Difference between rules and settings for application compliance: An example

This example demonstrates that application compliance Rules and settings must be coordinated in order to manage application compliance effectively.

  1. ExampleSoft 1.0 is discovered on Device A.
  2. No matching rule exists for ExampleSoft.

    By default, N-able N-central creates a new application compliance setting for ExampleSoft 1.0 with Status = Pending.

  3. ExampleSoft 1.0 on Device A is configured as Pending.
  4. ExampleSoft 1.0 is then discovered on Device B.
  5. N-able N-central finds that there is already an application compliance setting for ExampleSoft 1.0 (set to Pending) and so it configures the application as Pending for Device B.
  6. A N-able N-central user creates a new rule which indicates that any applications matching ExampleSoft must be configured as Not Allowed.

    No version identifiers are configured for the rule.

    7. At this point, N-able N-central does not attempt to apply this rule to any existing application compliance settings and it does not verify if those settings need to be changed.

  7. ExampleSoft 1.0 is discovered on Device C.
  8. N-able N-central finds that there is already an application compliance setting for ExampleSoft 1.0 and so it configures the application as Pending for Device C.
  9. ExampleSoft 2.0 is discovered on Device D.
  10. As N-able N-central does not have an application compliance setting for ExampleSoft 2.0, it refers to existing rules.
  11. N-able N-central finds a rule that matches by the application name which indicates that the application should not be allowed.

    It creates a new application compliance setting for ExampleSoft 2.0 and configures it as Not Allowed.

  12. N-able N-central configures the ExampleSoft 2.0 application on Device D to Not Allowed.
  13. N-able N-central user revises the application compliance setting for ExampleSoft 1.0 to Not Allowed.
  14. ExampleSoft 1.0 is discovered on Device E.
  15. N-able N-central finds that there is already an application compliance setting for ExampleSoft 1.0 (set to Not Allowed) and so it configures the application as Not Allowed for Device E.