HP Announces New Solution to Provide Unprecedented Deployability for Enterprise Desktop Management

Business Wire, April 13, 1999

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--April 13, 1999--

Latest Version of HP OpenView Desktop Administrator

Increases IT Productivity for Rapid Return on Investment

Hewlett-Packard Company today announced the latest version of HP OpenView Desktop Administrator, Version 5.0, a comprehensive solution for desktop and software management. HP OpenView Desktop Administrator 5.0 advances the state of the art in desktop management by adding enhancements to the product, such as automated smart-agent technology, software-deployment technology, Standard Query Language (SQL) and client/server management.

"Desktop-management projects often fail to deliver on promises because a clear implementation process has not been established," said Olivier Helleboid, general manager of HP's OpenView Software Business Unit. "Leveraging HP's experience and internal success with desktop and software management of more than 122,000 desktops worldwide, HP OpenView offers a combination of repeatable, step-by-step process methodologies, highly skilled deployment partners and the latest edition of HP OpenView Desktop Administrator to help companies experience a rapid return on their investment."

HP OpenView Desktop Administrator provides robust and scalable asset management of hardware- and software-inventory information, and comprehensive software-deployment capabilities, enabling IT administrators to manage tens of thousands of desktops in complex, heterogeneous environments. HP understands that technology alone is not enough to ensure successful desktop- and software-management implementation. HP expertise, combined with channel partners' experience, provides step-by-step process methodologies to help desktop administrators ensure project success and rapid returns on investments.

New Features

HP OpenView Desktop Administrator 5.0 includes a number of enhancements that provide solutions to the complex issues that IT departments encounter today. The following features are designed to provide superior deployability: -0-

  -- Software-installation technology -- New smart-agent technology
     provides automatic installation and proactive maintenance of all
     agents and managers.

  -- Relational-database support -- An SQL relational database,
     Solid Information Technology Corp.'s Embedded Engine, is included
     with HP OpenView Desktop Administrator 5.0 server module. Support
     for Microsoft(R) SQL Server also has been added. Oracle(R)
     database support is expected to follow soon.

  -- Subscription-service technology -- HP OpenView Desktop
     Administrator 5.0's innovative publish and subscribe model allows
     knowledge workers to automatically select and receive the
     software and upgrades they need. This releases the IT department
     from having to actively manage the software distribution process.

  -- Snapshot distribution -- Snapshot technology enables
     administrators to customize installation script through a
     drag-and-drop user interface. This feature also allows
     administrators to distribute only the parts of the application
     that have changed; to distribute changes to end users quickly;
     and to remove applications cleanly, leaving no residual files.

Significant improvements also have been made to enhance HP OpenView Desktop Administrator's system performance and to reduce the network traffic produced. Demonstrations of HP OpenView Desktop Administrator 5.0 and discussions about deploying enterprise desktop-management solutions will take place here at the HP OpenView Forum & Universe Conference.

Pricing and Availability

HP OpenView Desktop Administrator 5.0 is expected to be available in the third quarter of 1999. Pricing will be available at that time.

About HP OpenView

HP is one of the world's largest providers of integrated management solutions for applications, systems, networks, software, desktops, security, storage and IT services. HP OpenView solutions are at work in more than 120,000 multivendor distributed computing environment worldwide. Together with offerings from more than 200 partners, HP OpenView offers a complete portfolio of services and management solutions on all major platforms.

Information about HP OpenView solutions can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.openview.hp.com.

About HP

Hewlett-Packard Company is a leading global provider of computing, Internet and intranet solutions, services, communications products and measurement solutions, all of which are recognized for excellence in quality and support. HP has 122,800 employees and had revenue of $47.1 billion in its 1998 fiscal year.

Information about HP, its products and the company's Year 2000 program can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.hp.com.

Note to Editors: Microsoft is a U.S. registered trademark of Microsoft Corp.

Oracle is a registered U.S. trademark of Oracle Corporation, Redwood City, California.