Miramar Ships Desktop DNA Migration Software For SMB, Enterprise Markets
Miramar Systems
Desktop DNA Professional, unveiled Monday, will make it easier for VARs and solution providers to save and re-deploy user and system settings, application settings, bookmarked Web sites, toolbars, documents, files and folders during a PC upgrade or migration to Windows 2000 Professional or Windows XP, the company said.
The software, for example, migrates users' printer and network settings, e-mail files, contact lists, Web sites and other settings to reduce downtime during the desktop migration process.
The offering marks Miramar's first product optimized for the SMB market and allows resellers and VARs to move user settings without too much complexity or customization, said Harry Rabin, vice president of corporate development for Miramar. The new release is based on Miramar's more complex Desktop DNA Enterprise version.
"It makes the VARs' job easier and cuts costs for customers while allowing partners to generate higher margins," said Ronan Vance, director of channel sales for the Santa Barbara, Calif.-based company, which is building a channel program for its professional version. "Solution providers want a less complex version with less customization and services needed. "
On Monday, the company also unveiled an enhanced version of its enterprise version, Desktop DNA Enterprise Edition 4.0, which features a Migration Management Toolkit, a suite of utilities that enables IT professionals to determine their degree of control over the migration process, support proprietary applications, and perform migration analysis. The toolkit also offers a wizard-driven tool called DNA Director that walks IT professionals through a customized migration process. It also offers improved migration support for Windows 9.X desktop settings to Windows 2000 or Windows XP.
The professional version features a user-friendly wizard interface, migration progress and summary screens, as well as self-extracting DNA files feature that allows users to point and click to apply desktop settings, files and folders to a new system. In addition, the automatic media spanning feature enables the transfer of large amounts of data across multiple pieces of the same removable media such as CD-ROM, Zip disk or floppy. An undo option allows users to restore a system to its original settings in one click.
Toshiba America's services arm is using the enterprise and professional versions to offer new services options for migrating laptop settings, and plans to make it available to its reseller channel as well, said Kevin Johnson, director of services for Toshiba America.
"The professional version [of Desktop DNA is feature-rich, but it has a more simplified approach. You can answer a few basic questions and go and execute a migration," said Johnson. "As a VAR, I can have a standard [services offering for a fixed fee, such as a one-gigabyte migration of user settings for X amount of dollars, or I can set up a template for the end users and let them do their own migration."
Miramar's existing DNA Desktop Enterprise Edition has been used by large systems integrators to assist in the PC and operating system upgrade process for large organizations including Proctor and Gamble, GM, Deutsche Telecom, Lockheed Martin, the U.S. Navy and British Telecom, the company said. Miramar works with large systems integrators including EDS and Avanade and claims to have sold one million licenses for its Desktop DNA. Miramar's Desktop DNA technology was awarded a patent from the U.S. government in April.
Pricing for Desktop DNA Enterprise Edition begins at $32 per seat for a 500-seat or greater implementation. Desktop DNA Professional pricing begins at $27 per seat for the 10- to 99-seat level.
While the economic downturn has impacted the uptake of Windows 2000 and Windows XP, desktop migrations continue to be strong in corporate and consumer markets, Miramar said. "It's a recession-proof technology," said Rabin. " Even if they're not buying new hardware, they're doing wipe and reloads."