ScriptLogic and New Boundry Release New Product Versions

One of ScriptLogic Desktop Authority 8's biggest additions is machine-level management. Nick Cavalancia, VP of Windows Management for ScriptLogic, said competing products manage on a computer basis, but before this version, Desktop Authority always managed on a per-user basis. With the new version, Desktop Authority can manage on both user and machine levels, so you can have "accounting machines" that get configured in a certain way, "accounting users" whose computers get configured a certain way, or a combination of both at once.

Desktop Authority 8 also adds an improved Wake on LAN (WOL) function. Cavalancia said the new WOL function helps address some of the limitations of WOL technology by using agents on multiple subnets to send WOL packets. This works like a peer-to-peer network and is a better way to make sure your computers actually wake up for their maintenance.

With this version, ScriptLogic is releasing a System Center edition of their product. Cavalancia said many companies already have licenses for System Center because of Microsoft's licensing packages, so they're reluctant to purchase a product like Desktop Authority that overlaps with some of System Center's functions. The new edition comes with a lower price and includes only the Desktop Authority functions that don't overlap with System Center.

Desktop Authority 8 starts at $39 and the System Center edition starts at $29, with discounts for both products available with volume purchases. It has been fully tested on Windows Server 2008 R2 and while it hasn't been fully tested on Windows 7, Cavalancia said a new version that is should be available very shortly.

Prism Suite 10

New Boundary Technologies' Prism Suite 10 also launched today. According to a release from the company, this version adds tracking of individual license usage, to help research which employees are actually using licensed products. It also includes network discovery and inventory management tools. A demo of Prism Suite 10 is available from New Boundary's site.

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