Intel Online Automates Control

Intel says its online services are so good they practically run themselves.

The Santa Clara, Calif.-based chip making giant Monday says its Online Services division has released a new automated service technology that lets companies remotely manage and add services.

The technology, known as Intel Open Control Technology, gives customers and system integrators shared management and flexible control of e-Business solutions, whether they are located in an Intel Online Services data center, a customer data center or other third-party facility.

The new patent-pending technology has been in development for the last several years at Intel. It includes a controller that allows hardware, operating system, applications, storage and network infrastructure to be managed as a single unit, called a “customer pod.”

Intel Online Services manages the operations of that pod and works with the customer to automate routine and administrative tasks, such as repairing, troubleshooting and server provisioning.

“Enterprise customers have varying levels of information technology experience and want to outsource a range of e-Business integration, operations and management capabilities without losing control of their business,” says Intel Online Services president Dalibor Vrsalovic. “Our automation technology alleviates those fears by putting control back into the hands of the customer without compromising reliability or performance.”

Intel Open Control Technology is currently being piloted with several customers. The technology is a key ingredient in a new family of its AppChoice Managed Services and is expected to be available in the first half of 2002.