Personal computer manufacturer Lenovo has picked technology from LANDesk (a subsidiary of Avocent (News - Alert)) to enhance its new ThinkManagement Console, a solution designed to provide centralized inventory and reporting for the hardware assets of clients. It’s specifically set up to manage products in the company’s ThinkVantage Technologies line, as well as vPro-enabled devices from Intel (News - Alert).

 

By using LANDesk technology as the core of its ThinkManagement Console, Lenovo is able to provide integration the facilitates value-added third-party software solutions. This integrated offering will be marketed both by Lenovo and its business partners.

 

For Lenovo clients, the benefit of this integration lies mainly in the fact that it reduces information technology (IT) costs by providing secure automation of management functions via a centralized console.

 

Gregory Lawler, chief information officer at Southwest Business Corporation, one such client, said integration between Lenovo and LANDesk (News - Alert) provides the best possible tools needed for delivering value to internal users at his firm.

 

“I can easily demonstrate the time and money saved in a number of areas,” Lawler explained. “For example, if we have 300 machines that need an update for one of our applications, we can now deliver that update in minutes. If we had to install this update manually, it would take a team of technicians several days.”

 

The powerful benefits of automation for managing IT systems is a theme that keeps coming up at the Interop (News - Alert) show in Las Vegas this week, where Lenovo announced its integration with LANDesk.

 

“Lenovo and LANDesk have made Intel vPro an important component in their offerings, which has helped change the face of IT by providing enhanced security, lower costs and shorter repair times beginning with the first systems implemented,” said Gregory Bryant, vice president for the business client group and general manager for the digital office platform division at Intel, in a statement, emphasizing the importance of solutions that enable automated IT management.

 

Bryant added: “In the end, IT is no longer saddled with just keeping its computer fleet running, but can now turn to strategic matters.”

 

Lenovo ThinkManagement Console is a free upgrade for laptop and desktop PC products from the company shipped since January, 2002, and is available to all clients that support ThinkVantage Technologies. For a feed, clients that use non-Lenovo solutions can also obtain the benefits of this solution.

 

Plus, clients that also use Intel vPro technologies will further benefit because, by combining vPro, LANDesk and Lenovo products, it is possible to reduce desk-side visits by giving IT technicians the tools they need to monitor, diagnose and repair PC no matter what operating system being used. Further, the ThinkManagement Console speeds up the process of identifying security threats, healing systems and performing continuous presence-checking to guard against tampering.

 

“Our strategic relationship with Lenovo continues to yield the most proactive management solutions possible for our customers,” said Steve Daly, general manager at  LANDesk, in a statement. “The Lenovo ThinkManagement Console will enable IT organizations to quickly reduce costs, while helping to achieve positive top-line and bottom-line business results. Our joint solutions will enable customers to effectively automate lifecycle, systems and service management functions across laptops, desktops, servers and mobile devices from a single management console.”