Raxco PolicyLock is, forgive the mobile metaphor, a management utility that aims to help systems administrators set, and enforce, their company’s desktop computing policies for users in their IT environments.
I initially thought it was a consumer product. However, I was disabused of that error by Raxco VP of Marketing, Joe Abusamra.
Suitably chastened – a first for me, I might add, from a Celtics fan – I decided to go along his train of thought, and in doing so, saw a need for it in both small and large enterprises.
What, exactly, does PolicyLock do?
Raxco PolicyLock is a policy rights management utility that allows IT managers and sysadmins to set, lock down, and by so doing, lock out changes a user or group of users can make to their work PCS. This group policy locks apply to both the OS and the user’s desktop productivity applications.
The Raxco video below shows off PolicyLock.
Using PolicyLock
PolicyLock is dead simple to use.
I installed it, and I was immediately pleased at friendly UI.
What was more surprising, pleasantly, I might add, was the collection of preconfigured and prepopulated lockdown options for a very good number of desktop applications in use today. Apart from the very obvious Microsoft Office, Windows Internet Explorer, Skype, and so on, even obscure – to me, but not the general populace, it seems, applications such as the Cisco VPN client, and Mozilla’s Firefox. It even had preconfigs for products that I class as borderline malware: Flash and Java!
These preconfigs allowed me to swiftly roll out locked-down PCs to my test subjects.
The PolicyLock package also includes a PolicyLock Designer suite which allows IT admins to create their own preconfig kits for apps not included.
3 Questions for Raxco on PolicyLock
After PolicyLock went gold (RTM’d), I had a few questions for the company on PolicyLock.
Once again, Joe Abusamra was available to answer.
Why should I care about PolicyLock?
If, as a system administrator, you’re leaving the configuration of desktop and application settings in the hands of the end user, you’ve got a ticking time bomb on your hands. Users will misconfigure their desktops, operating systems and applications – and that means late nights for the system administrator cleaning up after users – or worse, fixing a data or security breach.
PolicyLock prevents user changes and eliminates that late night—or anytime – phone call. PolicyLock maintains the exact security features and configuration options the IT department specifies, instead of leaving it to chance.
What led Raxco to develop PolicyLock? It seems a long way from PerfectDisk and performance optimization.
We’re in the business of helping make IT professionals more effective at their jobs, reducing their workload and helping everyone in an organization be more productive. We’ve been doing so for 35 years, and while many of our products have been strictly around performance, not all have.
With PolicyLock, calls to the help desk and admins are greatly reduced, freeing them up for other, less fire-fighting tasks. This not only makes them more productive, it makes end users more productive, as their systems aren’t messed with – so they don’t get to play system administrator and they can stick to their jobs.
PolicyLock was launched in July – what has the initial reaction been?
It’s really been great – what the product does and the problem it solves is straightforward. System administrator’s we talk to understand almost immediately how PolicyLock can help them. There are some instances where they thing that Group Policy can already do what PolicyLock does, but upon further review, they see that Group Policy has holes – or shortcomings – that PolicyLock fills. For administrators struggling with locking down application settings, at the price points we have, it’s often a “no brainer.” And it fills a couple of needs – productivity (system administrators are always looking for more hours in the day) and security (always a top concern these days).
Conclusions 
I have found myself having to educate folks on the differences between an invention, and innovation.
I am continually looking out for those little pieces of software (and hardware) that would make the work of my staff not only easier, but would greatly improve the manageability of the devices that are in our charge.
Raxco PolicyLock is one of those kings of little nuggets. Another group of little apps that have proven their worth just like this product are the superb line of indispensable utilities from Sysinternals, now a part of Microsoft.
This tool’s usefulness is without question, and starts immediately upon install.
For me, the most useful components are the pre-populated lockdown options for apps. I found several locks in there that I hadn’t thought off.
To crown it all, the complete integration PolicyLock has with the Windows Group Policy Management Console not only makes it familiar and easier to use, it also reduces to ramp-up time needed for sysadmins to get up to speed on the product.
This is a very worthwhile utility.
My staff and I have used it over the past several weeks, and the verdict, from the guys who actually work in the trenches, is that Raxco PolicyLock is a superior product.
Resultantly, it has earned the SmallBizWindows Superstar Award.
We recommend it.
© 2002 – 2013, John Obeto for Blackground Media Unlimited
