The New shell technology transparently extends the reach of existing shells enabling management of Unix, Linux and Windows systems from a single universal shell. The Opsware Global Shell enables centralized management of Unix, Linux and Windows servers with the ability to execute concurrent operations on hundreds to thousands of systems in parallel.

In addition to greatly simplifying management of heterogeneous environments, the Opsware Global Shell leverages the powerful Opsware data model to help administrators organize their machines into logical groups for more accurate change management and faster trouble shooting. For example, administrators can execute commands on systems based on their profile, location, application, SLA and other attributes. The Opsware Global Shell provides a powerful automation platform for task-based management of large, heterogeneous data center environments.

Global Shell Commentary

"Opsware Global Shell is an important step forward to address the management needs of today's distributed and complex IT environments," said Tim Grieser, program vice president, Enterprise System Management Software at IDC. "This evolution of the shell can provide enterprises with a secure and efficient way to perform tasks across multiple IT assets regardless of location, platform or device."

For decades, administrators have used shells and scripting languages for ad hoc management of servers and software despite the many GUI-based management tools available. However, to date there have not been any fundamental innovations in shell technologies. Today's shells constrain administrators in that they are not cross-platform, work on a single system at a time, and only manage individual infrastructure components. To get around these problems the Unix community has had to create new commands that are not universally applicable across platforms. The Opsware Global Shell is unique in that it uses standard scripts and languages for centralized and mass parallel management of Linux, Unix, and Windows systems. Further, the Opsware Global Shell provides the first automation platform for rapid development of custom automation and utility computing applications.

"The introduction of Opsware Global Shell provides IT with a secure and centralized platform from which to manage all corners of the enterprise," said Tim Howes, CTO of Opsware Inc. "We provide the framework for cross-platform, automated management, from a single command line. Opsware now gives IT the power to deliver new levels of efficiency and cost savings across customer environments."

The Opsware Global Shell's open architecture complements other shell technologies such as Microsoft's Shell (MSH) code-named MONAD which, when shipped, will provide advanced management of Windows environments. Opsware Global Shell is available with purchase of the Opsware Server Automation System.

Opsware Global Shell Features and Benefits

Cross Platform Management - First shell to provide automated, centralized management across all platforms including Windows, Linux, and Unix, eliminating the need for multiple shells.

Branch Office and Remote Data Center Automation - Using Opsware Satellite, Opsware Global Shell allows for secure management of servers located across multiple locations at one time.

Seamless Integration with Opsware Data Model - Opsware Global Shell uses real-time environmental and operational data from the Opsware Data Model to automate tasks across all IT assets, ensuring secure and consistent operations.

Familiar Environment - Opsware Global Shell is compatible with the environments and languages administrators use on a daily basis. The Global Shell is based on an open programming model and provides out-of-the-box support for all popular Unix shell environments (e.g., bash, tcsh, zsh, ksh, etc.), scripting languages (e.g., Perl, Python, Ruby, etc.), and development languages (e.g., Java, C, C++, etc.). This means little to no learning curve or training costs, and administrators can hit the ground running with immediate productivity.

Leverage Existing Scripts and Utilities- Since the Opsware Global Shell provides a familiar environment and compatibility with existing languages and tools, administrators can reuse their existing libraries of scripts and utilities. These existing investments automatically gain new power and security by running under the Global Shell.

Platform for Development of Custom Automation and Utility Computing Applications

Global File System - Enables administrators to manage large data center environments consisting of tens of thousands of servers as a single, virtual file system. Opsware Global Shell provides a powerful and intuitive navigational model and scripting framework to automate everyday tasks using information such as server groups and server inventory.

Secure Audit Trail - Provides centralized user management with complete audit trail of each user session to accelerate troubleshooting by viewing previous sessions and to satisfy security and audit requirements.

Central Security Framework - Opsware Global Shell features a robust access control system that allows organizations to define and enforce flexible security rules governing which users can manage which machines. The Global Shell allows convenient access to any managed server without the need to install additional software or open additional ports in the network.