Course Description

BigFix combines endpoint and security management into a single solution that enables users to see and manage fixed, mobile, physical and virtual endpoints on more than 90 different operating system versions. In addition to ensuring that all of a company’s systems are patched and secure, BigFix automates time-intensive tasks across complex networks, queries endpoints in real-time for the presence of malicious files, allows for quick software installations, performs advanced automation, and allows for simple remote control with just a few clicks. This course will present knowledge to help BigFix administrators and operators develop the foundation knowledge they need to successfully leverage BigFix in their managed environments.

Key Topics:

• Discuss architecture and component configuration
• Perform daily operations to support managed environment
• Find and Deploy Patches for managed endpoints
• Report on managed environment
• Perform basic troubleshooting

Objectives

Upon completion of the BigFix Operator Fundamentals v9.5 course, students will be able to:

• Gain a basic understanding of the BigFix portfolio and architecture
• Learn to use and configure the operator Console
• Explore and learn to use the BigFix Web User Interface
• Learn about Fixlets, Tasks, and Baselines and when to use them
• Learn about Roles and Users
• Explore Patch Content
• Create and deploy patches manually and through automation by using policies
• Explore and create Web Reports

Audience

-

Prerequisites

• Basic Microsoft Windows

Content

Day 1 Introduction

• Welcome to the BigFix Family!
• What can BigFix do for you?
• Identifying the BigFix suite components.
• A modular approach to meeting your operational requirements.
• Let’s take a look at the latest and greatest features of BigFix.

Architecture

• How BigFix works under the covers
• Message flow - Discovering the flow of how action directives make it to endpoints and back to the BigFix server

Console Operation

• Let's discover the console!
• Workflow - Get your work done with the BigFix Console
• Optimizing your BigFix Console experience

Web User Interface

• What is the Web UI?
• Navigating the Web UI?
• Discovering the Apps menu
• How do I find patches in the Web UI?
• Let's deploy some patches
• Looking for something? Let's learn about Query
• Headaches keeping up with patches? Let's automate with policies!

Day 2 Content and Sites

• What is content?
• What are Fixlets, Tasks, and Baselines and when should I use them?
• Take Action!
• Discovering Analyses and Properties
• How to use custom computer properties to unleash the power of BigFix
• Get organized with Content Sites!
• Learn how to secure your BigFix Environment using Roles and Users
• Minimize administrative overhead using Computer Groups!

Patches

• Structure of a Patch in BigFix
• Patch-specific Features and how to use them
• Where do patches come from?
• Are patches for all operating systems created equal?
• Patch Process: Is there a method to the madness?
• How are patches deployed?
• Customizing deployments to fit any situation

Day 3 Advanced Patch Management

• To Deploy or not to deploy: Superseded Fixlets
• Blacklisting: Hiding undesirable content
• Whitelisting: Showing only what you want them to see
• Automating deployments using execution parameters
• Configuring and deploying non-Windows patches
• Set and Forget: WebUI Patch Policies
• Patch Sequencing across multiple endpoints
• Troubleshooting

Everything you need to know about Web Reports

• Configure and use web reporting
• How to access the Web Reports Interface
• List and generate existing reports
• Explore and Filter Data
• Create Custom Reports
• Export Report Data
• Schedule Reports to be automatically generated and mailed