Novell today announced the availability of a new ZENworks Configuration Management virtual appliance one of the first plug-and-play solutions that integrates desktop, asset and patch management capabilities. In addition, Novell announced key ZENworks enhancements to help customers migrate to Microsoft* Windows 7. Finally, Novell announced a technology preview of ZENworks 11, which integrates endpoint security into a single console with systems management to help customers meet the converging needs of IT operations and security.


Reduce Costs with New Virtual Appliance


The ZENworks Configuration Management virtual appliance is designed to simplify installation and reduce the support and maintenance costs associated with endpoint management. Built with SUSE Studio, the industry's fastest growing appliance-building program, the ZENworks Configuration Management virtual appliance runs on a VMware ESX infrastructure and seamlessly integrates desktop, asset and patch management capabilities. Many companies are capitalizing on cloud computing by deploying virtual appliances in the private cloud. With the addition of this virtual appliance into the ZENworks portfolio, Novell can now deliver even more choice and flexibility by providing both traditional software and virtual appliance deployment options for customers.


"Virtual appliances offer customers quick-to-deploy and easy-to-support software solutions," said Fred Broussard, Research Director for PC, Device and IT Service Management software at IDC. "Solutions that are designed to be easy to install and use, such as the ZENworks Configuration Management virtual appliance, allow customers to take advantage of cloud deployment options with a pre-configured, hardened, all-in-one solution that can boost their business agility."


Simplify Windows 7 Migration and Management


According to the IDC White Paper sponsored by Microsoft, The Economic Impact of Microsoft's Windows 7, Worldwide, Doc #W7WW709, July 2009, 19% of the global IT workforce is expected to be on Windows 7 by the end of 2010. With key enhancements to the ZENworks portfolio, customers now have the tools to mitigate the risks that come with large-scale Windows 7 migrations including potential data loss and user downtime. Today's release of ZENworks 10 Configuration Management SP3, ZENworks 10 Patch Management SP3, ZENworks 10 Asset Management SP3, and ZENworks Application Virtualization 8 mitigates those risks and provides a comprehensive range of capabilities that enable customers to assess and plan their Windows 7 migrations, execute them seamlessly, and then optimize their PC environments.


"Novell ZENworks Configuration Management has helped us quickly reduce the cost and complexity of managing our IT infrastructure - over 14,000 PCs - and ensure our systems are always updated, secure and compliant," said James Watson, Network Manager for Spring Independent School District in Houston, Texas. "As we look to migrate to Windows 7, ZENworks can help us to understand and plan for the move - allowing us to seamlessly migrate without impacting our business or end-user productivity."