Event logs consolidation

I do not know which group to post this question to....I hope one of you
experts will answer this or at least guide me.

We have hundreds of desktops and laptops (XP SP3) in our company and running
on 2003 AD.  I am trying to find a way to consolidate the event viewer logs
from all the client computers in a central place where I can filter and
analyze what is happening on the clients - as well as maintain the security
logs for audit purposes.

Is there isomething available within Microsoft technologies that will help me
to achieve this.  - group policies, 2008 AD, etc
I was reading somewhere that if I have 2008 server, I might be able to
consolidate event logs even from XP machines?
or is there are any other well known tool available that can easily gather
the event logs in real time and help analyze the events.

I am also a bit concerned if it will take lot of network resources - because
every event entry from every machine has to travel across the network to the
consolidator machine?

Thank you,

Hiwin 2008 server has this capacity with its event subscriptions.

Hi
win 2008 server has this capacity with its event subscriptions. but it is a
lot of work would be envolved to deal with this.

there are third party tools like admin-toys, whatsup etc.

seggry

As well as Operations Manager (MOM), which is now called

As well as Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM), which is now called System
Center Operations Manager 2007

System Center Operations Manager 2007 (SCOM) – Platform MonitoringTake
advantage of System Center Operations Manager 2007 for cross-platform
monitoring, beta software and management packs.
www.microsoft.com/systemcenter/opsmgr/ -

--
Ace

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Ace Fekay, MVP, MCT, MCITP EA, MCTS Windows 2008 & Exchange 2007, MCSE &
MCSA 2003/2000, MCSA Messaging 2003
Microsoft Certified Trainer
Microsoft MVP - Directory Services

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