New product idea.  Before we had SmartCode VNC Manager to manage the network windows clients, we had Novell Zenworks.  This package of tools were second to none.  It gave us hardware and software inventory, remote / scheduled software installation and removal, remote control, instant messaging, plus others.  Novell Netware also had many built-in tools that just don't exist in the windows environment.

Due to a declining budget, we had to get rid of Novell Netware (since we also had windows domain).  We could have kept Zenworks for a windows domain, but the decision was made to get rid of it all.  All clients were joined to our windows domain and file and print servers were converted over.

Then started the quest to find third party products that would replace the tools we grown accustomed to.  Luckily Microsoft released Windows 2008 and its group policy preferences.  This allowed us to manage (policy, software install, printer drivers, etc) the workstations almost like Zenworks, just a little more clunky, and not as efficient.

We really missed the remote control aspect.  It was such a time saver.  So after alot of research, we found Smartcode VNC manager.  Although not tied directly into the directory as Zenworks, it did a great job.  When the SQL version came out, it became more centralized as we were more accustomed to.  This is a great suit of tools!  Great job!

Ok, here is the idea.  In Smartcode, there is a built-in tool for sending a console message to a workstation.  In Windows 7, Microsoft in there infinite wisdom striped out the net send functionality.  So they can not be seen....  If I install a third party tool, such as Netlink version 3.3, it will receive the messages.  Netlink has many other tools built in that we do not want the end users to have.  It does not finds users very well, and I think it was expensive for what it did.  I did find a program called WinSent that was simple, and a good price, but it did not receive the messages sent from the SmartCode VNC Manager.
It would be great to have a simple instant messaging client that would receive the messages for the Manager, but would also allow the user to respond back.  This client could probe LDAP, as the manager does for workstation, but only for users.  This way it would be easy for the user to select a recipient.  Users could then "chat" from one workstation to another.  This client could also that a sound that played when a message was received.  It could also have the ability alert all users in an emergency, such as fire or tornado.  This alert would be different in size and sound, and could not be replyed to.  Deployment of the client would be done as the VNC clients are sent out.
The addition of an "instant messaging" client to the suite would make it even more robust.

Thanks for listening...

Hi Shane,
thank you for your feedback!

It's 1AM in Singapore at the moment, I'm planning to take more closer looks at the idea in the morning, but I just want to send a quick reply now.

Actually "net send" functionality is still available in Vista/Windows 7. It was replaced by the "msg.exe" command.
And if I not mistaken (I'll need to double check on that), VNC Manager, when runs on Vista/Windows 7, attempts to use the new msg.exe implementation.

Just a quick question, have you tried to use msg.exe and VNC Manager's Send Console Message command on Windows7?


Regards,

Yes,

     When I send a console message from the VNC manager to a windows 7 box.....the manager states it was sent, but nothing happens at the workstation side.