Intel Press Release

Intel Announces New Ingredient to Enhance PC Management

LANDesk Service Agent Software Allows Remote Booting of Managed PCs, Including NetPCs; Intel Will Distribute the Technology on Motherboards and with Network Products

HILLSBORO, Ore., March 31, 1997 -- Intel Corporation today announced a new technology that allows a PC to be booted remotely over the network for installation, repairs and updates. This capability is crucial for effective central management and reduced ownership costs of business PCs. The LANDesk Service Agent software code, which is designed for use with all business PCs including NetPCs, is Intel's implementation of the pre-boot technology detailed in the industry NetPC specification and in Intel's Wired for Management Baseline Specification.

To make this capability widely and quickly available, Intel is distributing the LANDesk Service Agent in several forms and at several levels of integration, including:

  • Intel commercial motherboards sold to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), available in the second quarter.
  • Intel Fast Ethernet controllers sold to OEMs for their LAN-on-motherboard designs, available now.
  • Intel's EtherExpress™PRO/100B LAN Adapter for use by OEMs integrating this card into their systems, available now.
  • Boot ROM chips sold through resellers as an option for Intel EtherExpress network adapters, available March 31 and priced at $250 (U.S. suggested list) for a pack of 20.

Intel also plans to work with several boot ROM vendors to provide additional sources to the industry. "The presence of the Intel LANDesk Service Agent makes a PC instantly manageable," said Ed Ekstrom, vice president of Intel's Internet and Communications Group and general manager of the System Management Division. "By making this capability widely and readily available to the industry and end users, we will increase the number of managed PCs that can take advantage of such high-value services as LANDesk Configuration Manager."

The pre-boot capability of the LANDesk Service Agent is a cornerstone of next-generation PC management, such as the services for managing and deploying standard PC configurations that will be provided by products like Intel LANDesk Configuration Manager. The capability is also a necessary platform element to allow business PCs to benefit from some of the advanced features of future operating systems. The agent continues the work of Intel's Wired for Management initiative to reduce the total cost of ownership of business PCs without compromising the versatility and productivity of systems based on high-performance Intel Architecture processors.

The LANDesk Service Agent provides a key element of control for PCs in a distributed network. When a PC that contains the LANDesk Service Agent is powered on, the agent intervenes before the PC boots from the operating system on its local hard drive. The LANDesk Service Agent then establishes a communications link between the PC and a server computer that is programmed to respond with automated services such as system configuration, operating system loading or booting, or health checking.

This step is important for NetPCs and other managed PCs because it provides a necessary link for initial installation and configuration, central administration, problem diagnosis and problem resolution. Because the LANDesk Service Agent uses the standard Internet Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) to communicate over the network, connections can be passed through routers across LANs.

IBM Shipping LANDesk Service Agent
IBM recently began shipping LANDesk Service Agent with select systems. Combining the capabilities of LANDesk Service Agent with IBM's Wake on LAN™ technology enables IBM PC's to be remotely booted and configured, even in off-hours when the PC is turned off. This standards-based solution, is a result of continued collaboration by Intel and IBM under the Advanced Manageability Alliance.

"Reducing the complexity of deploying and managing PCs is a key reason why IBM and Intel formed the Advanced Manageability Alliance," said Rich Cheston, program director for IBM Commercial Desktop Marketing. "Intel's announcement today is an important step in meeting customer needs in this area, and that is why IBM will release a complementary product in April called LANClient Control Manager that addresses a similar need. Our two companies will standardize these products over time."

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