Swimage Monthly Newsletter

Frequently Asked Questions

In this month’s newsletter we are focusing on frequently asked questions about four topics – recovery from malware, encryption, domain migrations, and provisioning new PCs.

Recovery from Malware*

Q: We have anti-virus and malware detection tools in force. Do I need a malware recovery
solution too?

A: Yes, this is an essential part of business continuity. Zero-day viruses are being found
regularly which give the malware detection companies zero time to block it. If something slips
though without a good recovery process, your business is at risk.

Q: We have a lot of remote employees with little access to hands-on technicians, how long should we expect a PC to be down before it can be recovered from a malware event?

A: Swimage will act as the “hands-on technician” for even the hardest to reach devices. If a system needs to be recovered, Swimage does all of the work, even if it’s remote. With Swimage, a PC can be fully recovered from an incident in as few as 30 minutes.

Q: Does Swimage require a lot of storage to recover a device?

A: Swimage will create a secured recovery space on the device that is used to rebuild the PC, which takes on average about 10GB. Swimage works much differently than your traditional backup/DR tools on the market. Instead of restoring your system from backup, Swimage knows how to rebuild the system from known-good sources. This includes the OS, applications, configuration, etc. Once rebuilt, Swimage only needs to apply the data layer, which is all handled locally. No external storage is required. The biggest advantage of this method of recovery is that PC is recovered back to the corporate standard and all traces of malware are completely eliminated, even if that virus were to lay dormant.

Q: Is Internet required to recover a PC?

A: No. Swimage can execute completely offline.

* Recovery from ransomware FAQs will be included in the July newsletter.

Encryption

Q: How do you prevent data from being decrypted, even if the PC crashes and needs to be recovered?

A: Swimage automatically detects the type of encryption running on the PC. With this information, Swimage collects all encryption information unique to that PC and migrates it automatically to the new OS. Data is never unencrypted and never exposed.

Q: Is it possible to migrate encryption without exposing the data?

A: Yes. Swimage uses a patented process to lock all system access and adds double encryption while automatically converting the encryption from one type to the other. The hands-free process can run entirely offline and remotely and completes in under an hour.

Domain Migrations

Q: Is it possible to migrate to Azure AD or another AD Domain without touching a PC?

A: Yes. For a touchless domain migration, install the Swimage agent onto the PC and schedule the migration. Swimage will do the rest.

Q: Is Autopilot required in order to migrate to Azure or to a new domain?

A: No. Swimage can complete the migration without any other processes, including Autopilot.

Q: Can the PC be migrated to a new domain without reimaging the PC?

A: Yes, Swimage can migrate the PC, the user profile, and all settings to the new domain without reimaging. However, many companies choose to use this opportunity to standardize the OS as well by reimaging, which Swimage can also handle effortlessly.

Q: Is a domain trust required to migrate user profiles?

A: No. Swimage can migrate to a new domain, even if there is no domain trust established. Swimage will map SID-to-SID, ID-to-ID, and do the entire migration without physically touching the PCs.

Provisioning New PCs

Q: How can I streamline the provisioning process and skip the PC build center?

A: The four requirements to avoid a PC build center are:

  1. Advanced provisioning
  2. Automated intelligent build
  3. Ability to automatically pull content from a remote location
  4. Automated and streamlined data migration process (for PC replacements)

Many solutions have tried and failed to eliminate the need for a build center. Some solutions may handle a portion of the requirements, but have significant gaps. To overcome these gaps, rather than improving the technology, they change expectations. For example, forcing cloud storage for data, waiting hours or days for the system to finish, or limiting what is included in “provisioning,” leaving the rest to be configured by the user or by a remote technician.

Swimage handles all four requirements with ease and without changing current requirements or expectations. The operating system, customized settings, applications, data, and settings are all completely installed and restored in minutes. These processes are performed without a build center and with little-to-no technician involvement.

Q: How do you define which applications are installed?

A: Swimage identifies applications to be installed in four ways:

  1. Applications installed in the base image
  2. Applications assigned to the default deployment role
  3. Applications assigned to templates applied to the PC being deployed
  4. Applications discovered on the old device

All applications are rationalized and automatically installed in order of dependencies or defined rules. Application installation sources can be pulled from the local cache, the Swimage server, SCCM distribution points, Intune, or other custom defined server sources.

Q: How long does it take for a device to be usable following a deployment?

A: Usually within 30–60 minutes after a Swimage deployment is started, the PC will be completely ready for production, including all apps, settings, and data.

To learn more about how Swimage can assist your organization with the above use cases, as well as many others, please visit www.Swimage.com or email Info@Swimage.com.


Job Opening: Marketing and Public Relations (PR) Associate

Swimage is seeking a qualified candidate to be a Marketing and Public Relations (PR) Associate who will be involved in a variety of aspects of marketing and communications, including press releases, pitches, newsletters, webpages, videos, tweets, blogs, and other social posts.

To learn more, visit https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/SwimagePR .

To apply outside of LinkedIn, email your resume to recruiting@Swimage.com.