The key to managing network computers is the communication between the server and those computers. In this communication model the network computers send data (about themselves) to the server or perform certain actions on themselves.
Notification Server (NS) controls these activities through the use of (1) an agent on the network computer and (2) plug-in software that you write so that your solution can communicate with the agent.
In general terms, an agent is software that can be installed on network endpoints (computers or other devices, such as handhelds). In the Symantec Management Platform environment, agent software may also need to communicate with one or more solutions that are integrated with Notification Server (NS). The agent on a managed computer communicates with a solution through plug-in software that you (and other solution developers) write for this purpose as part of your solutions.
The agent provides a common transport mechanism throughout the Symantec Management Platform and provides the user (on the managed computer) with an interface for changing settings. When developing a solution, you can integrate solution-specific communication software (called a plug-in) with the Agent, which provides the bootstrap capabilities for installing and managing plug-ins.
In a Windows-based SMP environment, the agent software on network computers is referred to as the Altiris Agent.
Agents for Windows, Unix, Linux, and Mac
In a Windows environment, the Agent is a Windows service that runs on Windows-based network computers connected to Notification Server. Unix-, Linux-, and Macintosh-based client computers run the NS Agent for Unix. The Agent is often identified by the icon located in the system tray. The Agent periodically sends inventory data from the client to the server and retrieves policies and packages from the server.
Note: For Unix, Linux, or Mac systems, note that when you install NS through the Developer Portal, you run a process called Symantec Installation Manager (SIM). This process allows you to install additional solutions along with the NS Core. You should install the solution for Unix/Linux/Mac, which allows you to deploy the Agent to Unix, Linux, and Mac systems. As previously stated, this Agent is different from the Windows-based Agent, but it works in the same basic manner. When you read Agent or Altiris Agent, assume whichever Agent is appropriate (for your operating environment).
Plug-ins
Solutions communicate with the Agent on an agent- managed computer through management software (plug-ins) written for that purpose. New solutions may require additional functionality from managed computers, such as collecting data beyond what NS normally collects. (See "Standards-based communication framework" in "Introduction to the platform" for a review.) These solutions must include their own solution-specific functionality that plugs in to the Agent on the managed computer. This additional functionality for a given solution is that solution’s plug-in.
The Agent on the managed computer tracks all the plug-ins registered with it and routes messages between the plug-ins and NS. Plug-ins communicate with each other and with the Agent on the managed computer by publishing and subscribing to COM messages (on Windows).
Messages from clients are sent to NS in the form of Notification Server Events (NSEs), which are XML files with a defined schema. Solutions can define capture items (items capable of receiving NSE messages) to be the targets of NSEs from the clients. The server receives NSEs, parses the XML to determine which capture item the data is intended for, and passes the data to that item so that the solution can handle it appropriately.
Messages are received on the client in the form of policies, which are also XML files with predefined tags for the Agent to parse. The Agent receives policies, parses the XML, and posts messages to the various plug-ins to handle their policies.
The Agent also has its own user interface (UI) framework that includes menu items added to the right-click menu of the Agent icon in the system tray and dialogs through which end users can receive information from, or provide information to, the Agent. You can extend the Agent UI by creating additional plug-ins.