Peregrine Systems, Inc, one of the world`s leading software companies, today announced that Siemens Business Services (SBS) N.V. - part of the Siemens Information and Communications Business Segment of Siemens AG - has successfully integrated Peregrine`s AssetCenter and Action Request System (AR System) using Peregrine`s new AR System integration connector. Peregrine is represented locally by MGX.
Siemens SBS chose Peregrine to integrate Peregrine`s industry-leading lifecycle asset management product, AssetCenter, with an existing AR System environment at one of the largest Belgian public institutions. "Siemens was facing two challenges,`` said Jan Deprest, managing director, Siemens Business Services. "First of all, we have strict service level agreements with our customers. For example, hardware must be delivered within 10 days - once an authorised order has been placed.
"Previously, the procurement and approval process was manual and, as no monitoring or analysis could take place, we were exposed to possible mistakes. The second challenge was the outsourcing of all IT-related and infrastructure services for 8 000 to 10 000 end-users. We started looking for the best way to automate all processes related to these challenges.`"
Peregrine`s new AR System integration connector creates seamless integration opportunities between existing Peregrine Infrastructure Management solutions and those based on the AR System. This integration functionality provides existing AR System customers with the flexibility to leverage and extend their current IT service management investments, as well as gain additional lifecycle management functionality such as procurement, lease management and total cost management offered by AssetCenter. This extension allows enterprises to reduce the total cost and increase the productivity of their assets by taking advantage of what they currently have. The AR System connector, which supports AR System platform versions 3.0, 4.0, and 4.5, is available with Peregrine Connect-It v2.7.
Using Peregrine`s AssetCenter, organisations can manage their critical assets from an inventory perspective, and from a financial and contractual level. Unlike traditional asset inventory or tracking software, asset lifecycle management is a business practice that optimises the lifecycle of the infrastructure assets of an enterprise from the time they are planned to enter an organisation until the time they are disposed. It allows organisations to organise and utilise their asset-level detail data to optimise and extend business processes around their entire asset base, not only including desktop and notebook computers, but also mobile devices, software, networking and communications equipment.
Since Siemens was already using the AR System and wanted to expand its asset management capabilities, it was a logical next step to integrate AssetCenter into the existing AR System environment. Via Peregrine`s Get-It Web portal, which is part of Peregrine`s Employee Relationship Management solution, end-users can access an online catalogue of equipment and related services stored within AssetCenter. AssetCenter`s customisable workflow routes the request for technical and financial approvals. After approval, the service request is routed to the Remedy Help Desk application, which generates work orders to perform any necessary services. Once the work order is complete, AssetCenter is updated with the appropriate asset level information. Since all orders leverage a standard catalogue of hardware and services, as well as e-procurement workflow, human intervention - and mistakes - are minimised, resulting in significant cost savings and better customer service.
"The integration of AssetCenter with our existing AR System environment has greatly improved our business processes,`` said Siemen`s Deprest.
"Leveraging AssetCenter`s easy-to-use graphical interfaces, which provide customisable views of the database for each end-user, and pre-built wizards and workflows to automate various tasks, will improve the day-to-day efficiency of our IT service. This implementation allows us to serve our customers in the best possible ways.``
Steven Goldstein, general manager of Peregrine`s asset management solutions, said: "We are very pleased to provide Siemens with the essential tools for improving business processes. The integrated AssetCenter and AR System solution is an extremely powerful opportunity for existing AR System customers to further reduce total cost of ownership and increase asset productivity.``
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Founded in 1981, Peregrine provides solutions that enable companies to manage infrastructure, as well as extend next generation e-business capabilities inside the enterprise and across the firewall. As one of the world`s largest software companies, Peregrine helps companies achieve a state of frictionless business and gain competitive advantage.
Its solutions reduce costs, improve profitability and release capital, generating a lasting and measurable impact on the productivity of assets and people.
Peregrine delivers Infrastructure Management solutions that manage the entire lifecycle of an organization`s assets, from IT equipment and fleets of vehicles to telecom and facility assets. Peregrine`s Employee Relationship Management solutions facilitate proactive management and empower employees with anytime/anywhere access to these enterprise resources, services and knowledge, and improve productivity, asset utilisation, and real-time business intelligence. Peregrine`s Business Relationship Management solutions help companies establish a digital dialogue for conducting e-business by automating and integrating the flow of information and business processes among buyers, suppliers and e-marketplaces.
BusinessWeek in 2001 named Peregrine as one of the 100 best performing IT companies. Headquartered in San Diego, California, Peregrine currently has some 4 000 employees located in more than 100 offices worldwide, and its customers include 92% of the Fortune 500 companies. For more information, visit Peregrine`s Web site at www.peregrine.com.
Siemens
Siemens was founded in 1847, and has become a world leader in electrical engineering and electronics. Today, Siemens is on its way to becoming a worldwide leader in e-business, employing 460 000 people in over 190 countries.
Siemens Belgium is one of the core players, if not the market leader, in sectors such as Information and Communications, Automation and Control, Power, Transportation, Medical Solutions, Lighting and Household. In fiscal year 2000 the group booked a turnover of 1.32 billion euro, of which 52% in the Information and Communications area. Siemens offers both products and solutions for the professional and the consumer market. For more information, please visit www.siemens.com or www.siemens.be
Peregrine Systems and AssetCenter are registered trademarks and Get-It is a trademark of Peregrine Systems, Inc. Remedy, Action Request System and AR System are registered trademarks of Peregrine Remedy, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
SOURCE: Peregrine Systems, Inc.; Siemens Business Services (SBS) N.V.
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