Intel gives vPro 'one button techies' makeover

Intel has released round three of vPro, its desktop management platform, sporting new features aimed at IT teams looking after a dispersed workforce.

As part of the update to vPro, the system will get extra remote management capabilities. One new feature, Remote Alerts, will allow techies to remotely fix machines outside of the corporate firewall and dodge the need for in-person repairs.

According to Boyd Davis, GM, server products group, off premises devices are typically moneypits for large businesses.

"It turns out that the greatest portion of cost is PCs outside the firewall - they're outside the inventory, they're harder to find, they represent a potentially greater security threat," he said.

And in a move that could cause some consternation among support staff, the vPro platform now includes a 'fast call for help' feature, letting users call techies to their remote aid by pressing a single button.

The third vPro release also sees a security update in the form of what Intel dubbed a 'PC phone home' function, which allows IT departments to conduct remote scheduled maintenance - including deploying patches or other updates - of the computer fleet both inside and outside the firewall at the most convenient time.

Other updates include the introduction of Access Monitor, a security activity log, and secure access in Microsoft NAP environments.

In an effort to woo SMEs to vPro, Intel has jumped on the community bandwagon with the introduction of a support site where users can go and discuss the system with fellow vPro customers.

Companies already signed up to vPro include the likes of AstraZeneca, BT, and Welsh Water.

Tube Lines is also a vPro user, reporting a 30 to 40 per cent cut in energy consumption on the back of the technology's remote power management technology, which allows tech teams to govern when a fleet of PCs is switched off or on.

However, according to Pavel Roland, senior research analyst at IDC, despite much talk from CIOs around green issues and the part energy efficiency can play, eco-concerns don't always make an impact on companies' desktop shopping list.

He said: "It's a standard part of IT strategies and IT initiatives in mature markets… When companies in mature markets decide to purchase a desktop, they want a machine that can do the job - energy efficiency is not the priority."