| Table of Contents
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| | able to perform administrative functions
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| | from their office as if they were sitting
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| Introduction.............................
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| | in front of the PC of remote and mobile
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| ..........................1
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| | workers.When considering how to implement
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| Importance of PC
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| | desktop management best practices,
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| Management.........................1
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| | companies need to acquire management
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| Effective PC
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| | tools to automate the management tasks.
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| Management...............................
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| | Companies can license tools and build an
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| ..2
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| | in-house management infrastructure,
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| Alternatives for Acquiring Good Tools:
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| | access management tools through a hosted
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| Build, Software as a Service,
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| | Software as a Service (SaaS) model, or
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| Outsource................................
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| | outsource the entire desktop management
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| ..................................2
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| | process. Each of these alternatives is
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| Building an Internal PC Management
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| | explored in more detail below.
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| Infrastructure.....3
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| | Alternatives for Acquiring Good Tools:
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| Software as a
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| | Build, Software as a Service, Outsource
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| Service..................................
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| | A company with as few as 2-20 employees
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| .................3
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| | can struggle
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| Outsourced PC
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| | with manual desktop management
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| Management...............................
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| | processes. The moredesktops to be managed
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| .........4
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| | and the more mobile and remote workers to
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| Morton & Morton's
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| | support, the more difficult it becomes to
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| Perspective..............................
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| | deliver good service with manual
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| .....4Introduction
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| | processes. The severity of issues that
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| Personal computers have delivered on the
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| | can arise from poor PC management
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| promise of productivity for knowledge
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| | requires that the problem be taken
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| workers. As a consequence, desktop and
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| | seriously and therefore automation should
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| laptop computers have proliferated to
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| | be given significant consideration.There
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| almost every knowledge worker in a
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| | are now many options available to
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| company. Advances in network bandwidth
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| | automate some or all of the PC management
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| and the availability of wireless
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| | functions, and some of these options are
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| connectivity options have radically
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| | cost effective even for small and medium
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| increased the number of home and remote
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| | sized companies. However, tool selection
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| workers. However, the increased use of
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| | should be made carefully to ensure that
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| personal computers and remote access has
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| | the necessary functions are addressed by
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| added significant workload and
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| | the tool, to keep training time to a
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| coordination to the already busy IT
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| | minimum and to avoid selecting a tool
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| schedule.For many companies, desktop
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| | that requires more effort to administer
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| management is not a core competency and
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| | than it saves. As with any decision, all
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| there are other IT tasks that are
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| | of the alternatives should be considered
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| considered mission critical or more
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| | before making the decision. PC management
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| strategic. Yet for many knowledge
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| | is no different, and it can be
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| workers, the desktop is mission critical.
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| | accomplished through several approaches:
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| Schedules, correspondence, contact
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| | management tools deployed in-house to
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| lists, presentations and work in progress
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| | internally manage PCs (the "build"
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| all live in the desktop for most office
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| | approach), using a Software as a Service
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| workers. Take away the desktop and work
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| | hosted management tool with internal
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| stops until the desktop is back up and
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| | staff, and outsourcing the management of
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| running.Most small and medium businesses
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| | PCs to a third party.Building an Internal
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| do not have the IT staff and tools to
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| | PC Management Infrastructure
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| treat desktop management issues with the
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| | This traditional approach to management
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| attention they deserve. IT shops in small
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| | involves identifying tools to purchase,
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| and medium sized companies are generally
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| | purchasing those tools, deploying the
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| over-taxed and doing the best they can to
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| | tools, training IT staff on how to
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| keep the IT infrastructure running
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| | effectively use the newly deployed
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| smoothly. Budgets are much smaller than
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| | management tools, and staffing
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| those of their large enterprise
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| | sufficiently to manage the PC
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| counterparts, staffing is limited, and
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| | infrastructure on an ongoing basis. One
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| toolsets are few and far between. Too
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| | of the advantages of this approach is
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| often manual processes and "just enough
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| | that the IT organization retains full
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| to get by" scripting is the answer to
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| | control of the management infrastructure
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| desktop management in the small and
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| | and functions because the solution is an
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| medium sized company. Individual users
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| | internally deployed solution. However,
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| can be left to handle minor issues for
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| | the control also brings with it the
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| themselves, and pseudo power users often
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| | responsibility to manage the management
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| get themselves into trouble and require
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| | system/software itself.The build approach
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| IT staff assistance to resolve problems
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| | typically requires a larger initial
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| they have created through their self-help
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| | budget outlay for purchase/licensing
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| efforts. It is no longer a viable answer
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| | costs, with on-going maintenance fees,
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| for small and medium sized business to
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| | and any investment in additional hardware
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| treat desktop management
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| | that is required to run the
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| casually.Importance of PC Management
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| | management infrastructure. In addition
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| The task of PC management has become too
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| | to these initial licensing costs, it is
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| large and too important to be handled on
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| | also important for IT organizations to
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| an ad-hoc basis with limited tools. The
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| | realize that there is an associated cost
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| number of personal computers is
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| | of management. The IT staff is naturally
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| significant. There are many versions of
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| | responsible for managing the IT
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| operating systems and many different
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| | infrastructure, but in addition, they are
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| software applications. This is also
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| | also responsible for managing the IT
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| complicated by the number of employees
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| | management infrastructure itself. For
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| working from remote offices. The scale
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| | example, in the case of internally
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| has become rather large, even in a small
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| | deployed management software tools, these
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| to medium sized business. Now add in the
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| | costs reveal themselves in deployment
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| constant stream of Microsoft patch
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| | costs of the management tools,
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| updates (security, operating system and
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| | maintenance of the management tools
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| application software updates), periodic
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| | (upgrades, patching), support personnel
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| operating system upgrades, user initiated
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| | for ongoing operational support,
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| software installations and configuration
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| | management tool consulting services,
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| changes, antivirus updates, and IT
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| | training, software licensing costs (both
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| configuration changes. The rate and
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| | initial purchase and recurring
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| volume of change is significant, if not
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| | maintenance costs), hardware costs for
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| overwhelming. Not to mention the problem
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| | additional hardware that is required to
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| of Microsoft phasing out their support of
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| | run the management software, and the cost
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| old office applications and operating
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| | of integrating tools in-house.The cost of
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| systems. Windows 95 is no longer
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| | management depends on several factors;
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| supported and 98 is now no longer going
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| | the ease-of-use and ease-of-deployment of
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| to be supported.The risks of doing a poor
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| | the management solution, the stability of
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| job of desktop management are now quite
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| | the management code, the frequency of new
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| high given the security risks to every PC
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| | releases, and the maturity of the IT
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| every day. Left unprotected, PCs are
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| | organization. Most of these factors
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| subject to Trojans, Keyloggers, Root
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| | translate to IT staff time that is
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| Kits, Spyware and Viruses. One of the
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| | required to manage the management
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| best ways to be protected is to apply all
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| | infrastructure. In addition to these
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| patches to operating systems and
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| | direct costs, maintaining a help desk to
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| applications in a timely fashion.
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| | assist users with PC issues is another
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| However, coordinating, staging and
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| | additive cost of management. For
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| testing these patches is time consuming
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| | geographically dispersed companies, the
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| and something that should not be left to
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| | help desk may be required to operate
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| end users or ad hoc processes by the IT
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| | 24x7, which adds significantly to the
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| team. Every desktop needs Anti-virus
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| | cost of ownership.Software as a Service
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| software that is constantly updated, and
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| | Another way for IT organizations to
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| users cannot be trusted to keep their
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| | employ PC management functionality is
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| virus data files current. Mobile users
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| | through management software delivered as
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| should also be protected with personal
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| | a service. This option shifts the
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| Firewall software, but again, users
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| | responsibility for the management
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| cannot be depended upon to install and
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| | software deployment and maintenance to
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| keep such software current. Leaving this
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| | the service provider. Software as a
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| to chance can put the entire network and
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| | Service (SaaS) results in eliminating the
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| subsequently the entire company at risk.
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| | following costs for enterprises:
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| The employee desktop today contains
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| | deploying the tool, maintaining the
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| significant corporate data, both data
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| | tools, consulting services to deploy the
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| taken from corporate repositories for use
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| | tool, software licensing, internal tool
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| on the desktop as well as work-in-process
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| | integration, hardware to run the
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| data not yet stored on a secured and
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| | management software, and troubleshooting
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| backed-up repository. Employees handle
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| | when the tool is not working properly.
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| important and sensitive data that needs
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| | Instead of these costs of ownership, the
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| to be protected. This can include price
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| | cost of the hosted software is in the
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| lists, customer lists, customer data,
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| | form of fixed monthly subscription
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| human resources data, strategic plans,
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| | fees.PC management SaaS can bring
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| product plans and corporate financial
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| | additional advantages beyond the features
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| information. Security breaches, viruses,
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| | of the tool. Virus protection and
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| and spy-ware can lead to stolen, lost or
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| | automated update of virus data files is a
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| corrupted data. Regular backups can
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| | feature often available. Some services
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| mitigate the risk of lost or corrupted
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| | include significant coordination of new
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| data, however most users are not
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| | patches; simplifying the staging, testing
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| disciplined enough to perform regular
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| | and deployment of patches. The service
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| backups. Mobile and remote users
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| | may include automated backup and offsite
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| complicate the backup problem and render
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| | storage features providing excellent data
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| home-grown backup scripting
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| | protection with little additional effort
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| ineffective.Dealing with the disruption
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| | or hardware costs. Hosted software
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| and potential data loss of security
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| | solutions also provide news and
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| breaches can represent significant
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| | information on new practices and trends
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| productivity loss. Work-in-process data
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| | which can assist the small to medium
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| on the desktop can represent weeks of
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| | enterprise IT staff.Some IT departments
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| effort and may be difficult or impossible
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| | may be concerned over the loss of control
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| to recreate. The loss of such data can
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| | by using a management infrastructure
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| affect project time-lines, which in turn
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| | provided as a hosted service. The quality
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| can cause customer satisfaction issues
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| | of the service provided must be excellent
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| and/or contractual penalties. Desktop
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| | and the reputation of the service
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| data loss can also affect revenue if a
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| | provider is critical. However, only the
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| desktop problem interrupts critical
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| | infrastructure itself is under third
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| timeframes for customer proposals.Another
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| | party control in this alternative.
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| factor driving the need for good desktop
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| | Company IT staff remain in control of the
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| management is the increasing regulatory
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| | actual end user interface and the actual
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| compliance issues that are affecting
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| | processes and actions taken on individual
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| businesses of all sizes. Consumer and
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| | desktops.The SaaS model provides access
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| patient privacy laws such as HIPAA
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| | to a full suite product without the
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| (Health Insurance Portability and
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| | upfront license and setup costs. It
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| Accountability Act) and the wave of trend
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| | allows the IT staff to maintain control
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| setting privacy laws out of California
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| | of the desktop management process without
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| affect businesses of all sizes.
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| | the effort required to setup and maintain
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| Sarbanes-Oxley compliance includes
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| | the management environment. It does
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| rigorous asset management, change
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| | require training and good internal
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| management and other controls for IT.
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| | processes. It also requires a way to
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| This should be of concern for more than
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| | track service requests and problems. To
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| just the public companies covered by the
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| | provide effective support, a help desk is
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| law. Many small and medium sized
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| | useful, and for some companies a 24x7
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| businesses are working toward an eventual
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| | help desk is necessary.Outsourced PC
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| acquisition as an exit strategy, and most
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| | Management
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| such acquisitions are by companies that
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| | The point of acquiring good PC
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| are subject to Sarbanes-Oxley. It is much
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| | management tools is to provide effective
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| easier and faster to work through the due
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| | PC management. There are a number of full
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| diligence phase of the acquisition if the
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| | service outsource options available to
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| company being acquired has implemented
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| | small and medium sized businesses for
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| the types of controls required by
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| | desktop management. This alternative
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| Sarbanes-Oxley. Good desktop management
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| | solves the effective PC management
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| can assist a company in certain aspects
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| | problem by turning the work over to a
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| of regulatory compliance.Effective PC
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| | service provider. The service provider is
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| Management
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| | responsible for tool selection,
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| Effective PC Management begins with
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| | deployment and operation. The service
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| knowing what you have to manage. Complete
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| | provider also brings trained staff and
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| and accurate asset and license management
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| | proven procedures.Like the SaaS model,
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| is key. Knowing how many machines of what
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| | the outsourced model eliminates the costs
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| type, their location, memory, hard drive,
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| | of licensing the management tool,
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| processor speed, etc., is a big step
| |
| | deploying the tool, consulting services
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| forward for many small and medium sized
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| | to deploy the tool, integration costs,
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| businesses. Tools available today have
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| | maintenance costs and hardware costs.
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| automatic discovery capabilities and
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| | Additionally, the outsourced model
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| excellent management reporting which can
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| | eliminates the costs of internal staff
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| assist IT staff in establishing and
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| | for PC management and the costs of an
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| maintaining good processes for asset
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| | internal help desk function for PC
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| management. With an accurate picture of
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| | management. Outsourced PC management is
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| the installed hardware base, it becomes
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| | typically charged on a per desktop per
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| much easier to assess operating system
| |
| | month fee. It is more expensive than a
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| and business suite software
| |
| | SaaS model as the service includes the
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| upgrades.Keeping track of software
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| | staff and the help desk
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| licenses and where they are installed is
| |
| | functions.Outsourced PC management brings
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| another important function. Accurate
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| | good tools and good processes to the
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| information of which machines have which
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| | problem of PC management, protecting the
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| software installed is a major starting
| |
| | assets of the company while providing
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| point to effectively manage PCs across
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| | professional performance enhancements to
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| the company. This information can
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| | maintain top performance expectations
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| minimize the number and duration of
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| | from the PC. Some businesses have
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| on-site visits by IT support personnel.
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| | experienced higher individual user costs
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| It can also ensure that software licenses
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| | for desktop management as individual
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| are appropriately managed; paying for
| |
| | users can spend more time attempting to
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| only those copies of a particular
| |
| | solve their own problems rather than look
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| software that are needed and reducing the
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| | to the third party provider for help.The
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| risk of fines in a software license
| |
| | quality of the service delivered by the
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| audit.Another good practice is to keep
| |
| | service provider must be excellent, and
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| software installs to the minimum required
| |
| | the services must be flexible enough to
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| for each employee to do their job. This
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| | fit in with the way the company works. A
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| will shorten install time, reduce updates
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| | collaborative working relationship must
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| and patches required, and use fewer
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| | be established. This can require a
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| resources leaving more capacity for each
| |
| | different kind of management oversight
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| user's needs. Some systems administrators
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| | than exists in some small and medium
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| will attempt to make things easier by
| |
| | sized businesses. An outsourced service
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| standardizing the desktop to one image
| |
| | may bring improved service by providing a
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| for everyone. PC management is one place
| |
| | 24x7 help desk, a tremendous resource
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| where "one size does not fit all."
| |
| | saving feature for a small business
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| Overcomplicating the software image for
| |
| | productivity need.Morton & Morton's
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| every user by installing all applications
| |
| | Perspective
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| everywhere will increase work in the long
| |
| | Desktop Management is a critical
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| run and make everyone unhappy. A better
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| | business practice that, when done well,
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| practice is to define unique user types
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| | can keep employees productive and keep
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| by department or job function, and to
| |
| | external threats to the company network
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| define a standard image for each user
| |
| | in check. The traditional approach to
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| type. This can limit the time to upgrade
| |
| | managing PCs has been to deploy the
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| applications and allow for better service
| |
| | management software in-house or use
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| for each user.With an accurate inventory
| |
| | manual methods. Most companies now
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| of all hardware and only the software
| |
| | realize that manual efforts are no longer
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| needed on each desktop, the next step
| |
| | viable given the number of desktops, the
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| toward effective PC management is to
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| | frequency of changes and the risks to
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| automate software distribution. Automated
| |
| | employee productivity and data. However,
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| software distribution minimizes the
| |
| | outsourcing the process to a competent
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| number of onsite visits IT staff must
| |
| | third party company is by far the best
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| make. This lowers the cost of support and
| |
| | method to reduce the cost of the
|
| allows for more frequent updates. This
| |
| | company's resources and protect the
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| can be applied to virus data files,
| |
| | intellectual assets of the company at all
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| operating system patches as well as
| |
| | times.We will provide you the best
|
| updates and new versions of application
| |
| | protection of your assets and reduce your
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| software. Changes should be staged in a
| |
| | small business resource requirements to
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| separate environment for testing and then
| |
| | manage the desktops and keep the
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| rolled out based on individual or group
| |
| | performance level up the expected user
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| user profiles.Automated software
| |
| | level for the best productivity and do it
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| distribution is the first step in remote
| |
| | at a cost that you can afford.L. P.
|
| management. Full remote management
| |
| | Morton, Ph.D.
|
| includes the ability to remotely control
| |
| | Morton & Morton Inc. (
|
| the desktop and make all required
| |
| | 820 Northwood rd.
|
| configuration changes through a networked
| |
| | Fort Worth, Tx 76107
|
| connection. This is a critical function
| |
| | 817-625-5980
|
| as the number of remote and mobile
| |
| | Larry P. Morton, Ph.D.
|
| workers has increased. IT staff must be
| |
| | President Morton-Morton Inc.
|
