Intel promises to redefine business PCs with vPro

Stuart Corner
Sunday, 10 September 2006 14:16

Business IT - Technology

Intel has introduced vPro technology, a package of hardware and software based on its Core 2 Duo processor that it promises will "make a major change in what businesses can expect from their PCs, providing...unprecedented levels of computing performance and more proactive control of security and costs."
Intel also said early trials with select Fortune 500 companies showed an average potential cost savings of 40 percent. Already, several major PC vendors including HP and Gateway have announced VPro based products, and a number of software developers have released products optimised for vPro.

Robert Crooke, vice president and general manager of Intel's Business Client Group said that, with vPro, Intel was "packing in features that address what plagues businesses most - security threats, cost of ownership, resource allocation, asset management and uptime - into a single platform."

vPro technology also includes the second generation of Intel Active Management Technology, Intel Virtualization Technology, the new Intel Q965 Express chipset and the Intel 82566DM Gigabit Network Connection.

The benefits of vPro are not yet available on laptops. Intel says a new Intel Centrino Duo mobile technology platform, codenamed Santa Rosa, to be introduced in 2007, will extend the benefits of vPro to laptops.

To co-incide with the launch of vPro, Intel has released more than 20 case studies of vPro trials by large and small businesses, IT service outsourcers and managed service providers. It claims the outcomes of these trials "point to expected PC maintenance and labour cost savings that range from seven percent to 95 percent, resulting from reductions in IT desk-side visits." Companies that participated in the early tests include BMW and ING. Details at www.intel.com/business/vpro/casestudies.