Solution Recipe: Remote PC Management Made Simple with Intel vpro Technology and Intel Active Management Technology

Solution Recipe: Remote PC Management Made Simple with Intel vpro Technology and Intel Active Management Technology

Preface Intel has developed a series of unique Solution Recipes designed for channel members interested in providing complete solutions to their customers, backed by top-quality technology and support. A solution recipe describes how to combine Intel -based ingredients to create new technology solutions for common business challenges. This recipe describes how you can use Intel vpro technology with Intel Active Management Technology (Intel AMT) to remotely monitor and manage your customers PCs, diagnosing and even fixing problems without expensive desk-side visits. Remote management features built into Intel vpro technology provide you with IT outsourcing service opportunities and allow you to deliver convenience and peace of mind to your customers. When you are ready to deploy this recipe, please refer to the related deployment guide, which includes step-by-step instructions. The guide can be found by visiting: www.intel.com/go/reseller/vpro or www.intel.com/go/solutions Common Notations and Terms Intel Active Management Technology (Intel AMT): Unique technology built into Intel vpro technology that provides dedicated memory, communication channel, and isolation hardware that allow authorized technicians to remotely access a networked PC, even if the operating system is down or the hard drive has crashed. Managed platform: A networked PC based on Intel vpro technology with built-in management technologies that allow IT professionals to monitor and manage the PC from a software management console. Table of Contents Meeting New Market Opportunities 2 Solution Overview 3 Solution Benefits 4 Solution Recipe 6 Solution Support 10 Managed Service Provider (MSP): A business that provides services such as maintaining end user s PCs, remote healing and recovery after crashes, and installing software updates and patches. Solution Recipe: Remote PC Management Made Simple Page 1

Addressing New Market Opportunities Meeting New Market Opportunities As your customers rely more on technology for running their businesses, the consequences of computer downtime become more severe. A single failed system can idle workers for hours and make critical data unavailable for processing orders, responding to customers, and performing other business-critical tasks. In addition to ever-higher requirements for computer reliability, larger businesses are grappling with rising technology management costs and increased competition for expensive, skilled staff. They are looking for computers that manage themselves, so they can focus on running their business and using their valuable technology to maximize their competitive advantage. Intel vpro technology helps businesses of all sizes reduce their PC management costs by offering hardware-based capabilities that enable either you or your customers in-house IT staff to remotely manage PCs using third-party management software. These capabilities reduce deskside visits, manual software updates, tedious manual inventories, and, most importantly, computer downtime. For you, the Intel Channel Partner Program member, Intel vpro technology provides fresh opportunities to develop new revenue streams and stronger relationships with customers. Using Intel vpro technology, you can become your customers trusted, outsourced IT provider, supporting computers at multiple remote locations (such as multiple retail stores). With Intel vpro technology, you can (virtually) be at every customer location at once. Solution Recipe: Remote PC Management Made Simple Page 2

Solution Overview Remote management solutions built with Intel vpro technology give your customers an easier way to manage their PC assets and reduce IT costs. Intel vpro technology contains a unique management-enabling technology called Intel Active Management Technology (Intel AMT). Intel AMT consists of dedicated memory, communication channel, and isolation hardware that allow authorized IT technicians to access a networked PC, even if the operating system is down or the hard drive has crashed. Intel AMT has been enhanced with its release in Intel vpro technology to provide even deeper levels of intrusion detection and more rapid response. Intel AMT can help differentiate your offerings from those of your competitors. Your customers can use Intel vpro technology to better manage their own PCs, or you can use it to remotely manage their desktop assets for them, as a Managed Service Provider (MSP). As an MSP, you can become your customers virtual IT provider, enhancing your value to them and increasing your revenue potential. Intel vpro technology with Intel AMT allows you to remotely view your customers hardware and software assets to ascertain things such as an operating system patch or the upgrade level of each machine. If something goes wrong with a PC, you can use Intel AMT to reduce expensive deskside visits and even to identify and diagnose potential problems before they cause a failure. This remote PC management solution consists of desktop PCs with Intel vpro technology running on a choice of operating environments, including the Microsoft* Windows* XP or Red Hat* Enterprise Linux* 4.0 operating systems and third-party management agent software from LANDesk* Software or SyAM* Software. The solution also requires one or more Dual-Core Intel Xeon processor-based servers running either Microsoft Windows Server* 2003 or Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4.0, as well as the LANDesk Management Suite or SyAM Management Server. Server based on Intel Xeon processor 5000 Sequence Dual-Core Intel Xeon Processor 5000 sequence w/intel 5000P/V chipset 1000Base-T LAN capable Software: RedHat* Enterprise Linux 4 Microsoft Windows* Server 2003 LANDesk* Management Suite OR SyAM* Management Server Remote PC Management with Intel vpro Technology Intel Channel Partner Program Member Managed Service Provider Server based on Intel Xeon processor 5000 Sequence Management Console Gigabit Switch Internet Gateway with Firewall Internet Internet Gateway with Firewall Customer Site Gigabit Switch Intel vpro technologybased PC Intel vpro technologybased PC Management outsourced to Channel Partner Program Member Intel vpro technologybased PC Server based on Intel Xeon processor 5000 Sequence 100 Mbps LAN 1 Gbps LAN Intel vpro Technologybased Desktop PCs Intel Core 2 Duo processor Intel Q965 Express chipset Intel Desktop Board Executive Series Platform Details: Dual-core processing technology 4 MB L2 Execute Disable Bit 64 Bit support Up to DDR2 667 Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950 Lowpower dual-core processing technology Intel Virtualization Technology Intel Active Management Technology Microsoft Windows* Vista* Premium OS logo-eligible Intel Matrix Storage Technology PCIe* x16 G fx capable ISIPP support Trusted Platform Module Gigabit Ethernet Software: Microsoft Windows XP Professional* LANDesk Management Agent* OR SyAM Management Agent* Solution Recipe: Remote PC Management Made Simple Page 3

Benefits Solution Benefits Benefits for Intel Channel Partner Program Members New Revenue Opportunities Intel vpro technology provides new opportunities to increase your service offerings while building stronger, more loyal customer relationships. As an MSP, you will be able to manage computer assets for many small business customers, providing a substantial monthly revenue stream and lowering your current service costs. Intel vpro technology also allows you to augment your PC management services with additional offerings, such as data protection, application hosting, storage and security services, and training. Fewer Desk-side Visits With the ability to monitor, manage, and repair customer PCs remotely, you reduce the travel time and expenses related to customer visits and increase the number of PCs your service technicians are able to manage. Solution Recipe: Remote PC Management Made Simple Page 4

Benefits for Your Customers Reduced Downtime Whether your customers use Intel vpro technology to better manage their own desktops or have you do it for them, they can reduce the devastating financial impact of downtime. For example, if a fan malfunctions on a customer PC, you could have the system set up to automatically send you an e-mail alert. You could either contact your customer to have a technician swap out the fan or make the swap yourself, replacing it before the customer even knows that there s a problem and before the fan causes the PC to fail. Plus, since you know in advance exactly which part is in jeopardy, you make only one trip to the customer site with the correct part in hand. Peace of Mind With Intel vpro technology proactively monitoring their PCs and notifying them (or you) of potential problems, your customers can focus on running their businesses, better serving their customers, and using their PCs to maximize competitive advantage, rather than worrying about their network. Protection from Internet Dangers Your customers will have the assurance that their computers are running the latest virus protection and operating system updates, giving them the confidence that their business-critical systems have up-to-the-minute protection. Cost Effective Technology Management Having you manage their desktops for them gives your customers a costeffective alternative to hiring expensive hardware and software experts. And, because you can diagnose and even repair many problems remotely, your customers pay for fewer service calls. Solution Recipe: Remote PC Management Made Simple Page 5

Solution Recipe Desktop Components Business PCs with Intel vpro Technology Desktop PCs with Intel vpro technology are the recommended client machines for this management solution. Intel vpro technology provides maximum performance for business PCs as well as built-in security, power efficiency, and management technologies. Intel vpro technology delivers the dual-core processing performance needed to run multiple computer-intensive applications simultaneously with management software running in the background. Intel vpro technology uses the Intel Core 2 Duo processor, which is Intel s fastest desktop processor yet. Intel Active Management Technology (Intel AMT) is the innovative Intel technology that allows you to care for your customers PCs from the comfort of your office. Intel AMT 1 lets you monitor and, in many cases, repair systems, even when the operating system is down, without an expensive site visit. Intel AMT highlights include: System Defense: System Defense is another Intel vpro technology exclusive. It allows a management console application to define and enforce network security policies. All incoming and outgoing network packets pass through System Defense filters, which watch for adherence to these security policies. If a packet violates one of the policies, System Defense isolates the PC from the network and triggers an alert. Nonvolatile third-party data storage: Allows you to store software version numbers and policy data in tamper-resistant, non-volatile memory and retrieve PC information regardless of platform state. Policy-based alerting: Intel AMT automatically senses platform health and reports problems to a management console. Remote control: Allows you to remotely reboot and control a PC even if the operating system is down or PC is turned off. Initiates security patches, software updates, and repairs from a remote console. Agent Presence Monitor: The Agent Presence Monitor, a new addition to Intel AMT, monitors for the presence of software agents such as anti-virus and firewall protection. If any of the heartbeat signals indicating these critical agents expire, Agent Presence Monitor isolates the PC from the network and triggers an alert. 1 Intel Active Management Technology requires a system, an Intel 965G Express Chipset, Intel PRO/1000 PM network connection, and appropriate third-party software. Solution Recipe: Remote PC Management Made Simple Page 6

Desktop Components continued Management Agent Software from LANDesk* Software or SyAM* Software To communicate with Intel AMT, each customer desktop needs to run management agent software from either LANDesk Software or SyAM Software. LANDesk Software is better suited to midsize and larger companies, while SyAM is targeted at smaller businesses. Choice of Operating Systems This solution allows you to choose among operating systems, such Microsoft* Windows* XP or Red Hat* Enterprise Linux* 4.0. Server Components There are two server configurations for this solution, both providing dual-core processing capabilities: Intel Server Board S5000PSL with Dual-Core Intel Xeon processors and the Intel 5000P Chipset Intel Server Board S500VSA with Dual-Core Intel Xeon processors and the Intel 5000V Chipset Both systems are designed to provide your customers with new levels of productivity, greater data security and reliability, and improved efficiency. These server configurations allow you to choose operating system environments for a stable, cost-effective foundation. Solution Recipe: Remote PC Management Made Simple Page 7

Implementation Options This solution requires Intel-based desktop systems featuring Intel vpro technology and at least two servers running either LANDesk Software or SyAM Software management suites. Each desktop also requires the corresponding Independent Software Vendor (ISV) agents to allow them to communicate with the servers. Your customers can host the management servers at their own facility, or you can host for them. In either configuration, Intel vpro technology-based desktops with Intel AMT provide remote management features that allow you or your customers to manage networked PCs from any location. On Site IT Management (Customer needs software licenses and IT Resources) Management as a Service (Customer pays monthly service fee) Customer Premises Intel Xeon processor-based Management Server Customer 1 Premises Intel Channel Partner Program Member Premises Intel Xeon processor-based Management Server PCs with Intel vpro technology running Management Agents PCs with Intel vpro technology running Management Agents Customer 2 Premises Solution Recipe: Remote PC Management Made Simple Page 8

Design Considerations In addition to performing feature verification and high-availability testing on all components, Intel has chosen standard, affordable components for this solution to minimize deployment costs. However, before deploying this solution, you need to perform your own validation testing on specific configurations before customer installation. This implementation requires knowledge of networking and software installation and configuration skills on your part. Training is available from both management software ISVs, with a certification offered upon completion. You will also need access to your customer s network to remotely manage their IT assets. This will involve reconfiguring their firewall. If a customer doesn t want to open their firewall for security reasons, you can recommend LANDesk Remote Gateway*, a product designed to provide remote management through a firewall. If firewall ports can be opened or VPN access is available to the customer site, you can use the SyAM or LANDesk Web consoles to provide remote management services. Solution Recipe: Remote PC Management Made Simple Page 9

Support Solution Support Intel has tested and verified the components in this management solution recipe. Please continue to use your existing Intel Support Services (http://www.intel.com/go/channel/support) for information on Intel -based hardware, including Intel Processors, Intel Desktop and Server Boards, and associated drivers. For your convenience, Intel has worked with several independent software, open source, and application vendors to streamline technical support for this solution. For more information on the third-party hardware and software products, please download the Solution Deployment Guide (www.intel.com/go/reseller/vpro or www.intel.com/ go/solutions) to obtain the specific list of vendors and contacts. Solution Recipe: Remote PC Management Made Simple Page 10

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