OSA adds mobile features to Microsoft SMS mix

IT executives trying to extend support to a growing number of mobile workers may get a helping hand from the newest version of an automated software distribution and management package aimed at taming road warriors.

Open Software Associates (OSA) last week introduced netDeploy Global for Microsoft System Management Server (SMS). With netDeploy, the software distribution and management features of SMS are extended to remote and mobile computers connecting through a VPN, dial-up connection or the Internet. The company already has a version that integrates with Active Directory, and IT executives migrating to Windows 2000 can use the two netDeploy versions in tandem while making the transition.

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The software features application self-healing; autorestart, so software downloads can be done in stages; and autofailover to ensure connections.

"These are features that large enterprises have to have," says Patrick Dryden, an analyst with Illuminata. "OSA is doing the right things as are the other providers of such software."

OSA competes with Tally Systems and Mobile Automation, among others.

Dryden says the key for these products will be to add support for other devices such as PDAs and Web phones. And he says scalability is key: "What happens when you move from supporting 100 workers to supporting 1,000?"

OSA is building on top of SMS by integrating management with the Microsoft server and creating a single console. The software augments the weak remote support SMS offers.

The next version of SMS, code-named Topaz, will correct some of those issues, but OSA has additional features, according to company officials.

"Our remote capabilities let roaming users connect to the nearest server to download new applications or updates," says Graeme Greenhill, president of OSA. "Microsoft requires users to connect to a primary site server."

OSA's netDeploy requires an agent on every managed device and employs Web servers as distribution points using SMS to deliver applications or updates to those servers. The files are accessed using a URL.

The netDeploy software also creates a central repository of all versions of all applications that can be accessed through SMS or Active Directory.

OSA's netDeploy is priced at $100 per user and is available now.

OSA: www.osa.com

Contact Senior Editor John Fontana

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