Having identified a need for a client-server systems and network management application, the nation`s steel producer is on the verge of going live with 1750 seats at Iscor`s head office of the new Seagate DMS 3.0 (Desktop Management Suite) and has ordered an additional 2600 to outfit Iscor`s mining division.
"We have been implementing the system in a phased approach and should have all the components in place and ready to fly by the end of July," says Martin Coetzer, workstation specialist at ITI (Information Technology for Iscor) LAN Services department.
"The Proxy remote problem diagnosis and resolution application is up and running, and the other components can now be configured on the server and downloaded by the user," he says.
Prior to implementing DMS, ITI was using an in-house developed product for maintaining its software and hardware inventory.
"We had an urgent need for an open application that could be easily configured with a number of different products such as our Microsoft SQL database," explains Coetzer.
Coetzer admits that the evaluation process leading up to the selection of the DMS was an arduous one. "We evaluated a number of products but they either had proprietary databases, or poor integration features, were not customisable, or had no support. "
"With Seagate the opposite was true. Not only does DMS meet our software requirements but it also has room for growth and has excellent backup and support," he says. Regarding Iscor`s plans for the future Coetzer says the company intends deploying DMS in a number of different scenarios. "The long term plan is to offer access to the database using an Internet browser. With SQL we can publish to anything."
Nick van Noordwyk, regional manager responsible for Seagate Software`s network storage management products confirms that the next release of DMS will incorporate browser technology. "Seagate is moving in this direction," he says. "The Internet is an important strategy for us and our intention is to use the browser as a tool to access software inventories over the Web."
Coetzer added that Iscor is also setting up a dedicated PC with all the software components to act as a dedicated support desk. For more information about Seagate Software, Network and Storage Management Group, contact the company`s regional office located in Sandton Square, Johannesburg on (011) 448-2080
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