PKWARE releases new version of PKZIP for windows

EDP Weekly's IT Monitor, May 3, 2004

PKWARE, Inc., a provider of trusted ZIP Solutions for the Enterprise, has announced enhancements to its award-winning PKZIP product for Windows. The latest generation of PKZIP significantly increases the ease with which users can efficiently exchange information, and provides IT administrators with new controls to centrally manage and extend data compression policies to all users throughout their organizations. The latest version of PKZIP helps organizations address the mounting pressures to cost-effectively manage corporate data, while maximizing existing network bandwidth and storage capacity, enabling users and IT organizations to quickly and easily address key information management concerns.

The latest version of PKZIP includes password-based strong encryption, providing individual users with an easy-to-use tool for ad hoc file protection. In related news today, PKWARE announced the introduction of its new SecureZIP line of cross-platform security products designed for enterprises seeking advanced data security capabilities that leverage the ease-of-deployment and use, efficiency, and interoperability characteristic of ZIP (see separate announcement, "PKWARE Introduces SecureZIP for Windows").

Already in use by over 90 percent of Fortune 100 enterprises, the latest release from PKWARE's ZIP compression product-line is designed specifically with the enterprise in mind, and includes new administrative controls to enable IT departments to define and manage data compression policies across their entire base of Windows end users. Combined with PKZIP's seamless integration with Microsoft Outlook and IBM Lotus Notes, administrators can now centrally establish rules across all of their users to automatically compress any email attachment that exceeds a pre-determined file size, enabling a significant reduction in data traffic on enterprise networks, email servers, and within users' mailboxes. In addition to enterprise-class products, PKWARE also provides organizations with first-in-class technical support.

"PKZIP's integration with Outlook and other ease-of-use features make it much easier and automatic for our users to compress email attachments, yielding tremendous IT savings, including reductions in bandwidth, email server storage costs, and improved user productivity," said Timur Snoke, Network Communications Manager, Central Virginia Electric Cooperative. "We have also been extremely pleased with PKWARE's technical support, which ranks among the best of any enterprise software vendor we've ever worked with."

The latest version of PKZIP also provides users with a breakthrough in usability through a more intuitive user interface and a series of desktop wizards, which guide users through the set-up process and most common functions, minimizing the impact on the Help Desk. And, PKZIP's seamless integration with Microsoft Outlook and IBM Lotus Notes enables users to quickly and easily zip and secure files directly from within their email client.

Furthermore, PKWARE has expanded its distribution channels for the company's leading PKZIP solution, increasing product adoption in key markets such as the government, healthcare, and financial services markets.

Through a partnership with leading government reseller ASAP Software, PKWARE is bringing the benefits of PKZIP to federal, state and local government organizations, where the need for solutions that enable fast, seamless and secure communications within and across agencies continues to increase at record pace.

"PKWARE is helping to minimize the complexity of information exchange in the government market," said Harry Zoberman, senior vice president of marketing and operations at ASAP. "Working together, PKWARE and ASAP are helping government customers continue to realize the benefits of PKZIP, especially when coupled with ASAP's licensing and asset management solution expertise."

Enabling the continued adoption of ZIP is PKWARE's ZIP Reader product, which is a free download available from PKWARE's website by any recipient of a ZIP file. PKWARE's ZIP Reader products have experienced more than 150 million downloads since inception. Additionally, PKWARE's Reader Partner Program enables organizations to easily integrate ZIP Reader distribution into their own business processes. Websites can also host a free "Get ZIP Reader" button as a service to their users who download ZIP files from their site.

"With PKZIP v8, PKWARE is bringing to market the first Windows ZIP solution designed specifically with the enterprise in mind," said Steve Crawford, Chief Marketing Officer of PKWARE. "By integrating ZIP with common business applications, including Outlook and Notes, as well as its new Administrative features, PKZIP provides a best-in-class Windows ZIP product that increases end-user productivity and provides a rapid return on investment for the IT organization."