Intel VPro is BIOS level control. It supposely allows:

1. Power state control - Turn the system off or on as you please. Power on, install patches, and then power off. You name your task. You should be able to do it in the off hours.
2. Reboot - Now you can reboot that hung system.
3. BIOS upgrades - Previously these couldn't always be done remotely. These could be tricky at times too.
4. Boot device configuration - System will not boot from hard drive, switch it to boot from a network image. You should be able to troubleshoot or clean a virus from it remotely. Or better yet re-image the system remotely.

It sounds like common reasons for on-site visit just droped much lower. Now you only will have to go on-site to move equipment around or to talk face to face with the customer.

I'm very interested to see how Kaseya taps in to this new Intel feature.

Matt


Legacy Forum Name: Sales and Marketing,
Legacy Posted By Username: connectex

Do you have one of the machines with vPro yet?

Legacy Forum Name: Sales and Marketing,
Legacy Posted By Username: jimalves

No, I don't have one myself nor access to one at any of my clientel sites yet. I know the Intel Q965 chipset has VPro technology. Since I sell mostly Dell systems, I know the Optiplex 745 model has the Q965 chipset. I'm quite interested in the technology. Most of my knowledge and interest came from a white paper I got a SMB Nation in September and Intel's web site.

Matt


Legacy Forum Name: Sales and Marketing,
Legacy Posted By Username: connectex

They are just releasing production boards now. The mfgs haven't released any of the machines yet. We have been working with the technology with Intel for the past few months and will have an annoucement soon on what features Kaseya will utilize if you have machines that support the vPro technology. Also, be aware there are two flavors, an Enterprise and SMB version. The SMB version is most likely what most people in the channel will receive from the mfgs.

Legacy Forum Name: Sales and Marketing,
Legacy Posted By Username: jimalves

Does Kaseya have plans to support vPro? If yes then when and what features?

Thanks,

Quinn


Legacy Forum Name: Sales and Marketing,
Legacy Posted By Username: quinn

We are still in a wait and see mode. The only real benefit it provides is to wake up a machine.

Legacy Forum Name: Sales and Marketing,
Legacy Posted By Username: jimalves

The white paper I read mentioned BIOS upgrades, changing boot configuration (i.e. network boot instead of hard drive), and some type of remote control (regardless of the state of the OS). But that's in the white paper.




Legacy Forum Name: Sales and Marketing,
Legacy Posted By Username: connectex

Here is a paper that talks some about Kaseya and vPro: http://www.securemycompany.com/docs/Kaseya_Intel_VPro.pdf
Is this something that SecureMyCompany has added to Kaseya or something that Kaseya is implementing? It is written as though it is a present reality. LPI is currently bragging about their new vPro capabilities.

My understanding is vPro should enable the following functions: remote power-up,power-down or reboot, console redirection, managed alerting, access to pre-boot BIOS settings and persistent local storage of hardware and configuration data. These can all be done independent of the OS or power state.

These items would extend the ability of what we can do remotely. Patches could be installed or maintenance performed at night even if the user turned off the machine. Computers could be hardware reset without asking the user to press the power button. Errors preventing OS boot could be seen remotely and BIOS settings changed. Malware monitoring that is outside the OS and hopefully outside the malware’s influence. Malware could be cleaned up while outside the OS. Systems could be redirected to be booted from an alternate source such as a network image for troubleshooting purposes. Machines would be able to be remotely accessed even after RDP or VNC stop taking connections. All these items and more could be performed remotely that are currently show stoppers unless we send techs onsite or get the cooperation of the local user.

From a remote support perspective, I would argue that there are lots of benefits beyond “waking up a machine”. I would further argue, these benefits are the very type of things that caused people to purchase Kaseya in the first place and are natural extensions which Kaseya would be interested in harnessing.

Quinn


Legacy Forum Name: Sales and Marketing,
Legacy Posted By Username: quinn

FWIW: The Intel V-Pro PDF was orginally posted on the Kaseya website (and could still be there, but I can't find it!). It is also available on Intel's website and a few other 3rd-party sites.

Frank Hughes
SecureMyCompany, Inc.


Legacy Forum Name: Sales and Marketing,
Legacy Posted By Username: bellcpa

The document you referenced lookslike the white paper Iwas given at a conference in September by an Intel representive.In the white paper it did not specifically mention any MSP software products. It look like this onehas been updated to include Kaseya logos and some Kaseya product information. But it's essentially the same content.

Legacy Forum Name: Sales and Marketing,
Legacy Posted By Username: connectex