It's finally here! It's been a pretty hard task because this new version represents a very important step forward not only in functionality but also in reliability.
As previous versions, documentation is something I must work on. Unfortunately, I don't have time to do it the way it should. But, I will be posting working samples, screenshots, and demo videos that will help on the training aspects of this tools.
Anyway, if you want to help with documentation or any other aspect, just let me know: I would love to build a team to make this project grow bigger and stronger.
Here is a short description of the changes, improvements and fixes you will find in this new OpenSLIM & NMTools release:
- New multiple-choice MainMenu.
- MainMenu also detects and publishes dynamically recently modules. So extending OpenSLIM is easier than before.
- New Infrastructure Management Processes: Repairs and Provisioning.
- Support for Intrinsic and Ad-hoc Node Relationships.
- General Module Improvements in UX:
- contextual navigation between modules (get to Related Information through in-line sub-forms and “go-to” buttons).
- Easier data input process: double click information updates on date or scalar fields.
- Improvements on Data History visualization.
- Improvements on table view forms.
- Improvements on auto-updating capabilities based on the context: LastUpdateDate, OwnerId, CurrentProgress, etc.
- Improvements on intra-module auto-updating capabilities based on the context: RepairMangement and ProvisioningManagement, update related Node information based on context, etc.
- Better connection between Progress, Tasks and Issues modules.
- Better keyboard-only experience.
- Better feel of the global context: fields displaying “Totals” for certain information aspects.
- Improved Information Coverage: IP Storage and complex Network layouts.
- Ability to Edit related Entities: Networks, Rack Locations, DataCenter Locations, DNS Zones, Security Domains, Production Scopes, Virtual DataCenters, etc.
- General reliability improvements:
- Lot of bug fixing.
- Improved exception handling.
- Better Data Versioning capabilities and improved Version History display.
- NMTools Agent integration:
- You can identify which updates come from an automated discovery/configuration process. It is now truly OpenSLIM user
- NMTools Agent saves previous information state before persisting any information. It does that on a per-attribute basis.
- Tested on SQL Server 2005 and 2008.
Changes on NMTools:
- General reliability and performance improvements.
- Better scalability: support for SQL Server.
- Better logging capabilities: failed/successful login, better exception handling and error reporting.
- Improved command-line experience: -filter and -raw parameters.
- Improved shell-mode true PowerShell object-oriented experience: run Get-NMAHelp for available commands.
- Support for Per-Host and Per-Module Brute Force Login.
- Extensible Brute Force Login Mode through plugable modules.
- 37 Modules: OpenSLIM, Storage, Clustering, Arbitrary Remote Command Execution (Windows, Unix, etc) throught WMI/PsTools (DCOM/RPC) and SSH.
- Better templating and code skeletons for module extensibility.
Hope you like this version. If you find bugs or have any suggestion, just let me know :-D.
