Altiris Pioneers New Approach to Software Delivery in Highly Distributed Enterprise Environments

Altiris Pioneers New Approach to Software Delivery in Highly Distributed Enterprise Environments

New Release of Altiris(R) Software Delivery Solution(TM) Now Supports More Scalable, Efficient and Secure Software Distribution Via Intelligent Network Devices

SALT LAKE CITY, Jan. 26 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Altiris, Inc. (NASDAQ:ATRS), a pioneer of IT lifecycle management solutions that reduce the total cost of owning IT resources, today announced the new release of Altiris(R) Software Delivery Solution(TM). This release enables more scalable, efficient and secure software distribution to highly distributed desktops, laptops and servers via intelligent network devices. Software Delivery Solution 6.1 provides Altiris customers with an enterprise solution for delivery of software packages and includes multicast distribution, task sequencing and dynamic bandwidth throttling.

Select Altiris enterprise customers use Altiris management software combined with the Cisco Application and Content Networking System (ACNS) solution to achieve near 100 percent software patch penetration combined with optimal network bandwidth utilization. The Altiris solution takes advantage of the Cisco ACNS infrastructure to offer enterprise-class scalability while providing policy-based software distribution for applications and software change packages.

For example, the world leader in the production and marketing of protein products is an Altiris and Cisco ACNS customer and has about 12,000 nodes to manage around the world. With more than 400 locations, many of which are very remote and running at minimal bandwidth, software and patch distribution has always been a balancing act between protecting bandwidth for business needs and using bandwidth for software and IT management.

The release of Windows XP SP2 motivated this customer to find a more efficient method to distribute large software packages. The combined Altiris and Cisco ACNS solution allowed them to significantly reduce maintenance requirements and reduce network bandwidth consumption while allowing other groups within their IT organization, like training, to use the ACNS architecture for things like video and other content delivery.

So far, the customer has upgraded thousands of Windows XP machines to SP2 within a matter of days, with no adverse affect on the WAN. After the SP2 rollout is complete, they will use Altiris and Cisco ACNS to upgrade all PCs, even at remote locations, to Microsoft Office 2003. They also expect that small software packages like patches will deploy even faster than before.

Altiris solutions have met the Cisco Technology Developer Program test criteria for interoperability with the Cisco ACNS solution. Altiris joined the Cisco Technology Developer Program as a Cisco content networking participant.

Through participation in the Cisco Technology Developer Program, Altiris Software Delivery Solution provides enterprise customers with a scalable and efficient solution for distribution of software packages to highly distributed, mobile computing environments. The combined solution helps eliminate remote file server administration and security concerns for a more efficient approach to enterprise software management.

Altiris enables targeted end-point distribution of software packages through capabilities like multicast, task sequencing and bandwidth throttling while integrating with the Cisco ACNS solution to ensure the package is sourced from the nearest possible content engine.

William Synder, Meta Group senior program director, said, "With software vulnerabilities and viruses threatening business continuity and data security, IT organizations are looking to established suppliers for streamlined, innovative solutions for software and patch management. Next generation software and content distribution systems must be able to specifically target and efficiently reach the diverse intermittently connected devices on the edge of the network while preserving network bandwidth."

Cisco Technology Developer Content Networking partner solutions provide customers with a variety of tools and applications for enabling rich services such as software distribution, Web application acceleration, security, business video, e-learning, and point-of-sale video delivery using existing IP networks. Cisco Technology Developer Partner applications are tested by partners to determine interoperability in accordance with specified test criteria with the Cisco ACNS Software, which runs on content engines, content distribution managers, content routers and IP/TV(R) broadcast and control servers.

Rob Wellman, Altiris VP of strategic alliance sales, said, "The combination of leading content delivery technologies from Altiris and Cisco helps our customers more efficiently realize secure computing environments. Working with Cisco through the Cisco Technology Developer Program will promote the continued development and integration of security solutions to help IT organizations combat the billions of dollars in security related costs resulting from increasing threats to information technology."

Baruch Deutsch, Director of Product Management for Cisco ACNS, went on to say, "Cisco supports open, standards-based architectures and shares a commitment to interoperable solutions with Altiris. Through this vision the Cisco Technology Developer Program delivers the power of choice to enterprises -- the ability to extend the Cisco end-to-end architecture with our participants' products and technologies. With Cisco Technology Developer Partner offerings such as Altiris Software Delivery Solution, customers can deploy a broad range of business solutions that foster innovation and drive rapid adoption of business-critical technologies."

Licensing and availability

Altiris Software Delivery Solution 6.1 will be available this month at an MSRP of $29 per node with volume discounts available and no charge for the server components. Software Delivery Solution is also a component of Altiris Client Management Suite(TM). For more information or to contact a local Altiris sales representative, please visit www.altiris.com/sales.

About Altiris

Altiris, Inc. is a pioneer of IT lifecycle management software that allows IT organizations to easily manage desktops, notebooks, thin clients, handhelds, industry-standard servers, and heterogeneous software including Windows, Linux and UNIX. Altiris automates and simplifies IT projects throughout the life of an asset to reduce the cost and complexity of management. Altiris client and mobile, server, and asset management solutions natively integrate via a common Web-based console and repository. For more information, visit www.altiris.com.

Note on Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Section 27A of the United States Securities Act of 1933, including, but not limited to, our statement that working with Cisco through the Cisco AVVID program will promote the continued development and integration of security solutions. These forward-looking statements involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ, including, but not limited to, deterioration in our relationship with Cisco; our inaccurate assessment of the market opportunities; and such other risks as identified in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the period ended September 30, 2004, and from time to time in other reports filed by Altiris with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Altiris is a registered trademark of Altiris, Inc. in the U.S. and in other countries. Client Management Suite and Software Delivery Solution are trademarks of Altiris, Inc. The other company names or products mentioned are or may be trademarks of their respective owners.


Source: Altiris, Inc.

CONTACT: Rhett Glauser of Altiris Inc., +1-801-805-1131,
rglauser@altiris.com; or Elyce Ventura of Bite Communications,
+1-415-365-0360, elyce.ventura@bitepr.com, for Altiris, Inc.

Web site: http://www.altiris.com/sales

Web site: http://www.altiris.com/


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