Dell enhanced its server deployments and saved money by implementing Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS) 2003, according to Dell IT executive LaVerne Council, in a keynote speech today. As a member of the Microsoft Joint Development Program, Dell is a longtime beta-tester and user of SMS technology to manage more than 8,000 Dell PowerEdge servers and more than 35,000 clients globally. Because of this close collaboration with Microsoft, customers will be able to use SMS 2003 with Dell OpenManage software to distribute patches for operating system, application and server-system software such as bios and drivers. "The ability to more easily support both local and remote systems on a global basis is critical to maximize our resources and deliver the highest service levels to our internal and external customers," said Council. "By migrating to SMS 2003, Dell was able to use fewer SMS servers, decrease costs associated with software updates and distribution, patch management and improve remote user support." Dell began the SMS 2003 rollout to servers and clients in September 2003 and finished server installation, server configuration and client migration in the United States, Japan and Asia Pacific within four months. The deployment in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) is scheduled for completion this year. Benefits of the SMS migration include: • New Active Directory functionality allowed Dell to consolidate five geographically separate SMS hierarchies into one, which resulted in significant cost savings. • New automated patch-management features in SMS 2003 provide hot fixes and updates, saving hundreds of man-hours annually and additional cost savings associated with manual updates and processes. • New capabilities to support remote and local systems have enabled Dell to bring thousands of remote systems into its global SMS hierarchy. • Help-desk personnel now use a standardized support model for all employees instead of maintaining separate practices for on-campus and remote employees. For more information about Dell and Microsoft please visit www.dell.com/microsoft.