IBM simplifies management of the PC workplace with Systemview for OS/2; Powerful, easy-to-use and affordable solution for systems management

Business Wire, Nov 7, 1995

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 7, 1995-- IBM today announced a new systems management solution for customers who need a simple, affordable way to manage their PC environments. SystemView(a) for OS/2(a), the newest member of IBM's SystemView series, offers a comprehensive set of systems management functions to help customers improve control and availability of their computer resources. It also can help them avoid problems and contain costs associated with running and maintaining their OS/2 desktops and servers, Windows(b) and Windows 95 desktops and Novell NetWare(c) servers.

Today, SystemView for OS/2 is especially suited for small-to-medium organizations, and even large organizations, that do not need integration with enterprise-level management functions provided by other SystemView managers.

"SystemView for OS/2 takes the power and ease-of-use of IBM's SystemView to smaller customers who must manage their PC networks -- without having to spend a lot of money or training time to do so," said Al Zollar, vice president, SystemView, IBM Networking Software Division. "SystemView for OS/2 complements other SystemView products we already have announced for IBM's AIX(a), OS/400(a) and MVS(a) systems. Continuing our commitment to deliver reliable SystemView solutions on our customers' choice of management platform, we now are working to extend SystemView to additional platforms, including non-IBM systems."

"It's awesome. We took over a remote machine over a telephone line, and it's really impressive," said Josiah Airall, systems analyst for Cincinnati Bell Information Systems. "It's more dynamic and robust than what Microsoft has to offer. SystemView for OS/2 gives you real-time monitoring, while Microsoft's SMS(c) does not. In the LAN environment, you want to be proactive, instead of reactive. There is absolutely no comparison between SMS and SystemView."

SYSTEMVIEW FOR OS/2 FEATURES

Servers and PCs are a matter of business necessity for many of today's companies, both large and small. Customers benefit from having systems management functions that are flexible enough to meet their needs as their businesses continue to grow. SystemView for OS/2 is a simple and reliable systems management solution for such small but growing companies.

SystemView for OS/2 provides functions in a unique combination offered by no other vendor, including:

o real-time monitoring, which allows network managers to discover

problems before users do and solve them;

o a software process monitor, which enables managers to keep

applications up and running and users productive;

o support for DB2/2(a) and Lotus Notes(a), which allows users to re-use

configuration and performance data in those familiar formats and

reduces the user's learning curve;

o a software inventory dictionary of over 3000 titles, which

enables SystemView for OS/2 to automatically find the

applications users have installed; and

o extensive performance monitoring metrics that enable system

administrators to learn about poor performance before the

users do and take preventative actions.

Based on IBM's popular NetFinity(a) product offering, SystemView for OS/2 provides a wealth of functions to keep PC systems running smoothly. It integrates NetFinity's PC hardware management, discovery, hardware and software inventory and file transfer functions and integrates them with additional capabilities such as software distribution and preparation, license management and remote control. In addition, applications written for NetFinity by independent software vendors (ISVs), through the NetFinity Partners in Management program, also will run with SystemView for OS/2.

NetFinity, which is shipped with IBM PC servers and selected IBM desktop and mobile PCs, will continue to be enhanced to support additional operating systems.

"By uniting NetFinity functions with other IBM management products to create SystemView for OS/2, IBM has integrated, enhanced and simplified its workgroup management offering," said Sylvia J. Clark, senior analyst for Aberdeen Group. "NetFinity's market-leading management functionality, combined with additional IBM management tools, makes SystemView for OS/2 a robust and easy-to-use set of desktop and server management tools."

From an easy-to-use graphical interface, users can automatically discover hardware and software resources, distribute software updates and set performance monitoring thresholds and automation actions. They also can remotely access and control their workstations and servers, eliminating the need for expensive, time-consuming trips or phone calls to resolve problems at remote locations.

Installing SystemView for OS/2 is easy. After the user answers two questions about the name of the PC and the communications protocol to use, SystemView for OS/2 installs in about ten minutes and is ready to use. Just point and click on an icon to access any feature.

SystemView for OS/2 capabilities are included in IBM OS/2 Warp Server, now in beta. SystemView for OS/2 will be available worldwide on November 17, 1995 at a price of $495. An upgrade from NetFinity is $99.