Setting up the Web console

The Web console offers a subset of the Management Suite console functionality from the convenience of a Web browser. Once installed on a Web server, designated users can access the Web console through Microsoft Internet Explorer, or other supported Web browsers. This setup (installed by default on the core server) allows Web console access to users without additional installation at their local PCs.

By default, Setup places the Web console files in the \Inetpub\wwwroot\remote folder.

Setup also creates Web console file shares with the necessary permissions on the core server.

The Web console and managed devices require the following shares and permissions to work correctly:

If the Web console is being installed on a server other than the core server, the logged-in user must be a domain administrator, and the domain administrator account must be in one of the core server’s LANDesk user groups. The core server and Web console servers must be in the same domain, and any users needing to use the Web console must be added to one of the LANDesk user groups on both the core server and Web console servers.

The Management Suite 9 Web console can't be run on an older core server or console. Only the Management Suite 9 Web console can be run on a Management Suite 9 core server or console computer. Earlier versions of Management Suite will not work.

If the Web console is being installed on a Microsoft Windows 2003 server, Internet Information Server (IIS) disables active server pages by default. They must be enabled for the Web console to work correctly.

To enable active server pages on Microsoft Windows 2003 servers
  1. Click Start | Administrative Tools | Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager.
  2. Click to expand <CoreServerName>.
  3. Click Web Service Extension.
  4. Click Active Server Pages.
  5. Click Allow.
  6. Close the Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager window.

In order to verify the installation of the Web console, a Web browser can be opened and the Web server URL can be entered. By default, the URL is:

The installation was successful if the browser prompts for login credentials and opens the console.

The first time the console is launched, it may take up to 90 seconds to display. This delay happens because the server has to do a one-time compile of console codes. The console launches much faster after the first time.

If a permission denied error occurs when the Web console is being accessed, Integrated Microsoft Windows authentication must be enabled as the authentication method for the Web console’s site.

How to verify the authentication method
  1. Click Start > Administrative Tools > Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager.
  2. Click to expand <CoreServerName> > Web Sites > Default Web Site.
  3. Click Properties from the Remote folder’s drop-down menu.
  4. Click the Directory Security tab.
  5. Click Edit in the Anonymous access and authentication control field.
  6. Clear the Enable Anonymous Access check box.
  7. Select the Integrated Windows authentication check box.
  8. Click OK to exit the Authentication Methods window.
  9. Click OK to exit the Remote Properties window.
  10. Close the Internet Information Services (IIS) Manager window.

Console and Web console functionality comparison

The following table lists the capabilities of the Management Suite console and the Management Suite Web console.

Capability Console Web Console Notes
Agent Configuration Yes Minimal Scheduled Agent Deployments and Update tasks are visible and controllable by Web console users with rights to Agent Configuration.
Alerting Yes No  
Antivirus Yes No  
Column Set Configuration Yes Yes In the Web Console access under Preferences on the Custom Columns tab.
Configure Services Yes No  
Connection Control Manager Yes Minimal Scheduled deployments are visible and controllable by Web console users with rights to CCM.
Custom Data Forms Yes No  
Delivery Methods Yes Yes Tab located under Distribution in Web console.
Device right-click Yes Yes Vastly different behavior – the only overlapping function is to run an inventory scan (on Web “Scan Device”).
Directory Manager Yes Yes  
Display Manager Yes No  
Distribution Packages Yes Yes  
Host Intrusion Prevention Yes No  
LaunchPad Link Manager Yes Minimal Scheduled LaunchPad Link Deployments are visible and controllable by Web console users with rights to Software Distribution.
Logs Yes No  
Manage Scripts Yes Partial From Scripts, existing scripts can be scheduled and grouped.
OS Deployment Yes Minimal Existing OS Deployment scripts that have already been scheduled can be viewed and controlled by Web console users with rights to OSD via Scripts > OSD Scripts.
Power Management Yes Minimal Scheduled power policy tasks are potentially visible and controllable by Web Console users.
Provisioning Yes No  
PXE Boot Menu Yes No  
Query Capability Yes Partial The Web console allows use of a Count feature which is not in the Windows console. Queries can't be viewed as reports in the Web console.
Remote Control Yes Yes  
Reports Yes Yes The reporting console launches in a separate browser window.
Scheduled Tasks Yes Yes  
Scopes Yes Partial Existing scopes can be added to a user, but new scopes can't be created.
Security and Patch Manager Yes Minimal Scheduled scans and repair tasks are visible and controllable by Web console users with Patch Manager rights.
Software License Monitoring Yes Partial In the Web console product usage data is not visible, individual product and group compliance reports are not available, and you can't ignore or group products.
Thin Client Configuration Yes No  
Unmanaged Device Discovery Yes Minimal Scheduled unmanaged device discovery scans are visible and controllable by Web console users with rights to UDD.
Users Yes No  
Windows CE Agent Configuration Yes No  
Windows CE CAB Creator Yes No