EDS, Microsoft Partner for Pay-for-Use Desktop Model

EDS is partnering with Microsoft Corp. to offer a new model for desktop management services. The companies
said they will be offering a pay-for use, utility-based desktop solutions,
that will lower costs and improve efficiencies through customization.

EDS is calling the service myCOE, or “my Consistent Office Environment,” a
utility-based solution which the company calls a “new user-centric service,”
in a press release.

The new EDS-Microsoft service marks an emerging new model for the computer
hardware-software market, where enterprises can customize their individual
desktops based on specific job needs, rather than bundling machines with the
same applications suite.

“myCOE shifts up-front capital investment costs to smaller, incremental
costs on a pay-for-use basis. This tailoring of services allows an
enterprise, business unit, work unit or individual user to choose corporate
applications and services based on their job roles and their own personal
preferences, using only what they need, when they need it,” EDS said.

By allowing enterprises on distributed networks to customize applications
for their desktops, the expectation is their will be cost-savings and
improved productivity efficiencies.

“The new service offering enables enhanced business agility by providing
greater visibility into IT costs at the point of consumption. Business users
can make the direct link between IT investment and business value, and can
remove the cost of excess capacity to scale up or down as business
situations demand,” EDS said.

EDS Desktop Services is positioning myCOE as a secure and stable environment
for any mobile or desktop work to connect to a suite of the company’s
infrastructure and services.

“myCOE uses a robust web portal interface to provision and automate delivery
of desktop applications and services. myCOE utilizes a combination of
committed baseline service bundles, monthly subscription pricing for
intermittently used applications (project or collaboration tools for
example), and a per service incident or capacity rate structure for
consumption-based services such as storage, help desk, online training and
other applications. It provides anytime, anywhere secure seamless access to
support mobile workers, e-business and multi-provider environments using a
wide variety of access devices,” EDS said.

As enterprises move to automate the deployment of Windows XP, Office and
other desktop applications, and integrates EDS’s desktop solutions with
Microsoft’s Solution Accelerator for Business Desktop Deployment.

“EDS and Microsoft also worked together on developing Microsoft’s zero-
touch provisioning technology that provides remote deployment capability for
Microsoft operating system upgrades and associated tasks. Tasks for
deploying Windows XP and Office XP that previously required manual
intervention are now almost totally automated and can be completed in an
unattended manner, making desktop deployment easier and more cost
efficient,” EDS said.

In a separate press release from Microsoft, the company said by using its
“Solution Accelerator” users can reduce deployment task for Windows XP
Professional, Office XP and Office Professional Edition 2003.

“The new Microsoft Services zero touch service builds on Business Desktop
Deployment to completely automate the installation process and adds a
provisioning engine to enable outsourcing partners to build new managed
desktop solutions,” Microsoft said.

Microsoft goes onto say “the Solution Accelerator for BDD offers
prescriptive directions for using existing deployment tools. The accelerator
helps enterprises plan and manage their entire upgrade process, with best
practices, scripts and operational guidance for tasks such as organizing a
deployment team, setting up a pilot program and managing application
migration. The Solution Accelerator for BDD also enables outsourcing
partners to implement deployment solutions and value-added services using
repeatable best practices customizable to the customer’s needs.”

Microsoft’s “zero touch” service enables enterprises to handle both
“installation and provisioning” across their networks.

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