Chapter 1: Introduction To Enterprise Scanner; Overview - IBM Proventia Network Enterprise Scanner User Manual

Chapter 1
Introduction to Enterprise Scanner

Overview

Introduction
New concepts
For Internet
Scanner users
In this chapter
IBM Proventia Network Enterprise Scanner User Guide, Version 1.3
Enterprise Scanner is the assessment component of the IBM Proventia Enterprise Security
Platform. Enterprise Scanner is based on a model in which vulnerability detection is
treated like a continuous network monitoring task rather than the ad hoc scanning model
used by earlier vulnerability management systems. Enterprise Scanner automates the
process of discovering and assessing your network assets through continuous
background scanning of your network. This model allows you to track the remediation
effort and use reports to evaluate your network's security status at any time.
In addition to the continuous network monitoring, Enterprise Scanner gives you the
ability to configure and run ad hoc scans. Ad hoc scanning allows you to run a one-time
scan to discover new assets or to assess the vulnerability status of existing assets at any
time. Ad hoc scans are useful when you need to take immediate action because assets
have been added to your network or new vulnerabilities have been announced.
The beginning chapters of this guide introduce the key concepts behind the conceptual
framework of Enterprise Scanner, including background scanning. You should familiarize
yourself with the key concepts so that you will have a basis for understanding the
approach and procedures in the rest of the guide.
If you are an Internet Scanner user, you should read this chapter carefully. It explains
important similarities and differences between Internet Scanner and Enterprise Scanner.
This chapter contains the following topics:
Topic
New Features
Key Concepts
Introducing Background Scanning
Migrating from Internet Scanner
Enterprise Scanner Communication Channels
Component Descriptions
The SiteProtector System Components
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