3Com Ships Solution Bringing Managed PC Benefits To Any PC
SANTA CLARA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 6, 1997--3Com Corporation (NASDAQ:COMS), a leading designer and supplier of network interfaces, announced today that it is now shipping Managed PC Network Interface Card (NIC) solutions that deliver the enhanced functionality required to develop Managed PCs and Net PCs or provide ''Managed PC'' functionality on existing PCs.
Compatible with leading desktop management systems including HP, Microsoft, Intel, Tivoli, ON Technology Corporation and McAfee, these Managed PC solutions give system and network administrators an unrivaled level of down-to-the-desktop control, from start-up through shutdown.
By combining 3Com's Managed PC NIC solutions with the customer's choice of desktop management application, desktop PCs are transformed into fully manageable PCs. Now network administrators have the ability to remotely perform time intensive chores such as updating desktop software, repairing software configurations and getting damaged computers back online thereby lowering the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) associated with traditional upkeep of personal computers.
''3Com(R) NICs are the brand of choice due to their performance, compatibility, reliability and enhanced network intelligence,'' said Doug Spreng, executive vice president, 3Com Interface Product Group. ''Now 3Com is extending the capabilities of its NICs to lower the cost of PC ownership.''
3Com Managed PC solutions comprise three distinct components integrated for optimal desktop management and control: Remote Wake-Up (RWU), Desktop Management Interface (DMI) 2.0 Support, and Managed PC Boot Agent (MBA). A single component such as MBA or DMI 2.0 can be added to existing PCs extending desktop management capabilities or the full solution can be integrated resulting in complete management and desktop control.
Remote Wake-Up (RWU)
Increasing productivity is a key goal for all organizations and RWU, often referred to as Wake-On-LAN (WOL), has the promise of increasing productivity in two ways. With RWU-enabled NICs and PCs, system administrators can, from a central site at any time, turn on a desktop computer and perform maintenance.
This means that support staff are more productive because they never have to leave their desks to perform routine maintenance. It also means that this maintenance can be automated to take place during off hours so that users are more productive because they never have to be interrupted from their work.
Desktop Management Interface (DMI) 2.0 Support
3Com's Managed PC Network Interface Card (NIC) solutions includes DMI 2.0 support to help system administrators automatically and remotely create detailed inventories of desktop systems. As PC makers and system management vendors introduce more DMI 2.0-compliant products, managers will benefit from having support for the standard already built into new 3Com NICs and available for free download to existing 3Com NICs.
Managed PC Boot Agent (MBA)
MBA is firmware installed as a chip in the Boot ROM socket of the 3Com NIC. The 3Com firmware supports a rich-set of important new and existing boot protocols for enhanced remote PC management configuration. The MBA supports all major boot protocols including BootP, DHCP, RPL, NetWare NCP, and the new PXE boot protocol defined in the Net PC specification.
With MBA available on your PC, a complete range of administrative tasks can be performed from a centralized station without changes to the infrastructure. Available in a number of formats, MBA can be integrated into the NIC; embedded in system BIOS for motherboards; in a special ROM chip for upgrading existing 3Com NICs with a ROM socket and a flash upgrade for existing ROM-chip users. Key MBA features include:
-- Guaranteed to boot no matter what the state of the PC software;
-- Provides complete control and policy management;
-- Brings misconfigured PC back to life with no user intervention
by connecting to the PC to server resources over the network;
-- Compares desktop profiles to a central file to ensure each
desktop is optimally configured;
-- Enables remote maintenance including the installation of the
most current licensed copy of application and system software.
Availability and Pricing
All three components of 3Com's Managed PC NIC solutions are available today. MBA and DMI 2.0 can be added to existing PCs, and are widely available. The MBA is sold through traditional 3Com channels and DMI is available as a free Web download for all 3Com Ethernet and Fast Ethernet NICs.
Since RWU requires a PC specially designed to support RWU, 3Com is shipping a RWU-enabled NIC through 3Com's PC OEM integration partners. For customers who have purchased TriROMs within the last six months, 3Com and Lanworks offer free flash upgrade on the 3Com family of Etherlink(R) and Fast Etherlink NICs.
Managed PCs and 3Com Solutions
Dell
''Dell is committed to significantly lowering the total cost of ownership for personal computers,'' said George Martin, vice president and general manager of Dell's Optiplex product line. ''Manageability features such as Wake-Up-On-LAN and DMI across the entire Optiplex product line are essential to lowering a personal computer's total cost of ownership.''
Gateway 2000
''The ability to awaken, monitor and update clients remotely is the essence of Gateway's 'down-the-wire' approach to enterprise management,'' said Jim Collas, senior vice president of Gateway 2000's Global Products Organization. ''3Com's dedication to Magic Packet, DMI 2.0 and the Net PC initiative is consistent with the standards-based manageability featured in every Gateway E-Series computer.
''As a leading supplier of 3Com network cards, we're enthused by 3Com's Managed PC enhancements. Gateway has an ongoing commitment to deliver the industry's most effective solutions to customers seeking reduction in their total cost of ownership.''
Hewlett-Packard
''HP is deeply committed to standards-based management for its HP Vectra PCs and HP Kayak Workstations and is pleased to see these features becoming widely available for all networked PCs through 3Com's Managed PC NIC,'' said Achim Kuttler, TCO marketing manager. ''HP TopTools and HP OpenView DeskTop Administrator ability to use 3Com's DMI, Remote Power On, Wake-On-LAN, and PreOS NIC features will give customers a broad new range of management options that will increase MIS efficiency and reduce Total Cost of Ownership of their desktop PCs.''
Micron Electronics
''Micron ClientPro products with 3Com network interface cards provide enterprise customers a managed, technologically consistent platform to meet all enterprise computing needs,'' stated Judith Bitterli, vice president of enterprise sales at Micron Electronics, Inc. ''Micron Electronics is committed to reducing the cost of maintaining a large network while at the same time maximizing its uptime, and 3Com's Managed PC NICs will play an integral part in our efforts.''
ON Technology Corporation
''ON Technology has already applied ON Command Comprehensive Client Manager (CCM) in combination with 3Com NICs to lower networked PC ownership costs for our customers. 3Com's Managed Boot Agent enhanced NICs will provide tremendous added leverage for environments wishing to gain total control over critical desktop resources,'' said Roy Sanford, vice president of marketing and alliances for ON Technology.
About 3Com
3Com Corporation enables individuals and organizations worldwide to communicate and share information and resources at anytime from anywhere. As one of the world's preeminent suppliers of data, voice and video communications technology, 3Com has delivered networking solutions to more than 100 million customers worldwide. With global reach and local touch, the company provides enterprises, network service providers and carriers, small businesses and consumers with comprehensive, innovative information access products and system solutions for building intelligent, reliable and high performance local and wide area networks. 3Com has worldwide revenues of approximately $6.0 billion and employs about 13,200 employees in 45 countries. For further information, visit 3Com's World Wide Web site at 3com.com .
Note To Editors: 3Com and Etherlink are registered trademarks of 3Com Corporation. All other company and product names may be trademarks of the respective companies with which they are associated. |
