a large number of computers across the network can take some time and use network bandwidth, you are next given the option to schedule the Diskeeper deployment task for a later time, or perform it now. If you select to schedule the task for a later time, you are prompted to specify when the task is to begin. You can also specify a time for the task to be stopped, even if it has not yet completed. This gives you the flexibility to perform the task at a time when network bandwidth will not be impacted. Choose when to perform the installation job, and click Next.
8. Next, a summary is displayed, showing you the ongoing status of the Diskeeper installation task. When the task is complete, the summary is automatically saved in the Diskeeper Administrator Job Queue, along
with other similar reports. See page 37 for more information about the Job Queue. When you are done
reviewing the report, or when you are ready to perform another task, click Close.
Uninstalling Diskeeper Across the Network
Using the Install and Uninstall Diskeeper to uninstall Diskeeper from remote machines is easy. The uninstaller will remove any version of Diskeeper (Professional or Server) from the computers you select.
Follow these steps to uninstall Diskeeper from one or more computers:
1. Click Manage Diskeeper in the Quick Launch task pane, then select Install and Uninstall Diskeeper.
2. In the next screen displayed, select Uninstall Diskeeper from Computers. This opens the Uninstall
Diskeeper 2007 wizard in a separate window.
3. In the introduction screen displayed, enter an optional name and description for the uninstallation job. The details of the job will be displayed in the Diskeeper Administrator Job Queue, so having a recognizable job name and description can be useful. When you have made your selections, click Next.
4. In the tree view that is displayed next, select any combination of one or more computers, groups or domains from which you want to uninstall Diskeeper. (You can also switch to a Detail view as described
on page 11.) After selecting the computers, click Next.
5. Since uninstalling Diskeeper on a large number of computers across the network can take some time and use network bandwidth, you are next given the option to schedule the task for a later time, or perform it now. If you select to schedule the task for a later time, you are prompted to specify when the task is to begin. You can also specify a time for the task to be stopped, even if it has not yet completed. This gives you the flexibility to perform the task at a time when network bandwidth will not be impacted. Choose when to perform the uninstallation job, and click Next.
6. After specifying when to perform the uninstall task, a summary is displayed, showing you the ongoing status of the task. When the task is complete, the summary is automatically saved in the Diskeeper
Queue. When you are done reviewing the report, or when you are ready to perform another task, click
Close.
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Stopping a Diskeeper Installation Operation
Follow these steps to stop an ongoing Diskeeper installation or uninstallation task:
1. In the Quick Launch task pane, click Job Queue. This will display a listing of Diskeeper Administrator tasks that are completed, currently running, or pending.
2. Select the currently-running or pending installation (or uninstallation) task, click Actions, and select Stop.
Note: This option only stops any installation or uninstallation operations that are in progress or pending. It does not “roll back” installations that have already been done.
About the ADMIN$ Share
The Diskeeper Administrator PushInstall feature relies on a shared folder named ADMIN$ on each of the target computers. The ADMIN$ share exists by default on Windows systems, unless it has been specifically disabled.
Here are two ways to check for the presence of the ADMIN$ share on your computers:
Open Windows Explorer and enter \\computer_name\ADMIN$ in the Address field (where
computer_name is the name of the computer you are checking). If the share does not exist, an error message will be displayed. If it does exist, the contents of the WINNT folder will be shown.
Right-click My Computer and select Manage to open the Windows Computer Management applet. Next, select System Tools | Shared Folders | Shares. The right-hand pane will display a list of all shares for that computer, including ADMIN$ if it exists.
If the ADMIN$ share has been removed or disabled on your computer, contact Diskeeper Corporation
Technical Support for assistance.
Updates and Upgrades
In addition to installing Diskeeper across your network, Diskeeper Administrator can check the Diskeeper
Corporation website for newer versions of Diskeeper, and when found, deploy the new versions to your managed Diskeeper computers.
You can set Diskeeper Administrator to check daily for updates, and send an e-mail message or display a desktop notification message to inform you when updates are available. You can also manually check for updates any time you want.
There are several steps involved in updating or upgrading Diskeeper on your remote computers. The entire process is explained on-screen as you go through the steps.
Update and Upgrade ⎯ What’s the Difference?
Before we start, it is important to understand the difference between updates and upgrades:
Updates are no-cost incremental versions of Diskeeper, based on a common version number. For example, version 2007 build 101 would be an update from 2007 build 100. No additional Diskeeper licenses
(beyond those currently in use) are required to deploy a Diskeeper update.
Upgrades are changes from one major version number to the next (such as from version 10.0 to version
2007) You must own or purchase the appropriate Diskeeper license to upgrade a Diskeeper installation.
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Update or Upgrade Step-By-Step
The steps for installing Diskeeper updates or upgrades are similar to deploying new Diskeeper installations.
You select the computers you want to update or upgrade, select several other parameters, then let Diskeeper
Administrator perform the task unattended.
For both updates and upgrades, the starting point is the Install and Uninstall Diskeeper task under
Manage Diskeeper in the Quick Launch task pane or the Diskeeper Administrator menu bar. Select this task and choose either the Update Diskeeper or the Upgrade Diskeeper options to launch a wizard-based series of steps to guide you through the update or upgrade operation. After starting the appropriate wizard, follow the steps displayed to either update or upgrade one or more Diskeeper installations. These steps are described in the following sections.
Introduction
The Introduction page of the Update Diskeeper Wizard (or the Upgrade Diskeeper Wizard) provides spaces for you to enter an optional name and description for the update or upgrade job. The details of the job will be displayed in the Diskeeper Administrator Job Queue, so having a recognizable job name and description can be useful. Make any desired changes, then click Next.
Select Computers
This page of the wizard displays a tree view of your network. (You can also switch to a Detail view as
want to install the update or upgrade. After selecting the computers on which to install Diskeeper, click Next.
Select Data Source
Before performing any update or upgrade task, Diskeeper Administrator must determine what versions of
Diskeeper are running on your remote managed computers. It can do this by either scanning the computers now, or using previously-collected data stored in the Diskeeper Administrator database.
Using “live” data ensures you are basing the update or upgrade on the most currently-available data.
However, a live data scan can take a considerable length of time on a large network. Also, a “live” data scan will not take into account any remote managed computers that happen to be off-line at the time of the data scan (such as notebook or laptop computers).
Using data from the Diskeeper Administrator database is typically faster than using live data, but keep in mind that it is only as current as the database. This database is updated whenever Diskeeper-related changes occur on your remote managed computers. However, this data may not be current if the Diskeeper
Administrator database has been off-line for any length of time. When database data is used, any remote managed computers (notebook or laptop computers) that happen to be off-line at the time of the data scan will still be taken into account, since in most cases the database contains the most recent information about the Diskeeper version on those computers.
After selecting the data source, click Next to continue.
Select Version
This page of the wizard shows the Diskeeper versions available, and allows you to specify the Diskeeper version you want to deploy.
The Select Computers and Upgrades page of the Update and Upgrade module lists the computers you have selected to update, and shows this information about each:
Domain Name
Computer Name
Operating System
Diskeeper Edition
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Current Version
Selected Version
The Current Version column shows the Diskeeper version that is currently installed on the remote computer.
The Selected Version column contains a drop-down list of available Diskeeper versions. Use this drop-down list to select the Diskeeper version you want to install on each selected computer.
If you are installing an upgrade, you will also see a table showing the type and number of Diskeeper licenses you have available for deployment. For each type of license available, the table shows:
Diskeeper Edition
Combined License Count (includes volume and retail licenses)
Number of Licenses Used
Number of Licenses Available
Schedule Deployment
Since deploying Diskeeper updates or upgrades to a large number of computers across the network can take some time and use network bandwidth, the Update and Upgrade module gives you the option to schedule the deployment task for a later time, or perform it now.
If you select to schedule the task for a later time, use the controls provided to specify when the task is to begin.
You can also specify a time for the task to be stopped, even if it has not yet completed. This gives you the flexibility to perform the update or upgrade deployment at a time when network bandwidth will not be impacted. Make your selections and click Next.
Summary
Deployment to each individual computer is considered a “job”, so deployment to many computers could consist of many jobs. The Update and Upgrade Summary shows the progress of the individual jobs that make up the update or upgrade deployment task. As the jobs progress, you can see this information:
Domain
Computer Name
Job Status
Description
Time the job started
When you are done reviewing the report, or when you are ready to perform another task, click Close. Keep in mind that you can also see current and historical information about the update or upgrade tasks in the Diskeeper
Job Queues. See page 37 for more information about the Job Queues.
Managing Diskeeper Software Licensing
Your Diskeeper licenses are stored in the Diskeeper Administrator database, and assigned to remote computers as needed. The Manage Diskeeper Software Licensing module gives you complete control over the distribution and use of your Diskeeper licenses. You can easily see the number and types of licenses in use and how many are available. You can also convert Try and Buy licenses into full licenses (or full licenses into trialware) or purchase additional licenses online, all from a single location.
The Manage Diskeeper Software Licensing module can detect and manage existing Diskeeper licenses on your network. It is also used by the PushInstall deployment option to manage the licenses of the Diskeeper installations done by this instance of Diskeeper Administrator.
24 Diskeeper Administrator Operation
To open the Manage Diskeeper Software Licensing module, click Manage Diskeeper in the Quick Launch task pane and select Manage Diskeeper Software Licensing . This displays the License Usage Report, and a table showing specific licenses you have added to the Diskeeper Administrator database. (See the following sections for more information about adding Diskeeper licenses.)
The License Usage report includes this information:
Edition – The Diskeeper edition, such as Professional, Pro Premier, Server, or EnterpriseServer
Version – The major version number
Full – The count of full Diskeeper licenses for this Diskeeper edition and version
Upgrade – The count of upgrade Diskeeper licenses for this Diskeeper edition and version
Combined – The full and upgrade license counts combined
Available – The total number of licenses available for this Diskeeper edition and version
Used – The total number of licenses used for this Diskeeper edition and version
Retail Count – The count of licenses detected by Diskeeper Administrator on computers where Diskeeper was installed independently of Diskeeper Administrator.
Trial Count – The number of Try and Buy trialware licenses detected by Diskeeper Administrator
The Licenses table includes this information:
License Number – The unique alphanumeric number assigned to each license pack
Type – The type of license
Edition – The Diskeeper edition, such as Professional, Pro Premier, Server, or EnterpriseServer
Version – The major version number
Licensee – The name of the company or organization to which the license was granted
Full License Count – The number of full licenses for this Diskeeper edition and version represented by this license pack
Reseller – The name of the company or organization from which the license was purchased
Trial Period – The length of time allowed for Try and Buy licenses represented by this license pack. This is not applicable for full licenses.
Expiry Date – The date when the trial licenses will expire. This is also not applicable to full licenses.
Software License Management Actions
There are a number of actions you can perform from within the Manage Diskeeper Software Licensing module.
Click Actions at the bottom of the screen to perform these tasks:
Purchase Additional Licenses
Use this option to purchase additional Diskeeper licenses directly from Diskeeper Corporation. When this option is selected, Diskeeper Administrator opens your web browser to the appropriate page of the Diskeeper
Corporation online store, where you will be guided through your purchase.
Install Diskeeper
Use this option to launch the Install Diskeeper 2007 Wizard and install Diskeeper on the computers of your choice.
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25
Upgrade Try and Buy Computers
Use this option to upgrade computers running trial versions of Diskeeper into fully-licensed Diskeeper computers.
Add License
Use this option to add recently (or previously) purchased Diskeeper licenses to the Diskeeper Administrator database.
Remove Selected License
Use this option to remove a license pack from the Diskeeper Administrator database.
Defragmentation Policies
Diskeeper 2007 Administrator introduces the concept of policy-based centralized defragmentation management. Defragmentation policies are a set of properties (or options) that specify how Diskeeper will defragment the computers on which they are deployed. As an example, you use a defragmentation policy to specify which volumes on your remote computers will have Automatic Defragmentation enabled, or the periods of time you want Automatic Defragmentation turned off. Once a policy has been defined, it can be saved and used again.
Diskeeper 2007 Administrator supports defragmentation policies for computers running Diskeeper 2007, as well as legacy systems running Diskeeper 10 or Diskeeper 9. Note that the available property options vary, depending on the version of Diskeeper the policy is intended to control.
Creating Defragmentation Policies
Diskeeper Administrator includes a default policy for computers running Diskeeper 2007, but you can also create your own policies to meet your specific needs, including policies for older versions of Diskeeper.
Defragmentation policies are created from within the New Job Policy Wizard. To open the wizard, select the
New Job Policy
option in the Diskeeper Administrator Task Overview under Getting Started in the
Quick Launch task pane. Alternatively, click Manage Diskeeper in the Quick Launch task pane and select
Configure Defragmentation Policies.
This opens a listing of the existing defragmentation policies. Click Actions at the bottom of the screen, then select New Job Policy. This launches the New Job Policy Wizard.
Tip: You can create new defragmentation policies from the Actions menu at other times when they are needed, such as when deploying Diskeeper to remote computers.
It is important to note that Diskeeper 2007 contains a number of significant improvements over Diskeeper versions 9 and 10. First and foremost, Diskeeper 2007 offers Automatic Defragmentation, which simplifies
Diskeeper operation (and administration) considerably. With Diskeeper 2007 there is no longer a need for multiple and potentially confusing Primary, Secondary, and I-FAAST™ defragmentation schedules, different defragmentation methods, or any need to be concerned with disk or CPU priorities.
When you launch the New Job Policy Wizard, you will see options to create policies for Diskeeper 2007 or for
Diskeeper versions 9 and 10. The options available differ, depending on the Diskeeper version they are intended for, and the policy type selected. Select the version and policy type, specify a name for the policy, and click Next to continue and select the specific policy options you need. Note that the policy options you choose will only be applied to the volumes you select from the list at the top of the New Job Policy Wizard.
The following sections give an overview of the options available for both Diskeeper 2007 and Diskeeper 9 and
10 policies.
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Diskeeper 2007 Defragmentation Policy Options
When you create a new Diskeeper 2007 defragmentation policy, the wizard guides you through these steps:
General Page
The General page of the New Job Policy Wizard allows you select the Diskeeper version for which you want to create a new policy, and provides spaces to specify a name for the policy and any desired description.
Automatic Defragmentation
The Automatic Defragmentation page of the New Job Policy Wizard offers options to enable Automatic
Defragmentation on the volumes you’ve selected, and using the Automatic Defragmentation Timeline, you can specify time periods when Automatic Defragmentation will be turned off on those volumes. Keep in mind that performance will be maintained at peak levels when Automatic Defragmentation is left enabled at all times.
I-FAAST
I-FAAST (Intelligent File Access Acceleration Sequencing Technology), available on selected editions of
Diskeeper, accelerates performance by intelligently sequencing files on the volume.
The I-FAAST page of the New Job Policy Wizard provides the option to enable I-FAAST on the selected volumes. You can select from these options:
Allow Diskeeper to enable or disable I-FAAST when beneficial — When this option is enabled, I-FAAST will only be enabled on volumes that will benefit from I-FAAST acceleration. While most volumes will show a noticeable performance improvement when I-FAAST is enabled, there are cases where the performance gain is not significant enough to warrant the negligible system resources needed to support I-FAAST.
Always enable I-FAAST — Select this option to enable I-FAAST on the selected volumes, even if there will be little or no potential performance gain.
Always disable I-FAAST — Select this option to disable I-FAAST on the selected volumes, even if there will be beneficial potential performance gain.
Note that I-FAAST is only available on volumes on which Automatic Defragmentation is also enabled.
Summary
The Summary page of the New Job Policy Wizard shows information about the new policy you have created, including the policy name, the Diskeeper version it applies to, the policy type, and any description you included when you named the policy.
Diskeeper 9 and Diskeeper 10 Job Policy Options
Since Diskeeper version 9 and 10 differ significantly from Diskeeper 2007, the job policy options available are also quite different. Of particular note are the different policy types. When creating defragmentation policies for
Diskeeper 9 and 10, you can create separate policies for Primary Defragmentation, Secondary Defragmentation,
I-FAAST Defragmentation, and Manual Defragmentation.
The New Job Policy Wizard displays slightly different steps as appropriate, depending on the type of job policy you are creating,. The steps are described in the following sections:
General Page
Similar to creating a Diskeeper 2007 defragmentation policy, the General page of the New Job Policy Wizard allows you select the Diskeeper version for which you want to create a new policy, and provides spaces to specify a name for the policy and any desired description.
Job Schedule
The Job Schedule page is displayed when creating a new defragmentation policy for Primary, Secondary, or I-
FAAST defragmentation jobs. It offers options to enable the respective defragmentation job type on the volumes you’ve selected. Use the other options available on the page to specify times when that type of
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defragmentation job will run (or will not be allowed to run, depending on your choices). Job schedules are applied on a per volume basis. In other words, you can apply different schedules to different volumes. If you have used Diskeeper 9 or 10 before, the scheduling options will be familiar. If necessary, refer to the Diskeeper
9 or Diskeeper 10 Help or User’s Manual for full descriptions of the scheduling options available.
Defragmentation Methods
Available for Primary, Secondary, and Manual defragmentation jobs, the Defragmentation Methods page allows you to specify the defragmentation method Diskeeper will use when all jobs of this type are run. Unlike job schedules, which are applied on a per-volume basis, defragmentation methods are applied on a per-job type basis. For example, when you select a defragmentation method for Primary Defragmentation jobs, that defragmentation method will be applied to all Primary Defragmentation jobs. These defragmentation methods are available:
Quick Defragmentation — This method provides the fastest defragmentation. It reduces the defragmentation time by placing the emphasis on defragmenting the fragmented files, rather than free space consolidation, since this returns the greatest system performance gain. This defragmentation method will complete faster and use fewer resources, but note that the free space consolidation will not be as thorough as the other methods.
Recommended Defragmentation — This is the default, proven and balanced mix of file defragmentation and free space consolidation. It is designed to gain the best disk performance without using excessive system resources.
Comprehensive Defragmentation — This defragmentation method performs additional free space consolidation. This method performs a normal Diskeeper defragmentation, but then additionally performs extra processing to further improve free space consolidation. It is important to note this method requires additional processing and time, and free space consolidation improvement will be gradual as the option is used over time. Since the Comprehensive Defragmentation method is best suited for scheduled defragmentation jobs, it is not available for Manual Defragmentation Jobs.
In addition to these options, you can specify how Diskeeper handles large files. When the Efficiently
defragment large files option is enabled, Diskeeper defragments large files only to the point where access time is improved and further defragmentation will not return a significant improvement. This can save considerable system resources and can significantly reduce the time to run a job.
Disk and CPU Priorities
You can control the amount of disk input/output (I/O) and CPU resources used by Diskeeper for Primary,
Secondary, and Manual defragmentation jobs. For each of these job types, the New Job Properties Wizard allows you to control the disk and CPU priority.
Running at the lowest CPU priority minimizes the system performance impact when Diskeeper is defragmenting a volume. However, defragmentation jobs running at the lowest priority can take substantially longer to complete than those running at higher priorities, since Diskeeper “backs off” for any process running at a higher priority (even screen savers). For this reason, you may have occasions where you want to run
Diskeeper at a higher CPU priority. Keep in mind, though, that your system performance may be impaired when Diskeeper is run at higher priorities.
In addition to the different levels of CPU priorities to choose from, you are also given the option to enable I/O
Smart™ on the selected volumes. This option takes the concept of run priorities one step farther by “throttling”
(suspending) the defragmentation process whenever disk I/O activity is detected on a disk while it is being defragmented. This ensures the defragmentation process will be transparent to users, no matter how active the disk.
Similar to the defragmentation method options, the Disk and CPU priority settings are applied on a per per-job type basis. For example, when you specify disk and CPU priority options for Secondary Defragmentation jobs, those settings will be applied to all Secondary Defragmentation jobs.
Keep in mind that even with the disk and CPU priority options, Diskeeper versions 9 and 10 do not provide the performance gain and “invisible” operation offered by Diskeeper 2007 with Automatic Defragmentation.
28 Diskeeper Administrator Operation
Summary
The Summary page of the New Job Policy Wizard shows information about the new policy you have created, including the policy name, the Diskeeper version it applies to, the policy type, and any description you included when you named the policy.
Deploying Defragmentation Policies
After you have created defragmentation policies, you can deploy them to the computers of your choice. (Of course, the remote computers must have Diskeeper installed on them.)
Defragmentation policies are deployed from within the Job Policy Deployment Wizard. Follow these steps to open the wizard and deploy a defragmentation policy to one or a few hundred remote computers:
1. Click Deploy Job Policy in the Diskeeper Administrator Task Overview under Getting Started in the
Quick Launch task pane. This opens the Job Policy Deployment Wizard in a separate window.
Alternatively, click Manage Diskeeper in the Quick Launch task pane and select Configure
Defragmentation Policies. This opens a listing of the existing defragmentation policies. Click Actions at the bottom of the screen, then select Deploy Job Policy.
2. In the introduction screen displayed, enter an optional name and description for the deployment job. The details of the policy deployment job will be displayed in the Diskeeper Administrator Job Queue, so having a recognizable job name and description can be useful. When you have made your selections, click Next.
3. The next screen displays a tree view of your network. (You can also switch to a Detail view as described
on page 11.) Select any combination of one or more computers, groups or domains on which you want to
deploy the selected defragmentation policies. After selecting the computers on which to deploy the policy, click Next.
4. Next, you are given the opportunity to select the defragmentation policy you want to deploy. Select from any of the policies displayed. You can modify an existing defragmentation policy by clicking Properties, or click Actions and select the option to create a new policy. After selecting the defragmentation policy, click Next.
5. Since deploying defragmentation policies to a large number of computers across the network can take some time and use network bandwidth, you are next given the option to schedule the policy deployment task for a later time, or perform it now. If you select to schedule the task for a later time, you are prompted to specify when the task is to begin. You can also specify a time for the task to be stopped, even if it has not yet completed. This gives you the flexibility to perform the task at a time when network bandwidth will not be impacted. Choose when to perform the policy deployment job, and click Next.
6. Next, a summary is displayed, showing you the ongoing status of the defragmentation policy deployment task. When the task is complete, the summary is automatically saved in the Diskeeper Administrator Job
are done reviewing the report, or when you are ready to perform another task, click Close.
Editing Existing Defragmentation Policies
Defragmentation policies are edited from within the Defragmentation Policy Properties pages. To open the properties page for an existing defragmentation policy, click Manage Diskeeper in the Quick Launch task pane and select Configure Defragmentation Policies. This opens a listing of the existing defragmentation policies.
Select the policy you want to edit and click Properties at the bottom of the page. This launches the
Defragmentation Policy Properties pages for the selected policy.
Tip: You can simply double-click a defragmentation policy in the Configure Defragmentation Policies listing to quickly open the Defragmentation Policy Properties pages for that policy.
Diskeeper Administrator Operation
29
After opening the Defragmentation Policy Properties pages, choose from the steps listed on the left of the page and make any changes desired, similar to creating a new defragmentation policy. When you have made your changes, click OK to save the changes and return to the Configure Defragmentation Policies listing, or click
Apply to save the changes without closing the Defragmentation Policy Properties pages for that policy.
Also note that when editing an existing defragmentation policy, you can click the Associated Computers step shown on the left side of the page to see a listing of the computers to which the policy has been applied.
Diskeeper Reports
Diskeeper Administrator provides a variety of useful reports regarding the computers on your network. These reports can be for any number of machines, based on the computers you have selected.
All reports are shown in a secondary window, independent of the main Diskeeper Administrator console.
Reports can be saved and printed. Following the “centralized management” concept, Diskeeper Administrator allows you to perform a number of tasks directly from a report. After a report has been generated, you can select one or more computers in the report, then use the Actions button at the bottom of the report to install or uninstall Diskeeper, update or upgrade Diskeeper, deploy defragmentation policies, or remotely-control a
Diskeeper computer.
Details about the Reports
Diskeeper Administrator gathers information each time Diskeeper-related changes occur on any remote
Diskeeper computers being managed by that instance of Diskeeper Administrator. This information is stored in the Diskeeper Administrator database.
You can generate reports based on real-time data or data stored in the Diskeeper Administrator database. Realtime data offers the most current view of your managed Diskeeper computers, since Diskeeper Administrator polls each selected computer when this option is selected. However, this polling process can take a considerable length of time on a large network, and a certain amount of network traffic occurs. Database data gathering is typically much faster, but it may not be completely current, especially if the Diskeeper Administrator database has been off-line for any length of time.
Diskeeper Administrator reports are comprised of specific sets of data, presented in a tabbed format. Each report can contain any or all of these individual data sets (also known as report sections):
Diskeeper Computers – shows information about the Diskeeper status on the computers managed by this instance of Diskeeper Administrator.
Fragmentation and Performance – shows factors that directly affect the performance and reliability of your disk volumes, such as MFT fragmentation, paging file fragmentation and the level of free space. This data set is a useful way to show Diskeeper is maintaining the good health of the system.
Computers and Policies – shows information about Diskeeper versions installed and defragmentation policies in place on the computers managed by this instance of Diskeeper Administrator.
Alert History – shows information about any Diskeeper alerts that have been generated on the computers managed by this instance of Diskeeper Administrator.
Also note that you can save and print reports you create. Click Actions at the bottom of the report window to see the available report options.
Diskeeper Computers Data Set
The Diskeeper Computers data set shows general information about all the Diskeeper installations on your network. This is an easy way to see which computers on your network have Diskeeper installed.
This information is gathered for each selected computer:
Domain
30 Diskeeper Administrator Operation
Computer name
Operating system name
Diskeeper edition
Diskeeper version
Latest available Diskeeper version and type
Last Diskeeper update
Fragmentation and Performance Data Set
The Fragmentation and Performance Report data set shows factors that directly affect the performance and reliability of your disk volumes, such as MFT fragmentation, paging file fragmentation and the level of free space. This data set is a useful way to show Diskeeper is maintaining the good health of the system.
This information is gathered for each selected computer:
Domain name
Computer name
For each volume:
Volume name
Volume space
Free space %
MFT fragments
Paging file fragments
Fragments per file
I-FAAST actual gain (%)
I-FAAST potential gain (%)
Total files defragmented
Total fragments eliminated
Computers and Policies Data Set
The Computers and Policies data set shows detailed information about the computers managed by this instance of Diskeeper Administrator, and the defragmentation policies in place on them.
This information is gathered for each selected computer:
Domain
Computer name
Operating system name
Diskeeper edition
Diskeeper version
For each volume:
Volume Name
Defragmentation policy enabled
Alert History Data Set
The Alert History data set duplicates the information shown in the Alert Reports sent daily via e-mail to
Alerts Report includes this information:
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31
Alert type
Domain
Computer name
Diskeeper edition
Diskeeper version
Volume name
Alert Time
When the Alert History data set is selected, you are given the option to include all Diskeeper Administrator alerts in the report, or specify a range of time for you want to see any alerts.
but since you can specify a starting and ending time period to examine, it is useful for seeing a compilation of
Diskeeper Alerts covering a specific time period.
Creating a Report
The Create Report Wizard guides you thorough the steps necessary to create a report. Here is an overview of those steps:
To open the Create Report Wizard, select the Create Reports option in the Diskeeper Administrator Task
Overview under Getting Started in the Quick Launch task pane. Alternatively, click Reports and Alerts in the Quick Launch task pane and click Create Report at the bottom of the screen. This launches the Create
Report Wizard.
Naming the Report
The first page of the Create Report Wizard offers allows you to specify and name and description for the report you are creating. Since reports can be saved and recalled at a later time, a meaningful report name and description can be useful. Enter a name and description as desired, then click Next to continue.
Selecting the Data Sets
Use this page of the wizard to specify the data sets (or report sections) to be included in the report. You can
choose from these available data sets. (See page 29 for descriptions of these data sets):
Diskeeper Computers
Fragmentation and Performance
Computers and Policies
Alert History
When the Alert History data set is selected, you are given the option to include all Diskeeper Administrator alerts in the report, or specify a range of time for you want to see any alerts.
After selecting the data sets to include in the report, click Next.
Selecting Computers and Groups
Use this page of the wizard to select the computers and/or groups to be included in the report. This page shows
combination of one or more computers, groups or domains you want included in the report. After making your choices, click Next.
Specifying the Data Source
Use this page of the wizard to specify the source for the data used in the report. You can use data that is already in the Diskeeper Administrator database, or create the report based on real-time data gathered immediately or at a later time you specify.
Note that managed Diskeeper computers automatically send report and alert data to Diskeeper Administrator after completion of a scheduled defragmentation job.
32 Diskeeper Administrator Operation
Real-time data offers the most current view of the managed Diskeeper computers on your network, but gathering the data can take some time and incur network overhead.
Using data from the Administrator database is faster and less costly in network bandwidth, but it may not reflect the most current Diskeeper information on your network. This is especially true if the Diskeeper
Administrator database has been off-line for any period of time.
Choose the data source you want to use for your report, then click Next to continue.
Specifying the Report Schedule
Since gathering report data from a large number of computers across the network can take some time and use network bandwidth, this page of the Create Report Wizard gives you the option to schedule the report collection task for a later time, or perform it now.
If you select to schedule the task for a later time, use the controls provided to specify when the task is to begin.
You can also specify a time for the task to be stopped, even if it has not yet completed. This gives you the flexibility to gather the report data at a time when network bandwidth will not be impacted.
Choose the desired schedule, then click Next to continue.
Report Wizard Summary
Next, a summary is displayed, showing any schedule you specified for the reporting task. The Summary page also allows you to specify whether to save the report as a template in the Reports Console for later use. You can also choose to e-mail a copy of the report to the recipients of your choice.
When you are done making any of these optional choices, click Finish.
If you chose to generate the report immediately, the report is displayed in a separate window, with tabbed pages for each data set you specified.
If the report task was scheduled to run at a later time, the Report Console is displayed, listing any saved report templates.
Viewing Report Status
After a report has been created, you can optionally check the status of the report. Follow these steps:
1. Click Diskeeper Job Queue in the Quick Launch task pane and select the report in question.
2. Click Actions at the bottom of the console, and select View Status.
This shows information about the success of failure of the data-gathering operation on each selected computer
Filtering a Report
Regardless of the type of report, Diskeeper Administrator provides powerful filtering capabilities, allowing you to view the data you need most.
As mentioned earlier in this manual, grids in the various Diskeeper Administrator reports feature “Quick
Filtering.” Quick Filtering allows you to quickly and easily display only the information you want to see in the grid. You can click the down arrow at the top of any column and determine what displays in the entire grid.
Diskeeper Administrator Operation
33
When you select an item, only that item appears in the grid. When you select “(none)” no filtering is applied and all items appear in the grid.
When you select “(custom)” the Custom Row Filter screen appears so you can build a custom filter statement to determine the information that appears in the grid.
Saving a Report
When you are viewing a report, you can save it for future reference. Click Actions at the bottom of the report and select Save as to save the report. You are given the option of specifying the location where the report file will be saved. You can navigate to the disk volume and folder of your choice.
Printing a Report
Saved reports can be printed. Click Actions at the bottom of the report and select Print to print the report. A standard Windows print dialog box is displayed where you can select which printer to send the report to, and other printing options.
Launching Other Actions from a Report
In addition to viewing, printing, and saving a report, you can select one or more computers in a report, then launch other actions to perform on them, directly from the report. Using the options available in the Actions menu at the bottom of each report, you can install, uninstall, update, or upgrade Diskeeper on the selected computers, deploy defragmentation policies, move computers or groups in the Custom Groups hierarchy, or remotely control Diskeeper on a single computer.
For example, you can create a report using the “Diskeeper Computers” data set to show which computers do or don’t have Diskeeper installed, select the computers on which you want to install Diskeeper, and immediately begin the deployment, directly from the report. As you use the Diskeeper Administrator reporting capability, you will likely find numerous ways where Diskeeper Administrator can save time and effort in your management of Diskeeper across your network.
Diskeeper Alerts
Diskeeper Administrator can be set up to send you e-mail alerts informing you of situations that affect the performance and reliability of the computers being controlled by Diskeeper Administrator.
Alerts are based on data received from managed Diskeeper installations throughout your network. Diskeeper
Administrator examines this data to determine whether an alert should be generated. This data is gathered as
Diskeeper-related events occur on managed Diskeeper computers throughout your network.
34 Diskeeper Administrator Operation
Alerts are logged and stored in the Administrator database as they are detected. Alerts are sent to you (or the people you designate) as individual e-mail messages for each Alert. You control whether (and to whom) these e-mail messages are sent.
Alerts are generated under these conditions:
A Diskeeper defragmentation job does not complete on a volume for any reason
If free space has reached a critical level on an individual machine. (The free space affects the Volume
Health index, which is described in detail shortly.) You can set the free space threshold at which these
Alerts are generated.
Diskeeper Corporation has done extensive research into the causes of disk performance and reliability problems. This research has shown these factors play a significant role in regards to disk performance and reliability:
Overall fragmentation (described below)
MFT fragmentation
Paging file fragmentation
Available free space
Diskeeper uses these factors to determine a disk reliability index each time it analyzes or defragments a disk volume.
Disk reliability is rated into three categories—Healthy, Warning and Critical.
This table shows the Warning and Critical levels used in determining the reliability index.
Reliability Factor
Overall Fragmentation
MFT Fragmentation
Paging File Fragmentation
Free Space
Warning Level
> 10% fragmentation
> 250 fragments
> 250 fragments
< 15% free space
Critical Level
> 50% fragmentation
>2000 fragments
>1500 fragments
< 5% free space
The Overall fragmentation figure is calculated by dividing the time required to read the fragmented files on the volume by the time required to read all the files on the volume, and multiplying the result by 100.
How to Receive Alerts
Diskeeper Administrator delivers alerts in two ways:
An Alert Report displayed directly in the Diskeeper Administrator console
An Alert Report e-mailed to you or the people you designate
You have control over which alerts are reported to you. For each type of e-mailed alert, your options are:
All alerts
Alerts occurring between the starting and ending dates you specify
In order to receive alerts by e-mail, you must specify at least one e-mail address. You will be prompted for this information the first time you set up any type of Diskeeper Administrator task that requires an e-mail address.
Diskeeper Administrator Operation
35
Configuring Alerts
Alerts are based on post-defragmentation data received from remote Diskeeper 9.0 (or higher) installations throughout your network. Diskeeper Administrator examines this data to determine whether an alert should be generated. This data is sent to Diskeeper Administrator any time Diskeeper-related activity or changes occur on your managed Diskeeper computers.
Alerts are logged and stored in the Administrator database as they are detected. Alerts are sent to you (or the people you designate) as individual e-mail messages for each alert, and/or by a daily report, which is also sent via e-mail. You control whether (and to whom) these e-mail messages are sent.
Follow these steps to configure alerts:
1. Click Configure Alerts in the Diskeeper Administrator Task Overview under Getting Started in the Quick Launch task pane to open the Alerts Properties dialog.
2. In the General page displayed, select the exception-based events that will trigger an alert. You can choose to have alerts triggered by incomplete defragmentation due to engine failure, or when free space on a volume reached a threshold you set, or both.
3. Click Select Computers in the Properties task pane on the left side of the Alerts Properties dialog, then use the tree view displayed to select the computers for which you want alerts to be generated. (You can also
switch to a Detail view as described on page 11.)
4. Next, click Alert E-mail in the Properties task pane on the left side of the Alerts Properties dialog. On the page displayed, select your choice of options to send a daily Alert Summary report via e-mail, and specify the e-mail address(es) intended to receive the Alert Summary. You can also optionally edit the subject line and body of the message.
5. After selecting the settings you want, click OK to close the Alerts Properties dialog.
Setting Up Alert and Task Purge Options
Diskeeper Administrator stores Diskeeper alert data and details about Diskeeper Administrator tasks in the
Diskeeper Administrator database. Over time, this information should be purged to avoid consuming unacceptable amounts of disk space. By default, Diskeeper Administrator keeps Alert data for 30 days, and task data for 15 days, but you have control over how often this data is cleared out.
You can specify how long to save Diskeeper alerts and one-time tasks in the Diskeeper Administrator database.
Diskeeper Administrator will keep alerts and one-time tasks in the database for a maximum of 180 days. Note that repeating tasks (such as scheduled report scans) are not purged.
Follow these steps to change the purge options:
1. Click Configure in the Quick Launch task pane, then select Diskeeper Administrator Properties
2. Click Purge Queue and Alert History in the Configure task pane on the left side of the display.
This page provides these options:
• Clear Alerts
• Clear Tasks
.
For each option, you can set the number of days (from 0 to 180) for Diskeeper Administrator to keep the alerts or tasks in the database. You can also click the respective button to clear alerts or tasks immediately.
3. When you have made any desired changes, click OK to close the dialog and return to the main Diskeeper
Administrator console.
36 Diskeeper Administrator Operation
Using Groups
Diskeeper Administrator allows you to create and use logical groups of computers on your network. These groups can then be controlled and managed as a single unit. For example, you might create a group that consists of all the computers in the Accounting Department, or all the workstations on the third floor. Then, when you need to perform a Diskeeper Administrator task such as deploying Diskeeper or defragmentation policies to multiple machines, you simply select the group of computers (as a single unit) instead of each computer in the group.
In addition to custom groups you create, Diskeeper Administrator also supports any groups you have created within Microsoft Active Directory. Here again, you can apply Diskeeper Administrator tasks to Active
Directory groups in the same manner as applying them to a single machine.
Creating Custom Groups
Custom groups are made up of one or more of the computers on your network. A group can include entire domains or workgroups, and can also include other groups.
Click Manage Diskeeper in the Quick Launch task pane, then select Manage Diskeeper Computers and
Custom Groups
. This displays a tree view of your network.
Once the tree view is displayed, follow these steps to create a new custom group:
1. Click My Groups in the tree view display.
2. Click Actions in the bottom of the console, and select New Custom Group. Alternatively, right-click My
Groups and select New Custom Group. A dialog is displayed, allowing you to specify the name of the new custom group.
3. Edit the name of the new group displayed in the Computer View section of the page.
4. Next, navigate the tree view to display the domains, workgroups or computers you want to include in the new group. Drag and drop your choices into the new group displayed under My Groups. The new group will now be available from the various Select Computer pages throughout Diskeeper Administrator.
Managing Custom Groups
To add computers to an existing group, open the tree view display and simply drag and drop the computers into the custom group.
To remove a computer from a custom group, right-click on that computer in the group and select Remove
Selected Computers. You can also remove multiple computers in this manner – select the computers you want to remove from the group, then right-click one of the selected computers and select Remove Selected
Computers.
You can also add, modify or delete custom groups using the options available from the Action button in any of the tree view pages shown for Diskeeper Administrator tasks that allow you to select computers or groups.
Remote Control
You can use Diskeeper Administrator to remotely control Diskeeper 9.0, 10.0 and 2007 operations on computers all over your network. (Of course, Diskeeper Professional, Pro Premier, Server, or EnterpriseServer must be licensed and installed on the remote computers.) Without ever leaving your desk, you can perform any
Diskeeper task as if you were sitting at the remote machine.
To connect to and control a remote computer, follow these steps:
Diskeeper Administrator Operation
37
1. Click Remote Control Diskeeper in the Diskeeper Administrator Task Overview under Getting Started in the Quick Launch task pane.
2. In the tree view displayed, select the computer on which you want to run Diskeeper, and then click Remote
Control. (If the computer you want to control remotely is not visible in the tree view, you can enter the appropriate domain and computer name or IP address in the space provided at the bottom of the dialog.)
3. Once the computer is connected, the Diskeeper console opens in a new window and the name of the computer being controlled is shown at the top of the Diskeeper display.
Error messages will be displayed if Diskeeper fails to connect to the remote computer.
After connecting to Diskeeper on the remote computer, perform any Diskeeper operations on that computer in the same manner as running Diskeeper on a local computer.
Editing Exclusion Lists on a Network
Diskeeper allows you to list files and directory folders that you do not want moved. This “exclusion list” is checked by Diskeeper each time defragmentation is run. To edit exclusion lists on remote computers on your network, you must have sufficient permissions to edit a file in the Diskeeper directory on the remote computer.
If you do not have sufficient permissions, an error message is displayed stating that access is denied to the exclusion list. If you cannot edit an exclusion list that you think you have permission to use, there are two likely possibilities:
You logged on with a username that the target computer recognizes and a password that it does not recognize. A common example is to log on to your computer as Administrator and then try to edit an exclusion list on a computer that has its own Administrator account established with a different password.
Your computer and the remote computer do not share the same network protocol.
For more information about Diskeeper Exclusion Lists, see page 42.
Diskeeper Job Queue
The Diskeeper Job Queue option provides a centralized location for information about any pending, running or completed Diskeeper Administrator tasks (or jobs) you have performed. You can stop a current or pending job, and view the status of a job to see detailed information about whether it completed successfully for all selected computers.
Select Diskeeper Job Queue in the Quick Launch task pane to open a view of the job queue.
The Job Queue filter at the top of the Job Queue console offers these views:
All Jobs
Reporting Jobs
Configure Setting Jobs
Deployment Jobs
Scan Machine(s) Jobs
Select any of these filtering options to see a listing of past, present and scheduled jobs of that category. The typical listing shows the job name, the task type (such as Deployment tasks or Scan Machine(s) jobs), the job type (one-time or scheduled, for example) and the last run time and date.
Double-click any of the jobs listed to see a detailed report about the status of the job. This is a useful way to see the computers on which a specific job was or was not successful. You can see details about the domain, the machine name, the status of the job, a description or explanation of the reported status, and the date and time the status was recorded.
38 Diskeeper Administrator Operation
The Actions button at the bottom of the console offers a number of options, including allowing you to print listings from the job queues or to delete selected jobs from the queue.
Configuring Diskeeper Administrator
Diskeeper Administrator gathers necessary configuration information from you the fist time that information is needed. Once established, most Diskeeper Administrator configuration settings need no additional action. The
Configure Diskeeper Administrator console provides a method to view and edit the Diskeeper Administrator configuration properties.
Click Configure in the Diskeeper Administrator toolbar or select Configure in the Quick Launch task pane, then select Diskeeper Administrator Properties to open the Configure Diskeeper Administrator console. Alternatively, select Configure Diskeeper Administrator in the Getting Started task overview. Once open, this dialog allows you to view or edit the following Diskeeper Administrator Configuration properties.
General — About Diskeeper Administrator
This page of the Configure Diskeeper Administrator console shows general information about the version of
Diskeeper Administrator installed on your computer, and a variety of contact information.
Diskeeper Administrator Updates
Use this page of the Configure Diskeeper Administrator console to check the Diskeeper Corporation website for a newer version of Diskeeper Administrator. If a newer version is available, follow the instructions displayed to download and install the update.
Diskeeper Local Updates and Upgrades
This page of the Configure Diskeeper Administrator console allows you to check the Diskeeper Corporation website for a newer version of Diskeeper for your remote computers. You are given the option to check immediately for updates, or to enable automatic checking for Diskeeper updates. If you enable automatic update checking, you can also select to have e-mail notification sent to the recipients of your choice when
Diskeeper Administrator detects a newer version of Diskeeper is available.
Proxy Server
Use this page of the Configure Diskeeper Administrator console to specify any proxy settings that may be necessary for Internet access at your site. If no proxy settings are specified, Diskeeper Administrator uses your default Internet connection settings.
Outgoing Mail Server (SMTP)
Diskeeper Administrator can optionally send alerts, reports, and update/upgrade notifications via e-mail. Use this page of the Configure Diskeeper Administrator console to specify any outgoing mail server (SMTP) settings necessary, including the SMTP mail server address, any Secure Password Authentication (SPA) if required, and the recipient(s) you want to receive e-mail notifications from Diskeeper Administrator. You can specify more than one recipient, using a colon (:) to separate the e-mail addresses.
Administrative Permissions
Diskeeper Administrator needs permissions information to access licensed computers and include them in tasks.
Use this page of the Configure Diskeeper Administrator console to enter or edit user name and password information for your domains, workgroups, or computers, and appropriate for your site.
Purge Queue and Alert History
This page of the Configure Diskeeper Administrator console provides options to specify how long Diskeeper
Administrator Alerts should remain in the database, and to purge completed tasks from the Diskeeper Job
Queue
Overview of Diskeeper Features
39
C h a p t e r 4
Overview of Diskeeper Features
This chapter describes key features available in Diskeeper Professional and the various Diskeeper Server editions. Not all these features are directly available within Diskeeper Administrator, but they are available via
for reference.
What’s New in Diskeeper 2007
The term Paradigm Shift is somewhat overused when describing technical breakthroughs, but Diskeeper 2007 does indeed represent a major shift in the way you will improve the performance and reliability of your computers. For over a decade, Diskeeper has led the way in Windows system defragmentation technology, but
Diskeeper 2007 takes such a significant step forward that paradigm shift is truly the most appropriate term to describe it.
Whether you’ve used Diskeeper before or not, you may already be familiar with some of its features, but
Diskeeper 2007 represents a major milestone in the progression of Diskeeper development. New users will find
Diskeeper to be easy to use, yet comprehensive in its capabilities. Experienced Diskeeper users will see major changes, yet still recognize familiar features, presented in a new, more streamlined way. This list gives a summary of what’s new in this version.
Automatic Defragmentation
Diskeeper has made its reputation with the trademarked phrase “Set It and Forget It
®
,” meaning that once
Diskeeper is installed, you can simply forget about it. Defragmentation was taken care of automatically and your computer was kept at peak performance all the time.
However, times have changed. Disk drives have grown huge. And, with the growth of disk drives has come an explosion in the size and number of files stored on disk drives. With terabyte drives (a trillion bytes) now easily available and smaller drives selling for very little money, you can store a LOT of stuff— practically everything. And file sizes are continuing to increase as well. Documents with embedded graphics, large presentations, scanned images, digital photos, MP3 music files and even whole TV shows and movies are now residing on hard drives. The vast quantities of these and their inordinate size present new challenges for computer performance and make defragmentation more critical than ever.
As disks have grown bigger and files have grown larger and more numerous, defragmentation is required more and more often to maintain a computer’s performance. While it used to be sufficient to defragment once a week, it eventually became necessary to defragment daily. Today, even daily defragmentation is not enough. An hour’s production activity can seriously degrade performance.
But scheduling a defragmenter to run every hour is scary to performance-conscious System Administrators and computer users. Even with features like I/O Smart and selectable run priorities, they are reluctant to run a defragmenter in the middle of the workday.
The answer is our new InvisiTasking™ technology. InvisiTasking uses a proprietary technique developed in our research lab to carefully monitor resource consumption on a Windows computer system and inject
Diskeeper processing into the unused portions—and only into the unused portions. InvisiTasking is so good that it is all but impossible to even detect whether Diskeeper is running. That means Diskeeper can run all the time. It never needs to back off or shut down to reduce overhead, since overhead is already virtually non-existent! This means no more need for scheduling defragmentation. In fact, scheduling defragmentation worsens performance by delaying the improvement that defragmentation brings.
Diskeeper with InvisiTasking means a computer performs at peak all the time, around the clock, not just for a few minutes after each scheduled defragmentation run.
40 Overview of Diskeeper Features
The Dashboard tab in the Diskeeper display includes a real-time graph showing the idle resources on your computer, and the small portion of those unused idle resources used by Diskeeper with InvisiTasking.
(Note that the graph also shows resources used when Diskeeper is run manually.) Now, you may be skeptical at first and find it hard to believe InvisiTasking has virtually no impact on system overhead. For this reason, you can specify times when Diskeeper is prevented from running at all. Eventually, we are sure you’ll be convinced, and lock-out scheduling will be forgotten. The scheduling era is over, and the era of truly automatic defragmentation has begun.
I-FAAST 2.0
Introduced in Diskeeper 10, and refined in Diskeeper 2007, the second generation of Intelligent File
Access Acceleration Sequencing Technology (I-FAAST) goes beyond “normal” defragmentation to speed up your file access and creation times. Traditionally, a defragmenter like Diskeeper could restore the performance of a computer to like new condition. I-FAAST, however, can improve the computer’s performance to better than new!
I-FAAST improves file access and creation by up to 80% (average 10%-20%). This is the first industry implementation of “Disk Performance Calibration”, the modern evolution of the outdated and inconclusive disk optimization strategies of the past.
When I-FAAST is enabled, Diskeeper runs specially-engineered benchmarks on your disk volumes to learn their performance characteristics. Diskeeper then transparently monitors volumes for file access frequency on an ongoing basis to determine which files are requested most often. Special analysis techniques prevent Diskeeper from being “fooled” by files that have been recently accessed.
Using newly-developed technology, Diskeeper sequences the files to take best advantage of both the logical characteristics and physical characteristics of the volume. The sequencing process is integrated with background defragmentation, so it's virtually transparent to you.
The I-FAAST 2.0 engines have been refined to use InvisiTasking technology and to provide advanced online directory consolidation and improved boot optimization. You can also now select specific files to be included in the I-FAAST processing.
I-FAAST intelligence allows Diskeeper to adapt to changing situations—so if the demands on a given system change, Diskeeper automatically adjusts its behavior accordingly.
The I-FAAST feature is included in Diskeeper EnterpriseServer, Diskeeper Server and Diskeeper Pro
Premier editions.
TVE™ 2.0
Terabyte Volume Engine™ 2.0 has been enhanced to use the InvisiTasking technology, and to better consolidate free space. The TVE is available in Diskeeper EnterpriseServer.
Improved User Interface
The Diskeeper console has been enhanced to reduce the number of steps necessary to perform typical tasks, and to improve the overall user experience. This includes a new, easy-to-use “timeline” control for specifying the times when Automatic Defragmentation is turned on and off.
Diskeeper Features
The following list summarizes the most important Diskeeper features:
Automatic Operation—Diskeeper is designed to operate without your intervention. Simply install Diskeeper, then sit back and let it take care of the details. Of course, you can also run Diskeeper manually. (But you probably have better things to do with your time. That’s what Automatic Defragmentation with InvisiTasking is for!)
Overview of Diskeeper Features
41
Diskeeper Family of Products—The Diskeeper family of products offers specialized automatic defragmentation of Windows operating systems ranging from Windows 2000 through Windows Server 2003
Datacenter. See the tables in Appendix A for the complete Diskeeper lineup.
Descriptive Console Interface—The Diskeeper console provides an intuitive and informative defragmentation experience. Common commands are grouped together in the Quick Launch pane, and a group of tabbed panes show you a wide variety of information. Diskeeper shows you the condition of your disks, and provides suggestions for improving or maintaining your disks.
Performance and Volume Health Analysis—Diskeeper collects and displays data regarding the performance and overall health of your volumes in the Dashboard tab. This information allows you to be more proactive in the management and maintenance of your computers.
I-FAAST — Intelligent File Access Acceleration Sequencing Technology (I-FAAST) improves file access/creation by up to 80% (average 10%-20%) above and beyond the improvement provided by defragmentation alone. This is the first industry implementation of “Disk Performance Calibration”, the modern evolution of the outdated and inconclusive disk optimization strategies of the past.
Terabyte Volume Engine—A Diskeeper exclusive, the terabyte volume engine (TVE) is designed to efficiently defragment extremely large (larger than 60 GB) volumes. This feature is available in selected
Diskeeper editions. The table in Appendix A shows the Diskeeper editions with TVE support.
Frag Shield™— One situation that can impair the performance and reliability of your computer is fragmentation of the Master File Table (MFT) on NTFS volumes and your paging files. Since the operating system relies heavily on the MFT and paging file, the effect of fragmentation is often much greater than when a normal file is fragmented. Special measures must be taken to defragment these files, so it is better to prevent their fragmentation in the first place. The Frag Shield feature helps you configure these critical system files optimally, to help keep them contiguous from the start.
Boot-Time Defragmentation—Defragment files at boot-time that cannot be moved safely when Windows is running.
Exclusion Lists—Diskeeper exclusion lists allow you to specify files and directories that will not be allowed to be processed by Diskeeper.
Event Logging— Diskeeper records information about its activity in two ways. First, general information about previously-run defragmentation job is shown in the Log tab within the Diskeeper console. Additional information can also be stored in a log file. A wide variety of information can be saved for future reference.
Simultaneous Analysis or Defragmentation Operations—You can analyze and/or defragment more than one disk volume at a time. Different Diskeeper editions support different numbers of simultaneous operations. See
Appendix A for more information.
Group Policy Support—Diskeeper can be configured network-wide with the Group Policy Editor provided with Windows 2000 Server and Windows Server 2003.
Other Things to Know
When running Diskeeper in Automatic mode, you can run other tasks while defragmentation is occurring.
With the exception of boot-time operations, Diskeeper runs as a Windows Service and it optionally logs useful defragmentation information into the Windows Application Event Log.
Diskeeper can be uninstalled in the standard manner using the Add/Remove Programs applet in the
Windows Control Panel.
Due to limits built into Windows 2000, Diskeeper cannot defragment files on NTFS volumes on Windows
2000 systems with a cluster size greater than 4KB (4096 bytes), except during Boot-Time
Defragmentation. This limitation has been removed in Windows XP and Windows Server 2003, where
Diskeeper can defragment NTFS volumes with cluster sizes of up to 64 kilobytes. Note the boot-time defragmentation operations are not affected by this limit.
42 Overview of Diskeeper Features
You must be logged into an account that is a member of the Administrators group to run Diskeeper.
Exclusion List
In some cases, you may have files or directory folders you do not want to defragment. For example, you may not want to defragment temporary files that will soon be deleted. Any files or directories can be excluded from
Diskeeper processing by adding them to the exclusion list.
Additional information about the Diskeeper exclusion list is available in the Diskeeper Help or User’s Manual.
Frag Shield
One situation that can impair the performance and reliability of your computer is fragmentation of the Master
File Table (MFT) on NTFS volumes and your paging files. Since the operating system relies heavily on the
MFT and paging file, the effect of fragmentation is often much greater than when a normal file is fragmented.
Special measures must be taken to defragment these files, so it is better to prevent their fragmentation in the first place. The Frag Shield feature helps you configure these critical system files optimally, to help keep them contiguous from the start.
Additional information about Frag Shield is available in the Diskeeper Help or User’s Manual.
Event Logging
Diskeeper allows you to record information about its activity in a log file. You can alternately enable or disable the logging of various events to the Diskeeper Event Log. The logging method varies, depending on the version of Windows you are using.
Additional information about Diskeeper event logging is available in the Diskeeper Help or User’s Manual.
Theory of Diskeeper Operation
43
C h a p t e r 5
Theory of Operation
This chapter describes the original Diskeeper design goals and how those goals were met.
Introduction
As described in the introduction of this manual, the term disk fragmentation means two things:
a condition in which pieces of individual files on a disk are not contiguous, but rather are broken up and scattered around the disk volume; and
a condition in which the free space on a disk volume consists of little pieces of space here and there rather than a few large free spaces.
The effects of excessive fragmentation are twofold as well:
file access takes longer because a file must be collected in pieces here and there, requiring several disk accesses instead of just one; and
file creation takes longer because space for the file must be allocated in little pieces here and there instead of just one contiguous allocation.
Before the introduction of Diskeeper, there was no method for completely correcting the problems of file and free space fragmentation on Windows NT (and later) computers or in a Windows network.
Design Goals
In designing Diskeeper for Windows, the following goals were established:
The product must be completely safe to use.
It must improve Windows system performance. It is not designed to make the disk look “pretty”—it is designed to improve disk performance and, as a result, overall system performance.
It should process live disks without interfering with user access to files.
It should run without operator intervention.
It must defragment all possible files and consolidate free space into the smallest possible number of large spaces.
Diskeeper defragments files and free space on a disk, allowing access to the files on the disk at any time while
Diskeeper is running.
Safety
Diskeeper is designed with safety as the highest priority.
To ensure the safe movement of files, Diskeeper uses mechanisms built into the operating system that were developed and implemented by Diskeeper Corporation (then known as Executive Software), and fully incorporated into Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, and Windows Vista
™ by Microsoft.
By using these built-in mechanisms, Diskeeper maintains cache coherency, file security and permissions information, and file content integrity no matter how fragmented the files on the disk are.
44 Theory of Diskeeper Operation
The foremost design goal for Diskeeper is to make sure that no data is ever lost. To accomplish this goal
Diskeeper uses the following criteria for accessing files:
the contents of data files are never modified under any circumstances
only one file is processed at a time, not the whole disk
no information is stored on any other device or in a “scratch space”
Diskeeper accesses a file in such a way that no user access can conflict with Diskeeper during the critical portion of the relocation process
file relocation is aborted if any error is encountered, leaving the file in its original state
Diskeeper was designed to err on the side of caution. In other words, it only moves a file on the volume when it is absolutely certain that no data will be lost, including file attributes. The only change to file attribute-type information is the physical location of the file on the volume. None of the file dates are changed and no other fields in the file record header are used to store Diskeeper information.
Diskeeper never defragments or moves files that are specifically stored at a specific physical location on the volume.
If anything causes your computer to crash while Diskeeper is running, or if you abort the Diskeeper defragmentation run in the middle of the file relocation process, no data is ever at risk.
Performance
When running in the Automatic Defragmentation mode, Diskeeper is designed to run in the background, without adversely affecting performance of your Windows computer. The exclusive InvisiTasking technology ensures Diskeeper keeps your volumes at peak performance without negatively impacting system performance while it is running. Diskeeper was designed in such a way to ensure it will not interfere with other processes on your Windows computer.
Process Live Disks
It is not acceptable to force users off the disk while performing routine defragmentation. To do so would be a case of the cure being worse than the disease. Access to fragmented files is better than no access at all.
The best solution is to defragment online with users active on the same disk volume. Diskeeper was designed with this in mind. During most of the time Diskeeper is processing a file, it shares the file with any other users that may access the same file. The last step of processing the file, however, involves locking the file for a very brief period, a matter of milliseconds. If another user requests a file that Diskeeper has locked, that request is suspended for the brief period until Diskeeper releases the file. Then the request is serviced. There is never an interruption of either process as a result of this delay.
This solution allows Diskeeper to defragment open files safely, regardless of whether they are open for read operations or for write operations.
No Operator Intervention
In keeping with the design goals, after Diskeeper has been started in the Automatic Defragmentation mode, it runs automatically in the background, without the need for operator intervention. It runs indefinitely, unless told otherwise by you.
Diskeeper Editions
45
A p p e n d i x A
Table of Diskeeper Editions
This table shows the different editions of Diskeeper available, as well as the features and capabilities of each:
46 Diskeeper Editions
This table shows the different Diskeeper editions available and the Windows operating systems they support:
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
47
A p p e n d i x B
Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
The list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Diskeeper Administrator is updated periodically. For the most current list, visit the Diskeeper Corporation website at
www.diskeeper.com/support/support.asp
.
Menu Options
49
A p p e n d i x C
Menu Options
The following options are available from the Diskeeper Administrator menu bar:
File Menu
Open Report — Opens a saved Diskeeper Administrator report
Exit — Closes the Diskeeper Administrator interface and exits the program
View Menu
Toolbar — Toggles the Diskeeper Administrator toolbar on and off
Getting Started Menu
Diskeeper Administrator Task Overview — Opens the Diskeeper Administrator Task Overview page in the console, providing quick access to the most common Diskeeper Administrator tasks.
Diskeeper 2007 Administrator Overview — Opens the Diskeeper Administrator Task Overview page in the console, and also launches the Diskeeper Administrator help, displaying an overview of the Diskeeper
Administrator features.
Frequently Asked Questions — Launches the Frequently Asked Questions topic in the Diskeeper
Administrator help, providing a direct link to the Diskeeper Corporation website for the latest questions and their answers.
Help — Launches the Diskeeper Administrator help.
Manage Diskeeper Menu
Manage Diskeeper Computers and Custom Groups — Create and manage groups of computers on which to centrally manage Diskeeper via defragmentation policies.
Install and Uninstall Diskeeper — Install and uninstall or update and upgrade Diskeeper on computers you select.
Configure Defragmentation Job Policies — Use default or custom defragmentation policies to centrally manage Diskeeper across your network.
Manage Diskeeper Software Licensing — Manage Diskeeper licenses applied to computers across your network.
Remote Control Diskeeper — Connect to an individual computer and control Diskeeper on it as if you are sitting in front of that computer.
Reports and Alerts Menu
Reports — Opens the Diskeeper Administrator Reports console.
Alerts — Opens the Diskeeper Administrator Alerts console.
Job Queue Menu
Job Queue — Opens the Diskeeper Administrator Job Queue.
50 Menu Options
Configuration Menu
Diskeeper Administrator Database Configuration Wizard — Opens the Diskeeper Administrator
Database Configuration Wizard, which guides you through configuring the database or reviewing the current configuration.
Diskeeper Administrator Properties — Opens the Diskeeper Administrator Properties dialog, allowing access to properties such as updates, proxy and mail server settings, administrative permissions, and purging the Job Queue and Alert History.
Help Menu
Help Topics — Opens the main Diskeeper Administrator help system
About Diskeeper Administrator — Opens the Configure Diskeeper Administrator console, which shows the version and build numbers, as well as other pertinent contact information.
Troubleshooting
51
A p p e n d i x D
Troubleshooting
There are several situations that can cause Diskeeper Administrator to display error messages. This table shows
Diskeeper Administrator error messages displayed, what can cause them, and how to resolve them.
In the event of an error message or other failure, select the affected computer and click Show Error Details in the Related Tasks pane for assistance with the error.
Error Message Description Solution
Computer is offline
The target computer is offline. or
Could not connect to the machine
Diskeeper is not installed on the target computer.
The target computer is running with a firewall enabled. This is especially common when the target computer is running
Windows XP Service
Pack 2.
Incompatible
Diskeeper version
The Diskeeper version on the remote computer is not compatible with
Diskeeper 2007
Administrator.
Operating System version not supported
The operating system on the target machine is not supported.
Diskeeper is not installed
Access Denied
Diskeeper is not installed on the remote computer.
Access to the remote computer is denied with the specified user permissions.
A firewall is preventing
Diskeeper
Administrator from communicating with
Diskeeper.
Ensure the computer is booted and connected to the network.
Install Diskeeper 9.0 build 505 or higher on the target computer.
A firewall (including 3rd party firewalls) may prevent
Diskeeper Administrator from connecting to
Diskeeper. If you are running Windows XP SP2, see
www.diskeeper.com/sp2
for information about configuring the Windows XP SP2 firewall to be compatible with Diskeeper Administrator.
The target computer must be running Diskeeper
9.0.505 or higher.
Refer to Appendix A to see the operating systems supported by Diskeeper.
Use the Diskeeper Administrator PushInstall deployment option to install Diskeeper on the remote computer.
Check to confirm the user account you specified in the Specify Permissions page is a member of the
Administrators group.
A firewall (including 3rd party firewalls) may prevent
Diskeeper Administrator from connecting to
Diskeeper. If you are running Windows XP SP2, see
www.diskeeper.com/sp2
for information about configuring the Windows XP SP2 firewall to be compatible with Diskeeper Administrator.
52 Troubleshooting
Error Message Description Solution
Access Denied
(continued)
Local security policy is preventing communication between Diskeeper
Administrator and
Diskeeper.
User Account Control
(UAC) on remote
Windows Vista computers in a workgroup is enabled.
Machine offline or
Diskeeper is not running
Diskeeper is not installed or is disabled.
The computer is offline.
Confirm that local security policies are set to allow local users to authenticate themselves. This setting is found at Administrative Tools | Security Settings |
Local Policies| Security Options | Network access:
Sharing and security model for local accounts.
Confirm this policy is set to “Classic”.
Use Diskeeper Administrator from the "Administrator" account in order to deploy and manage Diskeeper on the workgroup computers. This is because under
Windows Vista, default shares are disabled for any users other than "Administrator". Diskeeper
Administrator relies on access to shares (i.e.,
Admin$) in order to perform tasks such as software deployment.
By default, the "Administrator" account is disabled on
Windows Vista systems. This account must be enabled, and a password set for it in order for
Diskeeper Administrator to manage the computer.
Confirm Diskeeper is installed on the target computer and that the Diskeeper service is running.
Ensure the computer is booted and connected to the network.
Request sent to remote computer
A firewall is preventing
Diskeeper
Administrator from communicating with
Diskeeper.
A firewall (including 3rd party firewalls) may prevent
Diskeeper Administrator from connecting to
Diskeeper. If you are running Windows XP SP2, see
www.diskeeper.com/sp2
for information about configuring the Windows XP SP2 firewall to be compatible with Diskeeper Administrator.
Unsupported
Diskeeper version.
Failure of the Remote
Procedure Call (RPC) communication between Diskeeper
Administrator and
Diskeeper on a remote computer.
You must be running Diskeeper 9.0.505 or higher. If the correct version of Diskeeper is installed on the remote computer, make sure the Diskeeper service is running on the remote computer.
The required ports are not open on the target machine. See
www.diskeeper.com/sp2
for complete information about the ports needed by
Diskeeper Administrator and how to open them, and to download tools to automate the task.
A request (such as attempting to send a defragmentation policy) has been sent to the remote
Diskeeper computer and Diskeeper
Administrator is waiting for the response.
This can be the result of ports being disabled on the computer running Diskeeper Administrator. The
Diskeeper Administrator installation opens the required ports, but they may have been closed by another program or process. See
www.diskeeper.com/sp2
for complete information about the ports needed by Diskeeper Administrator and how to open them, and to download tools to automate the task.
This can also be due to network errors preventing
Troubleshooting
53
Error Message Description Solution
Request sent to remote computer
(continued)
Remote computer did not respond
The remote computer did not respond to a request from
Diskeeper
Administrator. two-way communication between the Diskeeper
Administrator computer and the target machine.
At the Windows command prompt, enter: c:\>ping <target machine name> or c:\>ping <target machine IP address> to determine if the machine is visible to the network.
This can be caused by communication problems between the target machine and the machine from which you are running Diskeeper Administrator.
Check to confirm other network functions are working on that computer.
This can also be the result of ports being disabled on the computer running Diskeeper Administrator. The
Diskeeper Administrator installation opens the required ports, but they may have been closed by another program or process. See
www.diskeeper.com/sp2
for complete information about the ports needed by Diskeeper Administrator and how to open them, and to download tools to automate the task.
This can also be due to network errors preventing two-way communication between the Diskeeper
Administrator computer and the target machine.
At the Windows command prompt, enter: c:\>ping <target machine name> or c:\>ping <target machine IP address> to determine if the machine is visible to the network.
Remember you can take over management of the remote computer in the Manage Diskeeper
Computers and Groups module of Diskeeper
Administrator.
This computer is being managed by another
Diskeeper
Administrator
This message is displayed if you attempt to manage a computer which is currently being managed by another instance of Diskeeper
Administrator.
This computer was previously managed by another Diskeeper
Administrator
This message is displayed when you take over management of a remote Diskeeper computer from another instance of Diskeeper
Administrator.
No action needed.
54 Troubleshooting
Error Message Description Solution
Failed to start
Setup.exe
This message is displayed during a
PushInstall deployment when the Setup.exe file fails to start on the remote computer.
This is usually due to an error condition preventing the Diskeeper installation procedure from running on the remote computer. Check the Windows application event log on the remote computer for errors.
If you need assistance with any Diskeeper Administrator error messages, contact Diskeeper Corporation
Technical Support as described in Appendix E of this manual.
Support Services
55
A p p e n d i x E
Support Services
U.S., Asian and Latin American Support Services
Registered customers with Volume License Agreements are entitled to 90 days of free technical support, as well as special upgrade pricing, from Diskeeper Corporation.
Registered customers without Volume License Agreements, such as home users, home-based businesses and very small businesses, are entitled to 90 days of free e-mail technical support as well as special upgrade pricing, from Diskeeper Corporation.
If you have not yet registered your Diskeeper purchase, register your purchase online via our website at:
http://diskeeper.com/register
Technical support questions can be answered from the Technical Support section of our website at:
http://diskeeper.com/support
If you are a home or small business user, you should contact our technical support team at:
You can also contact our technical support team by submitting e-mail to them directly from within our website at:
http://diskeeper.com/supportrequest
Or via fax at:
818-252-5514
If you are a registered Volume License Customer within your 90-day free support period (or you have purchased a support plan), you can call:
818-771-1600
When your 90-day free support period has expired, you can purchase the support plan which best suits your needs. Diskeeper Corporation offers 24-hour, 7-day support plans. Contact Diskeeper Corporation to find out which support options suit you best.
Diskeeper Corporation's address is:
Diskeeper Corporation
7590 North Glenoaks Boulevard
Burbank, California, USA 91504
56 Support Services
European Support Services
Registered customers with Volume License Agreements are entitled to 90 days of free technical support, as well as special upgrade pricing, from Diskeeper Corporation. Our free European technical support is available
Monday through Friday during the first 90 days from 8:30 to 17:30.
Registered customers without Volume License Agreements, such as home users, home-based businesses and very small businesses, are entitled to 90 days of free e-mail technical support as well as special upgrade pricing, from Diskeeper Corporation.
If you have not yet registered your Diskeeper purchase, register your purchase online via our website at:
http://diskeepereurope.com/register.htm
Technical support questions can be answered from the Support section of our website at:
http://diskeepereurope.com/
You can also contact our technical support team via e-mail at:
Or via fax at:
+44 (0) 1342-327390
If you are a registered Volume License Customer within your 90-day free support period (or you have purchased a support plan), you can call:
+44 (0) 1342-327477
When your 90-day free support period has expired, you can purchase the support plan that best suits your needs. Diskeeper Corporation offers 24-hour, 7-day support plans. Contact Diskeeper Corporation to find out which support options suit you best.
Diskeeper Corporation's address is:
Diskeeper Corporation
Kings House, Cantelupe Road
East Grinstead, West Sussex RH19 3BE
England
Glossary
57
Glossary
access: To store data on, or retrieve data from, a disk drive or other peripheral device. See also file.
administrator: See system administrator.
applet: A small application program that is usually built into an operating system or a larger application program. For example, the built-in writing and drawing programs that come with Windows are sometimes called “applets.”
application: A computer program, which causes a computer system to perform some useful work for the user.
ATA: Advanced Technology Attachment. One of several standard types of interfaces used to connect a disk
drive and a computer. See also PATA and SATA.
AutoPlay: A feature of some Windows applications on CD-ROM that causes the program to start automatically when the CD-ROM is placed in the drive.
background processing: The execution of certain operations during momentary lulls in the primary
(foreground) process. An example of a background process is printing while a word processor is waiting for keystrokes.
binary: From Latin “bini,” meaning two by two and “ary,” meaning of, or pertaining to. Computers use the binary number system, which is a way of counting in which only two digits (0 and 1) are used. Contrast with the familiar decimal number system, in which we count with 10 digits (0 through 9).
bit: Short for binary digit. The smallest unit of information handled by a computer. Like a light switch, a bit is either on or off, which corresponds to a numerical value of one or zero. Larger numbers are expressed by groups of bits. See also byte.
boot: Refers to the initial start-up of a computer, such as when you turn on the computer’s power. From the word “bootstrap,” indicating the computer “lifts itself by the bootstraps;” that is, it gets itself going.
boot-time: The time during which a computer boots; that is, the computer is starting up and the operating
system has not yet taken over control of the computer.
browser: A software program, such as Microsoft’s Internet Explorer, designed to locate and view Web pages on the Internet. In addition to displaying text, modern browsers also can display pictures and play sounds.
byte: A group of eight bits, which can represent a number from zero through 255, a letter of the alphabet, or a variety of other things.
cache: From the French word cacher, meaning “to hide.” A temporary storage facility designed to speed things up by providing information to software that would otherwise have to be obtained from a slower medium.
Caches exist for Web browsers, disk drives and CPUs. See also cache memory.
cache coherency: A condition where the data contained in the cache memories in a computer with multiple processors is kept consistent at all times.
cache memory: In computers, a cache is a small amount of very fast memory that is placed close to (or inside) the CPU chip, in order to improve performance. The cache memory holds copies of recently accessed data.
Because computer programs often run the same instructions repeatedly, many times the CPU will find the data it needs in the cache and therefore will run faster because it does not need to access the computer’s main memory.
CD-ROM: Compact Disk Read-Only Memory. A stiff plastic disk commonly used by software manufacturers to distribute software to customers. As the name implies, the original contents of a CD-ROM cannot be changed.
58 Glossary
central processing unit (CPU): The part of the computer hardware that controls the computer’s overall operation and performs computations. Most modern CPUs are built into a single integrated circuit or chip. See also Pentium, x86.
chip: See integrated circuit.
CHKDSK: A program (supplied with Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server
2003) that checks the integrity of a disk and corrects disk errors such as lost clusters. See also scandisk.
client: In a computer network, a computer that uses the services of another computer, called a server. For example, a client can “ask” a server to provide it with needed data, or to print a file for the client. See also
server, workstation.
cluster: Smallest addressable unit of space on a disk. A one-byte file will actually use a cluster of disk space.
The minimum size of a cluster depends on the size of the disk volume. The FAT file system allows a maximum of 65,536 clusters per volume, which means that the cluster size on a 64-megabyte disk volume is one kilobyte, while a 128-megabyte volume uses two-kilobyte clusters. Thus, the FAT file system can be very wasteful of disk space on large volumes. The NTFS file system does not suffer from this limitation.
COM: Acronym for Component Object Model, a specification developed by Microsoft for building software
components that can be made into programs or add functionality to existing programs running on Microsoft
Windows platforms.
component: A small modular program that performs a specific function and is designed to work interactively with other components and applications. See also applet, COM.
contiguous: Adjacent; placed one after the other. A contiguous file is not fragmented; that is, it takes up a single “chunk” of disk space. See also fragmentation, defragmentation.
control file: A file (Diskeep.ctl) used by Diskeeper to keep track of and control defragmentation of disk volumes.
controller: A specialized electronic circuit, which serves as an interface between a device, such as a disk drive, and a computer. See also IDE, SCSI.
CPU: see central processing unit.
CPU priority: To further lessen the impact on a system when defragmenting, Diskeeper provides five adjustable CPU Priority settings for Manual Defragmentation jobs. The default for Manual Defragmentation jobs is “Normal” which is the mid-level CPU base priority as assigned by the operating system.
data: Information, as processed by a computer. Plural of the Latin word datum, meaning an item of information.
database: A collection of related information about a subject, organized in a useful manner that provides a base or foundation for procedures such as retrieving information, drawing conclusions, and making decisions.
datum: Singular of data.
defragmentation: The reduction or elimination of fragmentation, by making files and/or free disk space more
contiguous.
device: A machine, such as a printer or a disk drive.
digit: From Latin “digitus,” meaning finger. Any of the numbers 0 through 9 in the decimal number system, called a digit because people originally used their fingers for counting. Computers use a binary number system with only two digits (0 and 1).
directory: A file that contains a catalog of files and other directories stored on a disk, which allows you to organize your files into groups, making them easier to find. Equivalent to folder.
Glossary
59
directory consolidation: A Diskeeper feature which, at boot-time, gathers (almost) all directory entries on a
volume into a single area on the disk, instead of scattered in many places. Directory consolidation requires sufficient contiguous free disk space into which the directories can be moved.
disk drive: A device containing one or more disks, treated as a unit by a computer.
Diskeeper: A software product that increases system performance through disk defragmentation. It eliminates
resource-wasting file fragmentation safely, by consolidating fragmented files and free space.
diskette: See floppy disk.
domain: In Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, and Windows Vista™ a group of workstations and servers, defined by an administrator, that share a common directory database and allow a user to log onto any resource in the domain with a single user ID and password. Each domain in a network has a unique name.
drive: See disk drive.
drive letter: In Windows and MS-DOS operating systems, the naming convention for disk drives, consisting of a letter, followed by a colon. Drives A: and B: are normally reserved for floppy disk drives and C: typically indicates the first hard drive. See also volume.
encrypted file: A file that has been scrambled and made unrecognizable by anyone who does not have the proper “key” to decode it. The Windows Encrypting File System (EFS) allows users to encrypt files and folders on an NTFS volume to prevent access by unauthorized individuals.
event logging: The process of recording audit information when certain events occur, such as services starting and stopping, users logging on and off and accessing resources. Logged Diskeeper events can be viewed with the Event Viewer utility (in Administrative Tools.)
Event Viewer: A utility that is part of the Administrative Tools available in Windows, which permits the viewing of logged events. See also event logging.
extended partition: A type of partition that permits the limitation of four partitions per disk drive to be overcome. A disk drive may be partitioned into a maximum of four primary partitions, or three primary partitions plus an extended partition. One or more logical drives may be created within an extended partition.
FAT: See file allocation table.
FAT file system: The file system used by MS-DOS and adapted for Windows to store information on disks, which makes use of a file allocation table. There are three types of FAT file system. The FAT12 (12-bit) is used on FAT volumes smaller than 16 megabytes in size, such as floppy disks—it is not supported by
Diskeeper. FAT16 can be found on all versions of Windows from Windows 95 through Windows Vista.
Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, Windows 2000, Windows Me, Windows 98, and the later OSR 2 version of Windows 95 also support FAT32; Windows NT does not.
field: A subdivision of a record in a file. For example, a record in a customer file may contain a name field, an address field and a phone number field.
file: A complete, named collection of data, such as a program, a set of data used by a program, or a usercreated document. See also record, field.
file allocation table (FAT): A table or list maintained by some operating systems, to keep track of how files are stored on a disk.
file system: The method used by an operating system, of naming, accessing and organizing files and directories on a disk. See also NTFS, FAT file system.
floppy disk: A removable storage medium, consisting of a small magnetic disk made of flexible plastic, housed in a square protective envelope or cartridge. Originally, floppy disks really were “floppy,” because they were enclosed in a paper envelope. Also called a diskette, which is a better name for the more recent design that uses a stiff plastic cartridge. Contrast with hard disk.
60 Glossary
folder: A file that contains a catalog of files and other directories stored on a disk, which allows you to organize your files into groups, making them easier to find. Equivalent to directory.
formatting: A method of preparing a disk surface for use by placing certain magnetic patterns on it, which are used by the file system in storing and retrieving data.
fragmentation: The word fragmentation means “the state of being fragmented.” The word fragment means “a detached, isolated or incomplete part.” It is derived from the Latin “fragmentum,” which in turn is derived from
“frangere,” meaning “break.” So, fragmentation means that something is broken into parts that are detached, isolated or incomplete.
gigabyte: A measure of computer storage capacity equal to approximately a billion bytes. A gigabyte is two to the 30th power, or 1,073,741,824 bytes.
graphical user interface (GUI): Pronounced “gooey.” A user interface, as used in the Windows operating
systems, which uses a mouse and graphic displays to interact with the user, with the purpose to make the computer system easier to use than other operating systems, such as MS-DOS.
GUI: See graphical user interface.
hard disk: One or more rigid metal platters, coated with magnetic material. Contrast with floppy disk, or
diskette, which is made of plastic. Also used to refer to the physical unit that makes up a disk drive.
hardware: The physical parts of a computer system, including devices such as printers and disk drives.
Contrast with software.
I-FAAST: A Diskeeper exclusive, Intelligent File Access Acceleration Sequencing Technology (I-FAAST) improves file access and creation on NTFS volumes by up to 80% (average 10%-20%) above and beyond the improvement provided by defragmentation alone. This is the first industry implementation of “Disk
Performance Calibration”, the modern evolution of the outdated and inconclusive disk optimization strategies of the past.
InvisiTasking: A proprietary technology developed by Diskeeper Corporation that carefully monitors resource consumption on a Windows computer system and injects Diskeeper processing into the unused portions—and
only into the unused portions. InvisiTasking is so good that it is all but impossible to even detect whether
Diskeeper is running.
I/O Smart: The Diskeeper I/O Smart feature intelligently monitors drive access during defragmentation to ensure top system speed. When this option is selected, Diskeeper will temporarily suspend defragmentation whenever other disk activity needs to occur (I/O throttling). This proprietary technology detects whether or not the disk is busy with other I/O requests and pauses defragmentation to eliminate any potential interference with user or system needs at the “disk” level.
IDE: Integrated Device Electronics. One of several types of interfaces between a disk drive and a computer, where the controller is built into the disk drive, which eliminates the need for a separate controller card in the computer. See also ATA and SCSI.
integrated circuit: Also called a chip. A collection of electronic parts with a specific purpose, built into a single physical package. See also central processing unit.
Intel: Manufacturer of processor chips, known especially for the Pentium and x86 processors.
interface: The connection and interaction between hardware, software and/or the user. For example, a disk
controller provides a physical interface between a computer and a disk drive. The keyboard, mouse and display are an interface between a computer and the user.
Internet: A global network that links millions of computers. One popular section of the Internet is the World
Wide Web, which allows computer users to view text and pictures with the aid of a browser, such as Internet
Explorer. E-mail (electronic mail) is another popular part of the Internet, which allows computer users to send and receive written messages.
Glossary
61
Internet Explorer: A software package developed by Microsoft for browsing the Internet, but increasingly used with other applications.
job: A request to have the computer or its peripherals perform some activity. In relation to Diskeeper, it is a request to have a disk defragmented.
log file: A file that keeps track of certain events as they occur. Windows maintains several log files that can be viewed with the Event Viewer.
logical drive: That portion of the space on a disk drive that is considered by the software to be a single unit. In this context, logical means “conceptual.” because there is no direct relationship between the name and a physical object. See also partition, volume.
long filenames: In the DOS operating system, filenames were limited to a maximum of eight characters, followed by a period and up to three characters to indicate the type of file. This is also referred to as the 8.3 file naming convention. The Windows 98/Me, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server
2003 operating systems allow filenames that are over 200 characters long. In addition, these filenames may contain a mixture of upper- and lowercase characters and embedded spaces.
master file table (MFT): On an NTFS volume, the master file table is a file, which contains information about all other files in that volume. This includes the name of each file, its physical location on the disk, and other information.
media: A collective word for the physical material on which computer-based information is stored, such as a
CD-ROM or floppy disk. Media is the plural of medium, but like data is often used in the singular form.
medium: See media.
memory: The computer’s temporary working storage, where program instructions and data are kept, permitting the CPU to process the instructions.
MFT: See master file table.
Microsoft: A computer software company, with its head office in the state of Washington; creators of the MS-
DOS and Windows operating systems.
MMC: Microsoft Management Console. MMC can be used to create, save and open administrative tools
(called snap-ins), such as Diskeeper. MMC provides a common user interface for system tools, as well as a system for managing hardware, software and network components.
MS-DOS: Microsoft Disk Operating System. An operating system designed for a small computer with a single user running one application program at a time.
multitasking: A feature of an operating system, where the computer can work on more than one task at a time.
See also background processing.
network: A group of computers that are connected together and capable of exchanging data with each other.
See also server, client.
NTFS: New Technology File System. A file system designed specifically for use with Windows NT, and carried into Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003.
OEM: Acronym for original equipment manufacturer. The term is misleading, because an OEM typically buys computers from another manufacturer, customizes them for a particular application, and then sells them under the OEM’s own brand name.
operating system: A collection of programs, which perform system functions and control the running of
application programs and the allocation of resources.
page file or paging file: An area of a disk that is set aside to hold data intended to reside in the computer’s
memory. Portions of the paging file are copied to memory as needed. This mechanism requires a much smaller amount of physical memory than would be required if the entire program were to be loaded into memory all at once. See also swap file.
62 Glossary
partition: A subdivision of the space on a disk drive that is treated as though it were a separate physical unit. A computer with only one hard disk drive can have a single partition, often called drive C:, or it can have several partitions, such as drive C:, drive D:, and drive E:. See also volume, drive letter, primary partition, extended
partition, logical drive.
PATA: Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment. Originally called ATA, but retroactively renamed PATA with the introduction of Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) interfaces. One of several methods of interfacing disk drives and other devices to computers. See also ATA, IDE, SATA and SCSI.
Pentium: The name of a type of processor, introduced by Intel in 1993. It is the successor to the 80486 and equivalent to the 80586 chip in the x86 series.
peripheral device: (Related to periphery, roughly meaning “on the outside.”) A device, such as a disk drive, printer, keyboard or mouse, connected to and used by a computer.
permission: The ability of a user on a computer system to access or modify files, especially those that he or she did not create. Permissions exist for security reasons, to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive information.
The system administrator assigns permissions, or “who has access to what.”
platform: The environment, in which a computer system operates, either based on the computer’s CPU or its operating system. For example: the x86 platform, or the Windows Server 2003 platform.
platter: A disk drive consists of one or more platters, each of which can receive magnetic recordings on both sides. The platter spins like a phonograph record on a turntable.
primary partition: In Windows and MS-DOS operating systems, the disk space on a disk drive may be divided into a maximum of four primary partitions; or three primary partitions plus an extended partition, which in turn can contain one or more logical drives.
priority: On a Windows system, several programs can appear to be running at once, even though the CPU can only process one instruction at a time. With the help of the operating system, the CPU processes a few instructions from one program, then a few instructions of the next program, and so on, over and over. Without priority assignments, each program would be given about the same amount of time in each “time slot.” but by assigning priorities, the more important programs can be given longer time intervals than the less important ones, allowing them to complete faster.
process: A program, along with the system resources the program requires to run. A process represents a unit of resource ownership and work to be done. The operating system creates processes to keep track of resources and to ensure the proper scheduling of tasks.
processor: See central processing unit.
program: A set of instructions that tell a computer what to do. Synonym: software.
RAID: Redundant Array of Independent Disks. A method of combining several disk drives to make one large volume. Typically used on a network file server to achieve faster access, greater protection against disk failure, or both.
record: A collection of related data items, treated as a unit. For example, in a file containing information about a company’s customers, one record would consist of the particulars (name, address, phone number, etc.) of one customer. See also field.
registry: A database that contains information about current hardware settings, installed software, user preferences and associations between file types, and applications that access those files.
resource: Any part of a computer system, such as a disk drive, printer, or memory, which can be used by a
program.
SATA: Serial Advanced Technology Attachment. A successor to ATA (which was later renamed PATA). One of several methods of interfacing disk drives and other devices to computers. See also ATA, IDE, PATA and
SCSI.
Glossary
63
SCSI: Small Computer System Interface. One of several methods of interfacing disk drives and other devices to computers. See also ATA, IDE, PATA, and SATAI.
server: On a computer network, a computer that makes resources available to other computers (clients or
workstations.) For example, all the computers on a network can be set up to share a single high-speed printer, which is connected to the server. Usually, the server is faster and more powerful than the client computers connected to it.
service: A process that performs a specific system function and often provides an application programming interface (API) for other processes to call. Diskeeper uses a Windows service, which allows Diskeeper to run in the background while other applications are running.
Service Pack: A collection of software used to issue corrections and updates to software between major releases. Usually refers to compilations of corrections and updates to a Windows operating system.
Set It and Forget It: A term that was created by Diskeeper Corporation, which is a registered trademark and hallmark of the company. A “Set It and Forget It” product can operate transparently (unseen by the user) and in the background (concurrent with other applications). A Set It and Forget It product runs without further intervention or attention from the user or administrator.
SMS: System Management Server. A software product from Microsoft, which permits the system administrator on a Windows NT, Windows 2000 or Windows Server 2003 network to do such things as install and run new software on different computers on the network, all from a single location.
snap-in: A program, such as Diskeeper, that can be used with the Microsoft Management Console (MMC). For more information, see the MMC Help facility.
software: A generic term for computer programs, taken collectively. Contrast with hardware. Software can be categorized into application software and system software.
sparse files: A method of storing large files—that contain mostly empty space and not much data—in a way that uses much less disk space than would otherwise be used. Sparse file support allows an application to create very large files without committing disk space for every byte.
swap file: A file on a disk drive that Windows 98/Me uses to hold temporary data that will not fit into memory.
When needed, the operating system moves data from the swap file to memory. See also paging file.
system: The collection of one or more computers and peripheral devices. Sometimes used as a synonym for
operating system, or the combination of hardware and software, as a logical unit.
system administrator: The person in charge of maintaining a multi-user computer system.
system file: In general, a file that is part of, or accessed by, the operating system. The Diskeeper Volume Map display shows certain system files in green, particularly the master file table (MFT) and several other files that cannot be moved safely by Diskeeper (or any other defragmenter). These are not the files that make up the
Windows operating system, but the files that make up the NTFS file system.
task: A program or portion thereof that is run as an independent entity.
terabyte: A measure of computer storage capacity equal to 2 to the 40th power or approximately a thousand billion bytes (or a thousand gigabytes).
trialware: A free software package from Diskeeper Corporation, such as Diskeeper, that has the same functionality as the official version of the software, but which works for a limited time period, after which it expires. Trialware allows you to try the software before making a buying decision.
utility: A program that provides basic services or functions.
volume: A subdivision of the space on a disk drive that is treated as though it were a separate physical unit, or a combination of physical disks treated as a single unit. A computer with only one hard disk drive can have a single volume, often called drive C:, or it can have several volumes, such as drive C:, drive D:, and drive E:.
See also drive letter, logical drive, partition.
64 Glossary
volume set: In Windows, a single logical drive, which is composed of up to 32 areas of free space on one or more disk drives. Volume sets can be used to combine small areas of free space on one or more disk drives into a larger logical drive, or to create a single large logical drive out of two or more small disks.
Windows: A family of operating systems, first introduced by Microsoft in 1983, with a graphical user
interface and which ran on MS-DOS based computers. See also Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT,
Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003 and Windows Vista.
Windows 2000: Originally named Windows NT 5.0, Windows 2000 is a family of operating systems for desktop computers and network servers, announced by Microsoft in 1998. Windows 2000 resembled Windows
NT 4.0 and Windows 98, but had many enhancements and new features. Windows 2000 is available in several editions, ranging from Windows 2000 Professional to Windows 2000 Advanced Server.
Windows 95: A version of Windows released in 1995. New features in Windows 95 with regard to its predecessor, Windows 3.1, included a new user interface and support for 32-bit applications.
Windows 98: Successor to the Windows 95 operating system, Windows 98 featured support for the FAT32 file
system, greater Internet integration, and support for the latest (at the time) hardware developments.
Windows Me: Short for Windows Millennium Edition, an operating system released by Microsoft in
September 2000. Successor to Windows 98 and designed for home use, Windows Me offers enhancements in the areas of digital media, user interface, home networking, and the Internet.
Windows NT: An operating system released by Microsoft in 1993 (NT stands for New Technology.) It has a similar graphical user interface to Windows, but it does not run over MS-DOS and was designed specifically for computer network environments.
Windows Server 2003: An operating system released by Microsoft in 2003 as the follow-up version to
Windows 2000 Server. Like its predecessor, it has a similar graphical user interface to Windows, but it does not run over MS-DOS and has been designed specifically for computer network environments. Windows Server
2003 is available in Standard, Web, Enterprise, and Datacenter editions.
Windows Vista: Previously known by the codename of “Longhorn”, Windows Vista is an operating system expected to be released by Microsoft in 2006 or 2007 as the follow-up version to Windows XP. It has an updated graphical user interface as well as a number of other anticipated improvements. Windows Vista is slated to be available in several editions for corporate and personal use.
Windows XP: An operating system released by Microsoft in 2001 as the follow-up version to Windows 2000.
Like its predecessor, it has a similar graphical user interface to other Windows versions, but it does not run over MS-DOS and has been designed specifically for computer network environments. Windows XP is available in several editions for different uses, such as Windows XP Professional for corporate use, or
Windows XP Home Edition for home users.
workgroup: In Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows Server 2003, a workgroup consists of one or more computers that do not participate in a domain and are therefore responsible for their own security and administration.
workstation: A computer that has been set up for use by an individual typically connected to a network. The term is also used to indicate a client computer, in contrast with a server.
x86: Symbol to represent a series of CPUs, manufactured by Intel and others, including model numbers 8086,
80286, 80386, 80486 and 80586 (Pentium). All of the CPUs in this series have certain characteristics in common, which permits software to be written that will run on any of them.
Index
65
Index
A
About the Diskeeper Administrator Service .................. 6
Additional software requirements .................................. 3
ADMIN$ Share ............................................................ 22
Administrative permissions.......................................... 40
Administrative Permissions setting up ................................................................. 17
After the Installation ...................................................... 5
Alerts configuring .............................................................. 36 receiving .................................................................. 36
Alerts............................................................................ 35
Automatic Defragmentation......................................... 41
B
Background process ................................................. 6, 46
Before the Installation.................................................... 3
C cache coherency ........................................................... 45
Check for product update ............................................... 5
Clear alerts .................................................................. 36, 37 tasks ................................................................... 36, 37
Computers selecting................................................................... 11
Configuration
Diskeeper Administrator.......................................... 39
Configuration Menu..................................................... 52
Configuring the database ............................................. 15
D
Data set alert history.............................................................. 32 computers and policies ............................................ 31
Diskeeper computers ............................................... 31 fragmentation and performance ............................... 31
Database configuration............................................................ 15 information .............................................................. 17 new .......................................................................... 17 server ....................................................................... 15
DCOM ........................................................................... 3
Defragmentation policies..................................................................... 26
Defragmentation policies creating .................................................................... 26 deploying ................................................................. 29
Diskeeper 2007 ........................................................ 27
Diskeeper 9 and 10................................................... 27 editing ...................................................................... 30
Deploying Diskeeper .................................................... 20
Description area............................................................ 11
Design Goals ................................................................ 45
Disk space required ........................................................ 3
Diskeeper controlling remotely................................................. 38 deploying ................................................................. 20 design goals.............................................................. 45 features..................................................................... 42 features overview ..................................................... 41 job queue.................................................................. 38 license management ................................................. 24 reinstalling ................................................................. 6 updates and upgrades ............................................... 22 what’s new ............................................................... 41
Diskeeper Administrator updates ..................................................................... 39
Diskeeper Administrator alerts......................................................................... 35 configuration ............................................................ 39 features....................................................................... 9 getting started............................................................. 1 overview..................................................................... 1 ports used by ............................................................ 18 reports ...................................................................... 30 service ........................................................................ 6 uninstalling................................................................. 6 using the console........................................................ 9
Diskeeper Local updates ..................................................................... 39
Display
Getting Started ......................................................... 18
E
Editing Exclusion Lists................................................. 38
Error messages ............................................................. 53
Exclusion List......................................................... 38, 44 editing on network computers .................................. 38
F
File Menu ..................................................................... 51
Filtering reports ............................................................ 14
Firewalls ......................................................................... 4
Frag Shield ................................................................... 44
Fragmentation definition of.......................................................viii, 45 effects of ...........................................................viii, 45
G
Getting Started.............................................................. 15
66 Index
Getting Started Menu ................................................... 51
Glossary ....................................................................... 61
Groups creating .................................................................... 37 managing ................................................................. 37 overview .................................................................. 37
H
Help Menu ................................................................... 52
I
I-FAAST ...................................................................... 42
Information area........................................................... 11
Installation after the...................................................................... 5 before the ................................................................... 3 overview .................................................................... 4 short version .............................................................. 4
Installation Procedure .................................................... 4
Installing Diskeeper across the network ................................................... 20 stopping the installation........................................... 22
Installing Service Packs ................................................. 6
InvisiTasking................................................................ 41
IP Address specifying a range.................................................... 14
J
Job Queue .................................................................... 38
Job Queue Menu .......................................................... 51
L
Licenses management actions ................................................ 25 managing ................................................................. 24
Logging
Application Event Log......................................... 6, 44
M
Mail server ................................................................... 40
Manage Diskeeper Menu ............................................. 51
Menu
Configuration........................................................... 52
File........................................................................... 51
Getting Started......................................................... 51
Help ......................................................................... 52
Job Queue ................................................................ 51
Manage Diskeeper ................................................... 51
Reports and Alerts ................................................... 51
View ........................................................................ 51
Menu Bar ..................................................................... 11
Microsoft SQL Server Desktop Engine.......................... 2
MMC.......................................................................... 3, 5
MSDE ...................................................................... 2, 15
N
Navigation ...................................................................... 9 other tips .................................................................. 11
Network editing exclusion lists on a ....................................... 38
NTFS ...........................................................................viii
O
Operation........................................................................ 9
Outgoing mail server .................................................... 40
Overview ........................................................................ 1
P
Performance ................................................................. 46
Permissions administrative........................................................... 40
Platforms supported........................................................ 3
Policies creating..................................................................... 26 defragmentation ....................................................... 26 deploying ................................................................. 29
Diskeeper 2007 ........................................................ 27
Diskeeper 9 and 10................................................... 27 editing ...................................................................... 30
Ports used by Diskeeper Administrator............................. 18
Preface..........................................................................vii
Process Live Disks ....................................................... 46
Proxy server.................................................................. 39
Purge options................................................................ 36
Purge queue and Alert history ...................................... 40
PushInstall installing across the network .................................... 20 stopping.................................................................... 22
PushInstall .................................................................... 20
Q
Quick filtering .............................................................. 14
Quick Launch Pane ...................................................... 11
R
Registering Diskeeper .................................................... 5
Remote Control ............................................................ 38
Repairing Windows ........................................................ 6
Report creating a.................................................................. 32 filtering a.................................................................. 34 launching actions from............................................. 34 naming ..................................................................... 32 printing a .................................................................. 34 purging data ............................................................. 36 saving a .................................................................... 34 selecting computers.................................................. 33 selecting data sets..................................................... 32 selecting the data source .......................................... 33
selecting the schedule .............................................. 33 summary .................................................................. 33 viewing status of...................................................... 33
Report details ............................................................... 30
Reports filtering .................................................................... 14
Reports ......................................................................... 30
Reports and Alerts Menu ............................................. 51
Requirements, additional software ................................. 3
Resource requirements ................................................... 3
S
Safety ........................................................................... 45
Selecting computers ..................................................... 11
Service Pack................................................................... 6
Service,Diskeeper Administrator ................................... 6
SETUP.EXE................................................................... 4
Software, additional requirements.................................. 3
SQL Server .............................................................. 2, 15
Support Services
Europe ..................................................................... 60
U.S., Asian and Latin American .............................. 59
T
Terabyte Volume Engine ............................................. 42
Theory of Operation..................................................... 45
Toolbar......................................................................... 10
Index
67
Troubleshooting............................................................ 53
TVE .............................................................................. 42
U
Uninstalling Diskeeper ................................................... 6 across the network.................................................... 21
Updates checking for ............................................................... 5
Updates and upgrades
Diskeeper ................................................................. 22 steps ......................................................................... 23
V
Versions supported ......................................................... 3
View Menu ................................................................... 51
W
Windows
Application Event Log ............................................... 6 repairing ..................................................................... 6 resource requirements ................................................ 3 service packs .............................................................. 6 versions and platforms supported............................... 3
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Key features
Centralized management of Diskeeper installations (versions 9.0, 10.0, 2007)
PushInstall feature for easy network-wide deployment
Policy-based control for defragmentation operations
Support for Microsoft Active Directory and custom logical groups
Comprehensive reporting and exception-based alert notifications
Updates and Upgrades module for managed Diskeeper computers
Remote control capabilities for individual Diskeeper installations
Frequently asked questions
Diskeeper Administrator supports Windows Server 2003, Windows XP (all editions except Home), and Windows 2000.
Diskeeper Administrator requires either SQL Server 2005, SQL Server 2000, or Microsoft SQL Server Desktop Engine (MSDE) for its database, along with Microsoft .NET 2.0 Framework and the Microsoft Management Console (MMC).
To install, log in as a member of the Administrators group, insert the CD-ROM (or double-click the downloaded file), and follow the on-screen prompts of the SETUP.EXE program.
Diskeeper Administrator acts as a server, and firewall alerts regarding server activity or Internet access are expected and safe to allow, as it uses Windows mechanisms that may trigger these alerts but does not access the Internet itself except for updates.
The first time you run Diskeeper Administrator, it automatically checks for updates. You can also manually check by selecting 'Configure Diskeeper Administrator' from the Quick Launch task pane, then 'Diskeeper Administrator Properties', and choosing the 'Diskeeper Administrator Updates' option.
