Frequently Asked Questions

Isn't ETS just like a configuration management database (CMDB)?

CMDB solutions define the configuration of and relationship between significant components of the IT environment, but do not identify the source or authenticity of software, or how individual files are related to each other and to their parent components.

Without the ability to determine the source authenticity of files and then track them on a system through comparison to a trusted reference, there is no way to truly know what a system contains and whether it is properly configured. For example, a database server, while appearing to be properly configured, may behave unexpectedly or even fail because it contains incorrect configuration files, or development code that was accidentally promoted into production.

SignaCert's ETS features a flexible grouping system that allows you to easily define groups of software components that reflect the desired configuration of systems and then relate them to the devices in your enterprise.

How does ETS differ from change management systems?

Unlike change management solutions, which measure files and report changes to the files relative to a previous state, SignaCert measures change from a definitive measurement point based on signatures from the authentic commercial and custom software in your enterprise.

This allows you to identify specific changes to system configurations, and drastically reduces the amount of data generated when compared to pure change notification.

For instance, when a patch is pushed out to a server, a change management system indicates that multiple files have changed, but the source of the changes is not definitively identified. Although you know a patch was applied to the operating system, you have no way to tell if it has been applied successfully. With SignaCert, you are able to tell that the changes are associated with an operating system patch stored in the Enterprise Trust Server and are therefore desired changes. You can also see down to the file level that the patch was successfully applied, leaving no ambiguity that the system is deployed as intended.