Cookson Electronics Cuts Costs, Speeds Implementation, Optimizes IT Resources with TriActive’s Hosted Service for PC, Server Configuration Management

Annual cost savings expected to be well over $1 million, or 16 times its annual investment in TriActive’s system once fully deployed to 3,000 PCs and servers worldwide by Q1 2005

Overview:

Note: All quotes are from Paul DeLuca, director of global infrastructure, Cookson Electronics

Providence, RI-based Cookson Electronics Inc. (www.cooksonelectronics.com), a billion-dollar division of Cookson Group plc and a provider of process solutions for applications in the electronics, semiconductor packaging and printed circuit board assembly industries, has deployed the TriActive Configuration Management Suite to over 2,000 PCs and servers in locations across the US and Europe. Cookson is further deploying to Europe (by end of Q3 2004) and Asia (by Q1 2005) for a global deployment of 3,000 end points in 100 locations.

Cookson’s savings from automated PC asset tracking, faster problem resolution, and reduced dispatch calls from remote management tools are expected to be over $1 million annually, or 16 times its annual investment, once fully deployed worldwide.

As a result of its savings, Cookson has weathered the economy and some IT layoffs, supporting a growing organization with fewer IT resources.

About TriActive Configuration Management Suite: (www.triactive.com)

Delivered in a web-hosted ASP model, TriActive’s Configuration Management Suite, formerly the TriActive Systems Manager, is the only on-demand service for managing desktop and server configurations at small- to mid-market enterprises without the cost, risk or complexity of traditional software.

It includes: asset discovery, IT inventory, remote control, help/service desk, security patch compliance, software distribution, software utilization, self-service Web portal and executive reporting services, all integrated around a unified data warehouse. Components work seamlessly together, drawing from the unified data warehouse.

Cookson Needed:

-	An asset management system to better track hardware/software inventory
-	Remote support of PC users at facilities without a local IT presence to reduce dispatch calls
-	A help desk to track and speed problem resolution better than its homegrown help desk
-	To implement and maintain a system with its limited IT resources

Benefits from TriActive’s Web-Hosted ASP Solution:

• Low Risk, Low Cost, On-Demand Service that’s Easily Deployed:

“We looked at traditional enterprise products like Tivoli, Landesk, and HP Openview that provided the same level of integrated functionality as TriActive, but they were way out of our reach.”

“The cost of TriActive in the first year was less than the consulting fees just to get the others implemented. This doesn’t even include the expense of the software and hardware we’d have to incur to install them in-house.”

Cookson didn’t have the months usually required to get traditional systems running. “It took one day to install TriActive and start benefiting. On the day of deployment, our Chicago IT person was away at training when a user called the Help Desk with a problem. We hadn’t yet brought Chicago up, but within minutes, we were able to deploy TriActive’s MicroAgent to that user’s computer and use TriActive’s remote tools to fix the problem.”

• Efficiency of Shared Data Across Help Desk, Asset Management Helps Diagnose, Solve Problems Faster:

“TriActive’s auto-scanner collected our IT asset hardware and software data then plugged it into all the applications for our team to access via the Web. It’s data that’s needed everywhere so this is very efficient.”

“We also wanted to avoid the inefficiency of point products that didn’t share data and had different reporting solutions. TriActive’s solution is efficient, integrated and delivers data that helps us make better decisions.”

“TriActive helps us fight Spyware. A user reported problems to the help desk and with TriActive’s asset management tool, we discovered Malware on her PC. Not only that, but the TriActive feature that allows us to click to see if the same software is installed elsewhere identified seventeen other infected PCs.”

“A user recently reported printing problems. Before visiting the PC or printer in question, our technician used asset management and diagnosed within seconds that the culprit was actually low hard drive space on the PC.”

• Minimal Impact on Network Bandwidth, Small Footprint:

“TriActive’s impact on network bandwidth is minimal, unlike other enterprise products. Also of importance is that TriActive’s MicroAgent occupies only a small footprint on each workstation.”

The Payback:

Cookson Electronics was conservative in its estimated savings of $542,000 in year one based on its USA deployment. The company expects the savings to triple to well over $1 million annually, or 16 times its annual investment, as it brings up Europe and Asia and reaches full deployment to 3,000 end points.

•	Cookson Saved Hard Dollars From:
	-	Remote tools that eliminated travel expenses ($1100/trip) to solve problems at sites without IT staff.
	-	Software utilization tool that flagged unused Microsoft Project licenses to redeploy.
•	Cookson Realized Productivity Gains for its Seventeen IT Professionals From:
	-	Automating manual processes that took many man-hours, freeing up the IT team to focus on other projects. TriActive automates hardware/software inventory, server monitoring and software upgrades.
	-	10% faster problem solving from efficiency of shared data across help desk, asset management and remote control tools. (Note: IDC projects a 30% increase in efficiency by integrating these capabilities.)
	-	Remote resolution eliminating 20 hours of travel per month to solve problems at sites without IT staff.
•	Cookson Realized Productivity Gains for its PC End Users by:
	-	Reducing their downtime by 25% (from 4 to 3 hours per month) from faster problem resolution.

Payback from New TriActive Tools:

•	“We expect TriActive’s new Software Distribution, Patch Distribution and Security Compliance tools to save man hours as we automate new software distribution as well as patching to prevent security exposures.”

	In summer 2004, Cookson first automated the distribution of its applications, eliminating manual installation.

•	“We’ll go with Gartner’s formula to project savings from TriActive’s new Patch Management. In Gartner’s May 30, 2003 report, ‘Patch Management is a Fast Growing Market,’ the firm ‘estimates it costs $300,000 a year to manually deploy patches to 1000 machines.”

What Differentiates TriActive?

“They are attentive to customers’ needs. We told them early 2004 we needed the tools in local Europe and Asia languages before we rolled them out internationally. It took TriActive only two months to ready German, French and Spanish. The two Chinese languages will be ready within only six months from when we requested them.”

“The technology actually works as advertised and is easy to implement. This is also a perfect application of the ASP model. TriActive has a clear roadmap and continuously upgrades the product. Upgrades are transparent and require no work on our end. All the services are tightly integrated, easy to use and, unlike traditional system management tools, TriActive is affordable. TriActive has allowed us to do more with less.”

Underlying Technology Enables Rapid Deployment:

TriActive’s patented MicroAgent® technology enables rapid deployment. Initiated from one desktop at the customer’s site, the MicroAgent auto-discovers other desktops and servers throughout the enterprise, enabling them to access the services hosted in TriActive’s Network Operations Center. It is non-intrusive to PC user activities, and can collect data even when devices are off-line, automatically updating once back on-line.

The TriActive Configuration Management Suite consists of:

•	TriCenterTM, the centerpiece of the TriActive Configuration Management Suite, includes asset discovery, IT inventory, remote control, executive reporting, self-service portal, and help/service desk components. All these components are integrated around a unified configuration data warehouse.
•	TriActive Software Distribution
•	TriActive Software Utilization
•	TriActive Patch Management (Security Compliance & Patch Distribution)

Cookson Electronics, Inc. Contact:

Paul DeLuca, Director Global Infrastructure
508.698.7216
pdeluca@cooksonelectronics.com

Cookson Electronics, Inc. Contact:

Michelle Moody,Moody & Associates
214.363.3460
michellemoody@charter.net