US-based networking software giant Novell has selected technology developed by PreWorX for use in one of its top-selling product ranges.
In terms of the deal, Novell will license the enhanced PXE (Pre-boot eXecution Environment) technology from PreWorX and bundle it as an optional extra with the next version of their ZENWorks for Desktops management suite. PXE in its general form is an industry-standard protocol that allows a workstation to execute across the network before the operating system boots up.
Brad Anderson, ZENWorks business unit manager at Novell, says PXE technologies are becoming an increasingly important component of desktop administration.
"Novell chose to license the enhanced PXE functionality available in the PreWorX technology as it provides the most powerful pre-boot solution on the market, and is currently not tied to a single hardware or operating system vendor. The addition of enhanced PXE functionality to the ZENWorks for Desktops suite brings Novell closer to its goal of providing customers with a complete solution for the remote management of desktop computers." He adds.
"Customers will no longer need to buy two or three separate packages to manage their desktop environments. ZENWorks, with the integrated pre-boot technology from PreWorX, provides a single suite for the management of multi-vendor desktop environments," says Anderson.
PCs that support the PXE protocol can connect to the network through ZENworks for Desktops before the operating system starts up. This allows administrators to image a workstation with a corporate-standard operating system without having to install any software.
Network administrators no longer need to visit each desktop to install new software, cutting the costs of rolling out a new desktop operating system across the enterprise. In addition, the technology eases the burden of managing the desktop environment.
Ricus Ellis, CEO of PreWorX, says the licensing deal with Novell will create a stream of new revenues for PreWorX, and add credibility to the company`s offerings in the global IT industry. "This technology partnership with Novell will allow PreWorX to make inroads into the ZENWorks installed base of more than 32 Million desktops. ZENWorks customers include half of the Fortune 1000.
"The deal also puts us on the map as a global player in the e-support technology world. We are now in a strong position to sign new agreements with other major international technology providers," adds Ellis.
The PreWorX technology will be sold as an optional extra for the next version of ZENWorks in a bundle called ZENWorks for Desktops 3.2, Preboot Services. This product is in beta at several customer sites around the world, and is scheduled for August release. Apart from a revenue-sharing deal on this baseline product, Ellis expects the partnership to create opportunities to upsell other PreWorX technologies into the Novell customer base.
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