Console

Upgrades Coming – Get Answers

Upgrades Coming – Get Answers
Userlevel 7
Badge +48

We’re about to launch several new upgrades to our business solutions, including the Webroot management console, Webroot®️ Endpoint Protection, Webroot®️ DNS Protection, and Webroot®️ Security Awareness Training. Want to find out what’s in store? Webroot Product Marketing Director George Anderson and Sr. Solutions Engineer Shane Cooper will be on-hand to answer your questions this coming April 20th at 10:00AM MT.

To submit a question, just comment below!


10 replies

Everything MrPete said above should be a concern to all. I love the product, but way too many features have been taken away. I am not sure how there are not more complaints about this new interface. Here’s some the missing functionality that should be restore to this new version that may not have been mentioned by MrPete.

  • Downloadable reports for all active installs and all deactivated installs, as they appeared before this “upgrade.” If we can’t see all of the fields online, it will be nice to see them in a spreadsheet.
  • Make a new field that has our custom hostnames that we previously created and make that field editable. So we will have a Hostname field and a Name field. Because, how am I supposed to know who DESKTOP-L345H21 belong to? But I was smart and edited the hostname when it was first added. Oops, not smart enough. Now that data is MIA.
  • Add back the First Seen Date field. For obvious reasons.
Userlevel 3
Badge +8

Let me preface my comment by saying how much I value great design and great UX. (I better… my daughter is a high end designer not too far from Webroot HQ 😉 )

That said, the designers of this upgrade appear to not know one of the fundamental basics of good design: hiding complexity (aka simplification) is quite different from eliminating crucial functionality.

If I can’t get my job done, it doesn’t matter how clean and colorful the UI.

If I can’t get my job done, that “upgrade” is a frustrating downgrade.

YES, there are a few much-appreciated feature additions. They have nothing to do with the redesign. (YAY - we can switch sites. YAY - we can delete endpoints.)

Allow me to illustrate:

 

My most important use of the Group / Endpoint / Entity Management screen is:

  • Identifying who this endpoint represents so I can move their entry to the correct group, or manage them properly, or contact them if/as needed.

Old Console

  • I have 21 columns available. At all times, I have 12 visible variable-width columns. (Status is just the icon; several others I only need to see a little bit.)
  • The most important columns for my use case: Hostname (customized with a person’s name etc); Current User; IP Address.
  • With these tools (and sometimes the Advanced Search that lets me search any/all columns) I can do what’s needed with simple clarity. (E.g. match endpoints on IP address and User… which explains the outdated entries no longer in use...)

New Console

  • I have six fixed-same-width columns. No options. (A huge amount of wasted space: One third of the space is meaningless: the Status column could be a single icon; the product name column is a waste for me (all endpoints have the exact same product) and in any case could be an icon. The Policy column is too narrow for me: the name differences are hiding behind “...”)
  • NONE of my most important columns are available. Nor are other 2nd tier columns: agent version is also key, for example.
  • Thus, getting this task accomplished is incredibly difficult in the new console.

(BTW, only the legacy single-site view is still available. The wonderful SEARCHABLE on any info table of all endpoints at all sites… is gone.)

 

I realize there is intent to eventually incorporate other data from the legacy system

May I suggest: there is value in reconsidering the ultimate and best purpose of this feature.

 

(I see the Product Manager believes the “Filter” function replaces the column selector. May I respectfully differ?!!

A filter function **assumes I know the information I seek, and want to select a few from the many**

→ That’s actually an alternative way to *search* for something specific.

  • The column selector allows me to:
    • view MORE information on every endpoint
    • sort on any of those columns
    • FIND something I did not already know
    • FIND patterns of importance

May I also suggest: 

  • You do not know what your users will use these functions for. Don’t try to outguess on that.
  • You WANT your users to have ability to creatively and flexibly examine and manage data according to their needs. Give them easy access to MORE flexibility.
  • That’s one of the key messages of the Big Data revolution: we need humility about what data is good for and how to extract that value.

(In case it isn’t obvious, I’ve been a software/data architect for decades. I love you guys so you get my input at no charge 🙂 🙂 )

Userlevel 7
Badge +25

Thank you, that worked. 

 

Userlevel 7
Badge +48

Hmmm. Tried to view this but all your website links just go round in a circle back to here. Oh well. 

We’re right here! 

 

Userlevel 7
Badge +25

Hmmm. Tried to view this but all your website links just go round in a circle back to here. Oh well. 

Userlevel 7
Badge +25

Well, I am on a new M1 Mac, running latest OS, so maybe just something that does not work correctly for me. Ill investigate more on my end. And thanks for the possibility of an iCal link too. I guess I am one of the few Mac users here!  :-)

Userlevel 7
Badge +48

Hey @MajorHavoc

I haven't seen that on my end. I just tried clicking on that and it opened a Google Calendar event for me. 

The Google Cal link is setup by default but I can try and look into creating an iCal link and sharing. 

Userlevel 7
Badge +25

Hi Drew. When I click the Google Calendar link for the Q&A, I go to a 404 error page. Any one else seeing this? And fir us iPhone users, could you add an iCal link too?

Thanks

Userlevel 7
Badge +20

@BrianB23 ,

Great question! We will add this to our Q&A list and will answer it on April 20th! 

Userlevel 4
Badge +9

Will the new console use our renamed endpoints?  For example, in the old console, we could rename endpoint computer names to something more descriptive.  Those changes, however, were not visible in the new site dashboard.  Hopefully we won’t lose those name changes with this upgrade?

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