SupportSoft Introduces Enhanced IT Asset Management Solution with ClearView Analytics(email this article)

ORLANDO, Fla., Gartner ITxpo, Oct. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- SupportSoft (Company Profile, Past Stories, Case Studies) (Nasdaq: SPRT - News) today introduced the latest version of its Auto Discovery and Metering(TM) (ADM) software featuring new ClearView Analytics(TM) technology. With ADM, IT organizations now have the ability to discover, inventory and meter a company's hardware and software assets in real-time with one solution -- versus the typical approach of using multiple tools from different vendors. The result is the ability for faster asset identification, easier access to inventory information and overall optimization of a company's IT assets.

Businesses are pressured to look for ways to maximize the return on their current IT infrastructure without reducing their value to users, accentuated by a downturn in spending for new assets and the growing imperative to accelerate the "real-time enterprise" through a standardized IT environment. According to Gartner, a leading IT research firm, organizations that simplify their IT environments will improve service and lower TCO as much as 30%. SupportSoft's Auto Discovery and Metering solution helps makes this simplification possible by integrating the 3 key elements for effective IT asset management: discovery, inventory and metering.

Automated Discovery

SupportSoft's solution can provide a highly precise and automated discovery of hardware and software assets company-wide via the Web with a zero footprint solution. This avoids the need to deploy software, helping eliminate time-consuming "walk-arounds" for manual inventory, or relying on static, point-in-time asset information from an enterprise repository. Asset characteristics discovered could include complete hardware, operating systems and applications information; the software can also be easily customized to capture specialized data.

Complete and Accessible Inventory

Once discovered, the asset inventory is organized into one digital repository for easy operational and compliance reporting. SupportSoft's ClearView Analytics system can provide over 30 standard reports for actionable insights. And native support for XML enables an IT organization to quickly create custom views based on specific needs. Whether a standard or customized format is used, data can be exported into popular enterprise reporting tools such as Microsoft Excel and Crystal Reports. Also, reports can be programmed for automated distribution via email; giving IT managers the information they need for better asset utilization and upgrade decisions.

Metering Designed to Management Needs

Lastly, SupportSoft's Auto Discovery and Metering software can provide the ability to meter asset usage to determine whether the software is deployed to the right individuals, being utilized or in compliance with a company's IT policies and licensing agreements. This ability to meter asset usage can enable organizations to reduce the costs incurred when IT staff lack the ability to determine usage. Further, management can take proactive action to block usage of unauthorized software, ensuring policy compliance and avoiding costly problems later.

According to Gartner, Inc., a leading IT research firm, organizations spend 72-78% of their total IT budget on supporting baseline applications and required infrastructure components. Maximizing the current asset base can result in as much as a 20% reduction in baseline costs."(1)

"Critical to the success of the real-time enterprise is a standardized IT environment that makes it less susceptible to unanticipated technical problems that can stop business processes before they get started," said Chris Grejtak, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, SupportSoft. "With Auto Discovery and Metering companies can pinpoint potential problems before they occur, adjust their IT infrastructure accordingly and avoid costly support issues later."

Like all SupportSoft component products, Auto Discovery and Metering is built upon the Company's Real-Time Service Management software platform, to ensure easy integration with the Company's Resolution Suite, SupportSoft's flagship product for enterprise support automation, as well as other company product offerings. SupportSoft's newest version of Auto Discovery and Metering software with ClearView Analytics functionality is now available for customer purchase.

SupportSoft will unveil the Real-Time Service Management platform October 20th at Gartner ITxpo. Demonstrations can be seen at booth #533.

About SupportSoft

SupportSoft is a leading provider of real-time service management software designed to accelerate and automate enterprise technical support, customer service and IT infrastructure management. Enterprises that have purchased our products and services include: ADP, Bank of America, Cisco Systems, IBM, Procter & Gamble, Siebel Systems, Sony and Thomson Financial. Managed service providers that have purchased our products to provide outsourced services to enterprises include: Accenture, ACS, CompuCom, CSC, IBM Global Services and Perot Systems. Digital service providers incorporating our software into their service offerings include: Adelphia Communications, BellSouth, Charter Communications, Comcast Communications, Cox Communications, SBC Communications and TeliaSonera. For more information, please visit www.supportsoft.com.

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, statements relating to the availability of and anticipated features and benefits of our new and enhanced products, the pressure for businesses to maximize their return on their IT infrastructure, the perceived benefits to organizations of simplifying their IT environments, the anticipated cost savings to organizations of maximizing their asset base and the importance of standardized IT environments to the success of real-time enterprises. These forward-looking statements may be identified by use of the terms "will," "allows", "designed to," "helps," "can," "may," "to" and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in these forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to the technical challenges and time and effort to deploy the solution, customer acceptance of the product, the rapid pace of technological change, the impact of continued economic downturns in either domestic or foreign markets, the impact of competition and other sales, marketing, and development challenges. A discussion of the risks and uncertainties that could affect SupportSoft are more fully set forth in the risks factors detailed from time to time in our SEC reports. Statements included in this release are based upon information known to SupportSoft as of the date of this release, and SupportSoft assumes no obligation to update information contained in this press release.