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2005-02-05 - Boston, MA, USA: ManageSoft, The Software Management Company(TM), today announced ManageSoft(R) Self-Service Ordering(TM), a new product that automates the software ordering process for new and replacement computers. Key features of the product include self-service online ordering, dynamic build-to-order and intelligent order tracking. With ManageSoft Self-Service Ordering, any business user can order new and replacement computers with customized software through a completely automated process. As a result, enterprises can reduce software and hardware procurement and provisioning costs, as well as in-house IT resources that can be redirected to other high priority activities.
Self Service Ordering represents an expansion of ManageSoft into configuration applications. The company's activities to date have centered enabling medium to large organizations to automatically deploy, update, and manage software and security patches for desktops, servers and mobile devices. Its dynamic software management solutions build intelligence into desktops, laptops, handheld devices, and servers located anywhere in the world.
"Traditional IT procurement processes and outsourcing alternatives for ordering and loading software on new and replacement computers can inflate costs by up to 20 percent and create an unnecessary drain on central IT resources," said Walter Elliot, CEO of ManageSoft. "Many of our customers have validated a need for a solution that automates these 'build-to-order' processes through a self-service approach. We believe the technology breakthrough that ManageSoft Self-Service Ordering delivers is set to become the industry standard for the acquisition of new and replacement PCs and will change the way organizations order, update, and manage their fleet of desktops and laptops."
Most medium to large organizations replace and/or refresh up to one third of desktops and laptops in the enterprise each year. ManageSoft Self-Service Ordering provides a best practice approach to automating "build-to-order" processes that ensure core security and application policies are applied, end-user data is preserved and automatically restored, and standardized configurations are in place to reduce ongoing support costs - regardless of who orders software for a new computer. In addition, ManageSoft Self-Service Ordering provides an enterprise ordering portal including a dynamic rules engine that enables easy ordering of software within corporate standards, migration of user data from old computers, and automatic download and installation of the ordered software on new computers.
"We are using ManageSoft Self-Service Ordering to replace a costly and time consuming manual process," said Corey Bell, CEO of Trifusion. "ManageSoft's solution allows us to dynamically install software to ordered specifications for thousands of customized computers each week, helping us meet the demands of our customers. In a short period of time, we already have realized a dramatic reduction in the workload and cost of customizing software installations for each individual PC."
ManageSoft say that enterprises can use Self-Service Ordering to automate the process of introducing enterprise software assets through the following capabilities:
- Set corporate standards for ordering new and replacement computers - Using a dynamic rules engine; easily define approved software configurations for new Windows, Linux, UNIX and Mac systems. Specify approved software options, security policies, license compliance requirements and software for specified job roles.
- Enable fully automated self-service ordering - Enable end-users and business managers to order new and replacement computers within corporate standards, using an online ordering portal. The rules engine dynamically updates the ordering portal with approved software options for the selected job role and PC.
- Cost-effectively build-to-order with automated fulfilment - Rapidly build and configure customized systems in-house. ManageSoft Self-Service Ordering automatically downloads and installs software to meet the ordered specifications. By contrast, outsourcing this process costs up to $200 per PC, and manual in-house processes can take up to four hours per PC.
- Track order fulfilment and integrate with other management systems - Web-based reporting and an open XML architecture enable tracking of order status and easy integration with existing procurement, finance, asset management and help-desk systems.
- Automate ongoing software management with ManageSoft - The ManageSoft smart-agent used to dynamically build-to-order can also be left on the new computer to enable ongoing dynamic software management with ManageSoft. This enables ongoing application self-healing, software updates, security patch management, license management and IT asset tracking.
