Desktop management suite RFP

Editor's Note: This is a mock RFP written by Network World's Suzanne Gaspar. Patchwork is a fictious company.

Patchwork, a manufacturing and distribution company is evaluating desktop management suites for hardware and software inventory, software distribution and remote control. Additionally, the company wants to be able to configure its hardware. And the suite must share a common database that leverages and correlates information between modules to enable effective job scheduling and provide access to up-to-date inventory and configuration information to fix problems remotely. The company also requires the product to offer Web-based Enterprise Management (WBEM) support, including support for the Common Interface Model (CIM) which will allow them to manage their multi-vendor systems across the enterprise. License metering, printer management and virus checking are desirable.

Patchwork's Cleveland headquarters has an installed base of 5000 users. A second campus, located in Detroit has an installed base of 3000 users. Additionally, about 2500 users are located in about 40 national sales sites.

The headquarters and second campus share a 45M bit/sec T3 connection. The majority of the remaining sites connect to the corporate LAN via 56K bit/sec frame relay, with a half dozen connected via dial-up and ISDN lines.

Patchwork has a mix of NetWare and Window NT servers with plans to migrate to Windows 2000 and wants to utilize a desktop management suite to help out with the migration. They plan to standardize e-mail to Internet Explorer and will also transition from Windows 95 to Windows NT on the desktop; support for both Windows-based PC's and Macintosh is required.

Patchwork is looking to decrease its current TCO by 15 percent annually. They're looking to do this through having accurate inventory data for forecasting asset requirements and contracting for the best volume license discount. Additionally, by standardizing applications using automatic software distribution and using the ability to take control of an end user's desktop to fix a problem remotely.

Patchwork has future plans to implement a directory service either Active Directory or NDS, to perform centralized user administration and policy-based management.

The proposed solution should include pricing for the number of users and the product features offered.