IT Lifecycle Management Client- and Software Management Business-Processes

IT Lifecycle Management Client- and Software Management Business-Processes

Kantonsspital St.Gallen «Columbus helped to protect our investments in Lifecycle Management.» 2

The configuration and maintenance of modern IT infrastructures require a complex interaction of different technologies and people. For the planning, execution and control of these operations, both the people involved and their superiors constantly rely on detailed information in order to make decisions. To which location should a device be delivered? What software must be installed on the computer and how should it be configured? To which cost center should a device be charged? Is the existing hardware still under warranty? Is it already depreciated? How many repairs relate to a certain hardware type? Are we correctly licensed? Which upgrades are allowed? These few questions can often only be answered after complex research in different systems or even on paper. In recent years, a clear trend has emerged in favor of using ITIL (IT Infrastructure Library). ITIL supports companies in structuring their IT and configuring their processes with comprehensive recommendations for processes, data management and interfaces. However, since ITIL should be regarded rather as a recommendation than a standard, the actual implementation and therefore the selection of the supporting tools remains the responsibility of the organization.. At this point, our product line Columbus comes into play. All relevant aspects of the IT Lifecycle Management were organizationally and technically implemented based on ITIL recommendations. The modular design and the integrated interfaces allow the customer to select exactly the modules that are currently needed. The system is scalable and offers a real operational benefit within a short time. 3

big challenges Professional and fast introduction Modern IT Lifecycle Management is an everyday working instrument for administrators, service desks, management and finance. It provides for the automation of complex processes, a reliable and effective system configuration and an up-to-date overview of the status and costs of the IT investment. Introducing innovative solutions is often in contrast to ease of use, short implementation periods and smooth integration. However, these are basic requirements in order to obtain benefits from an investment within a short term. Based on the importance of these features, we have paid special attention to these user groups in the design of Columbus. We focused on the data which form the basis for the corresponding modules and their reporting. Both the ease of use and the guarantee of user-oriented safety mechanisms have been consequently implemented and the smooth integration with third-party systems has been ensured. 4

clever solutions Quality & Costs Labour is expensive Lifecycle Management reduces the physical effort while enhancing productivity at the same time. See information on page 6 Installation & Migration Repair of existing computers or migration to Windows Vista the next installation will surely come. See information on page 8 Security & Compliance Viruses, data theft and falsely licensed software a lot depends on the system configuration and maintenance. See information on page 10 Servicedesk & Reporting Carry out all assignments effectively and help users quickly workflow determines the success. See information on page 12 5

Quality & Costs More performance despite higher cost pressure unsolvable problem? The challenges for IT performance increase constantly: Observance of a defined service level Higher system safety and availability Enhanced ease of use and performance These are some of the challenges the IT is facing daily. When adding the requirement of cost reduction with higher transparency at the same time, contradictions that seem unsolvable develop very quickly. Allreal «With the launch of Columbus we have decisively pushed the software standardization to all clients. This in turn increases security and simplifies our support tasks to a great extent.» 6

Effectiveness through IT Lifecycle Management Integrated solutions automate the installation operations and supply inventory data with business information such as costs, warranty and location. These again speed up the planning and decision-making of existing development and support jobs. A precondition for this is consistent solutions to reduce the interfaces in order to ensure the data quality. Columbus operates on the basis of a central CMDB (Configuration Management Database). Thus all relevant technical and economic data are available at all times, either for real-time status or to verify historical performance. The transparent IT becomes a reality. Operation and support have access to current system data at all times and the management can analyze, plan and budget comprehensively. Comparison of the cost development Windows Migration Windows Migration Basic installation Operation Basic installation Operation Traditional migration and administration Software Management with Columbus Automated Client Lifecycle Management reduces the costs in migration periods as well as during operations. 7

Installation & Migration Installation, configuration and operation Modern operating systems and software require much knowledge and time for a correct installation and configuration. At the same time, the manual implementation of a consistent configuration of all systems is very complex and monotonous. Therefore, compliance to security and policies cannot always be ensured. Through automation with Columbus, the usual time of several hours needed for these kind of installations decreases to almost zero. For individual installations and bulk rollouts, all jobs are recorded at the management console and are then processed unattended on the remote computers. It is the most efficient methodology, and SLA s are consequently observed. 8

User productivity is the hallmark benefit of IT The employees are the key to the company s success consequently, IT must support their productivity as much as possible. Computer failures, missing applications or even the simple question, how to use a certain function, are day-to-day tasks that must be quickly dealt with. With Columbus, most of the repair and installation tasks are done with one click and require only minimal know-how. If direct interaction with the user is necessary, the screen can be taken over using remote control to solve the problem. Aargauer Zeitung «Today we can confirm that our IT environment is extremely stable and that expenses for supporting client desktops have dropped to a great extent.» 9

Security & Compliance Information and reporting IT officers are more and more frequently asked to provide information to management. For this, not only technical data is of interest, but also their connection to other business efforts, such as: Which devices are no longer under warranty until the end of the year? How many software licenses have not been used in the last 3 months? Whether it involves the depreciation value of actual systems, the contractual status of hardware and software or the security of certain devices the ability to give information is now an obligation in order to determine risks and ensure compliance. 10

Systems must be secure Hardly a subject in IT is as important now as system security. The constant stream of security weaknesses in operating systems and applications represent as much a risk as is the often inconsistent system configuration done by manual installations. Columbus combines inventory with the automated management of security patches and hardening scripts. This ensures the maximum possible security for each device. Security reports allow a quick overview of the status of different systems, which helps to detect risks and correctly establish priorities. In order to reduce efforts and further minimize the risks, Brainware has its own security team, which detects and tests current manufacturer patches. Is the licensing correct? Integration of hardware and software inventory data with the economic data of license and contract management, is fundamental to managing computing assets. Such information can relate to the licensing or leasing status as well as how often a device had to be repaired. This data also allows management to ensure comprehensive compliance regarding budget optimization planning, monitoring of regulatory compliance to applicable legislation and adherence to service levels. More, the systems also proactively notify the need for action, helping to avoid costs and risks. 11

Service Desk & Reporting Processes move into focus IT offers a wide range of solution methods and products for each problem. However, the challenge lies no longer in the functions of individual tools, but in the coordination of teams and priorities, in order to complete tasks timely and in a measurable quality. The key lies in the use of ITIL-conforming processes that combine the interaction of tools and people and at the same time create transparency on the corresponding status of a task. Workflows determine the results Hiring an employee or purchasing a new computer there is hardly a business task that does not involve several people. It is no longer possible to imagine modern business applications without workflows. In spite of that, only a few technical applications are designed around these principles. Columbus addresses this problem and divides the tasks into proposal, approval and processing. These can be assigned to different participants in the process, e.g. ordering new software. The employee carries out the requisition tasks independently and the installation takes place automatically as soon as the manager approves the requisition. In this way, processing is not only logical but also faster. 12

Planning depends on information Decisions in IT depend on many kinds of information: Which systems must be replaced for Windows Vista? Is it worth repairing this computer? Does this device have the necessary minimum configuration? Support and management constantly rely on information based on a mixture of technical and economic data. Asset-Lifecycle with Columbus Columbus combines such data in a CMDB, allowing for reports that exactly match these requirements. This database can be supplemented at all times with information from third-party applications, e.g. SAP, and can function as the perfect platform for support and budgeting. Purchase / Registration Operation / Maintenance Migration Disposal Productivity maximize Productivity accelerate Life cycle extend Traditional administration Lifecycle Management with Columbus Columbus covers all areas of the asset life cycle and exposes opportunities for cost reduction through higher productivity and extended added value. 13

Made in Switzerland Our commitment «Working for big customers should not result in neglecting the small customer!» The «Made in Switzerland» label means much more to us than just the simple specification of the place of manufacture. Living up to such a label motivates us every day to arouse enthusiasm among our clients through innovation, flexibility and quality. As a modern manufacturer, we do not restrict ourselves to merely programming software, but we also offer in this context comprehensive goods and services for our customers and integration partners. Many international manufacturers focus their business only on large customers. As a Swiss company, we offer highly scalable and linguistically flexible solutions that are affordable and optimally practical for both small and large customers. We can look back on a successful business history of more than 15 years and will continue our success story in the future. 1989 WinMan First version of software deployment 1996 Columbus 3.5 OSDeploy Inventory Windows NT 2001 Columbus 5 Expanded Console Replication 1987 Gründung Einzelfirma Brainware Consulting & Development AG Brainware Solutions AG 14

Experience counts Columbus came into existence as customer solution for a large Swiss bank in the early 90s, when there were still no such products available for purchase. From the beginning, Columbus was developed predominantly based on customer s needs. Even today, most of the new functionality originates from direct conversations with customers, ensuring our product relates to reality and provides real benefit. As a result, customers are the ones to drive the best possible solution for their requirements. Devotion to our customers led us to gain their loyalty and made us number 1 in Switzerland. A great deal of experience is required to conceive all aspects of the Client Lifecycle Management and understand the customer needs. As long as Brainware has been around, much emphasis has been put on a low employee turnover in order to ensure the best possible qualification of trainers and consultants to the client. Especially difficult projects with integration of terminal servers, third-party systems, Asian languages and aggressive deadlines? You will barely find a challenge that we have not already successfully mastered. Our consultants look forward to such special assignments and are glad to pass on their experiences through projects and training courses. 2004 Columbus 6 Database New inventory Remote console 2005 Columbus Lifecycle Management 2008 Columbus 7 Network friendly Vista Design Unicode Columbus-Brainware GmbH Germany 2007 Brainware Japan 15

Brainware Solutions AG Sumpfstrasse 15 CH 6300 Zug Tel. +41 41 748 22 00 Fax +41 41 748 22 01 www.brainware.ch info@brainware.ch Columbus-Brainware GmbH An der Bleiche 12 DE 60437 Frankfurt/Main Tel. +49 800 748 22 00 Fax +49 800 748 22 00 www.columbus-brainware.de info@columbus-brainware.de Brainware Japan, Inc. Anzen Building Residence 2006 1-6-2 Motoakasaka, Minato-ku Tokyo 107-0051, Japan Tel. +81 3 5775 0208 Fax +81 3 5775 0209 www.brainware.co.jp sales@brainware.co.jp 2008 Brainware Solutions AG - All rights reserved - 09.2008 Microsoft, Windows and Windows Vista are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the USA and/or other countries.