Wave Issue 0415 /23/2004 Article 4-01

***IBM Helps Eliminate Virus and Spam Headaches for Small and Medium
Sized Businesses; New IBM Express Service Simplifies Growing
Complexity of Managing PC Networks

Armonk, NY
April 21, 2004

IBM announced new services designed to help small and medium-
sized businesses (SMBs) manage the growing complexity of
maintaining their employees' personal technology devices.

IBM Desktop Management Services, a new suite of 'price-per-seat'
services delivered remotely by IBM via the Internet, offer SMBs a
simple, affordable way to reduce the complexity of managing
personal computers (PCs), and printers as a monthly, per-seat
service. Starting at $40 per user, the new service specifically
designed for SMBs can cut the costs of managing personal
technology by up to 30 percent (1), and can support a variety of
personal computing systems, not just IBM hardware. The new IBM
Express service automates the management of personal computers
including critical software updates which help reduce the spread
of viruses.

The offerings take advantage of tools and technologies developed
by IBM Research that help transform networks into remotely
managed, self-healing, self-updating systems. By remotely
managing many of IT chores previously handled manually by
uncoordinated systems, SMBs can achieve quantifiable cost
savings, while focusing on their core business. Since they pay a
fixed, predictable price per user, SMBs can gain access to IBM
expertise, global IT resources, and the latest technology at a
fraction of the cost of managing their own PC networks.

Worldwide customers such as Ros Casares, an iron and steel
distributor and Ranstad, an employment agency, have turned to IBM
to manage the complexity of their desktop systems, protect
against network attacks, and provide significant cost reductions
through consolidation and standardization of IT systems.

An overlooked expense of the management of a personal computer is
the cost of the help desk support, countless fixes and
maintenance. One recent infection, MyDoom, cost businesses $26.1
billion in lost productivity, bandwidth clogging and software
recovery, according to security firm mi2g.

One of the key features of IBM Desktop Management Services is the
ability to alleviate the growing headache of viruses and spam.
While many SMBs manually install and run anti-virus software on
users' desktops and gateway servers, the fast-moving nature of
viruses today requires a more rapid response than these solutions
can deliver. IBM's worldwide coverage enables it to react much
more quickly to virus outbreaks, whenever and wherever they
occur.

IBM proactively deploys protection from new viruses hours before
new signatures are publicly released. Additionally, IBM is able
to provide immediate protection prior to the release of anti-
virus engine updates by using its powerful policy and attribute
blocking capability to block specific kinds of attachments or
filter email based on the particular characteristics of a
message. In addition to securing inbound email and ensuring
viruses do not enter the network, IBM can also scan outbound
email to protect the companies with whom an organization
communicates.

IBM delivers Desktop Management services by installing a central,
remotely-managed server at the customer site which distributes
the necessary tools and software for managing the desktop
environment. Remote management functions include: 24-hour network
monitoring, software image loading, virus scanning and detection,
patch updates, software updates distribution and virtual help-
desk services.

The services also allow customers to control and monitor the
inventory of employee desktops and printers, which helps guard
against fraud and inventory loss. Hardware and application
protection features guard against unauthorized access and loss of
valuable information, while ensuring that operating systems and
related software are compliant with industry standards -- a
significant and frequently overlooked cost for organizations.

"Viruses are not the only thing that are exploding, so are the
personal technology devices they infect," said Beth Feeney,
director of small and medium business offerings, IBM Global
Services. "Due to the growing number of PCs, PDAs, printers and
faxes proliferating in companies today, rapid business growth can
be inhibited by the complexities and cost of technology
infrastructure support. SMBs who have limited access to skilled
resources for network, application, Internet and security
technology can now tap into IBM's extensive, global resources to
free themselves to focus on their business, not IT support."

Leveraging technology and expertise from IBM Research, IBM Global
Services, IBM Global Financing and IBM Personal Computing, IBM is
able to remotely deliver desktop management services on demand.
For example, new ThinkVantage Technologies that reduce PC
management costs can now be deployed throughout an SMB's network
-- regardless of the PC or printer brand.

Starting at $40 per month, per user, IBM Desktop Management
Services includes:

Dedicated IBM servers loaded with autonomic desktop management
services

Automated backup of end users' desktops

Virus scanning, help desk support and asset reporting

Remote desktop monitoring, with automatic software distribution
and updates

Platform management support and desktop administration, which
helps manage information assets, and maintain confidentiality and
data integrity

Maintenance of a security-enabled IT environment

Ability to control costs of desktop maintenance, installation,
configuration, support, and security

Operational scalability -- ability to complement existing desktop
operations, management and support processes that may already be
in place

Support for complex, multi-vendor environments

Ability to purchase a larger services package to include IBM and
non-IBM hardware, beginning at $80 per user, per month

IBM estimates that it currently oversees and manages maintenance
and operations for more than 4.5 million PCs and printers.
Companies worldwide turn to IBM to deploy and manage various
aspects of their personal technology, including hardware,
software imaging, financing and help desk support.

www-1.ibm.com/services/us/index.wss/of/its/