SEATTLE, WA - SmartDeploy, a leader in IT management solutions, software and services, today announced the expansion of its new partner and channel program. The SmartDeploy Partner Program now provides resellers and partners with additional competitive pricing, resources and support to address customer problems around deploying and managing desktops and servers even in the most diverse environments.

The SmartDeploy Partner Program is tiered and designed to offer customization of benefits to align with a partner’s goals. SmartDeploy license sales and associated services will add new business opportunities to SmartDeploy’s partners’ portfolios and improves their bottom line.

The SmartDeploy Partner Program offers its partners the hardware-independent imaging solution, SmartDeploy Enterprise, to reduce the cost, time, and IT level of effort required to perform OS and application deployment. SmartDeploy Enterprise uses a wizard-based interface to simplify and expedite deployment, allowing IT technicians to spend less time on system updates and maintenance and more time on strategic projects.

Newly-enlisted partners include: Bear Data Solutions, MicroAge, SoftwareOne, and WinMill.

“Having the access to a new product and technology such as SmartDeploy Enterprise helps with our clients who are considering OS and application deployment” said Tracey Hayes, MicroAge’s Vice President of Sales. “With the benefits that the SmartDeploy Partner Program offers, it helps to enable our sales team with tools and resources and strengthens our partnership with SmartDeploy.

“Our channel program has been successful because it is profitable for our partners. We are broadening the program to make it even easier for partners to engage and win as we prepare to scale globally,” said Aaron Suzuki, CEO of SmartDeploy. “Our newest program benefits include a partner portal, more dedicated support and sales staff, and a range of additional incentives. We are looking for partners who can apply SmartDeploy in their practice to help their customers get an even greater return on current and future IT investments.”

For more information on the partnership program, contact Spencer Dunford, Director of Sales for SmartDeploy, at dunford@smartdeploy.com. Follow us on Twitter @SmartDeploy.

About SmartDeploy
SmartDeploy is the recognized leader in providing IT systems management solutions that reduce the time, cost, and complexity of managing Windows clients and servers. By using the patented technologies and advanced architecture offered in SmartDeploy software, IT administrators and managers across all industries can take full advantage of the most flexible, efficient, and reliable approaches available to simplify business-critical Windows IT management functions. The company’s growing ecosystem of channel partners rely on SmartDeploy to grow business and maximize productivity through high quality, reliable solutions that their customers demand. SmartDeploy is a private company based in Seattle, WA. For more information, visit www.smartdeploy.com and follow us on Twitter @SmartDeploy.

SEATTLE, WA - SmartDeploy, a leader in IT management solutions, software and services, today announced its upcoming webcast scheduled for Tuesday, April 17 at 1:00 p.m. EDT titled “Five Ways to Improve your Windows Deployment Strategy.” SmartDeploy CEO Aaron Suzuki and his team of deployment experts will share the latest best practices and highlight five changes IT departments can incorporate immediately to simplify and streamline deployment projects.

Windows deployment best practices have clearly evolved.  By not altering current deployment strategies, organizations run the risk of operating inefficiently. Whether you’re involved with new employee onboarding, PC break-fix or Windows migration projects, organizations should examine the existing procedures and adopt a deployment strategy that will maximize all of the IT resources.

In this webcast attendees will learn:

• How deployment best practices have changed over time
• Five ways to improve your deployment strategy now
• How the leading deployment software tools measure up
• How to get a pair of free Skullcandy INK’d ear buds

“There are so many options available to handle all sorts of Windows deployment tasks,” said Suzuki. “Organizations need to take a step back and re-evaluate the current processes that are in place to make sure they’ve accurately identified the cost, time and resources required for their deployment projects. From there, they can adjust to make sure their processes are as quick and efficient as possible.”

For details and registration, please visit the registration page. Follow us on Twitter @SmartDeploy.

About SmartDeploy
SmartDeploy is the recognized leader in providing IT systems management solutions that reduce the time, cost, and complexity of managing Windows clients and servers. By using the patented technologies and advanced architecture offered in SmartDeploy software, IT administrators and managers across all industries can take full advantage of the most flexible, efficient, and reliable approaches available to simplify business-critical Windows IT management functions. The company’s growing ecosystem of channel partners rely on SmartDeploy to grow business and maximize productivity through high quality, reliable solutions that their customers demand. SmartDeploy is a private company based in Seattle, WA. For more information, visit www.smartdeploy.com and follow us on Twitter @SmartDeploy.

SEATTLE, WA - SmartDeploy, a leader in IT management solutions, software and services, today announced its upcoming webcast scheduled for Wednesday, March 21 at 1:00 p.m. EDT titled “Simplified Solutions to Common IT Scenarios: New Employee Onboarding & Break-Fix Resolution.” The SmartDeploy team of deployment experts will discuss the hurdles commonly associated with these tasks and how to simplify and streamline the resolution process.

IT departments waste countless hours or even days trying to troubleshoot a PC problem only to realize they need to flatten and reload the machine to successfully resolve the issue. Many organizations view reloading machines as a last resort because of the lack of confidence in the reliability and accuracy of their system images. As an image library grows, regular image updates often occur less frequently because of bulky, unreliable imaging software solutions.

In this webcast attendees will learn:

• Why reimaging can be more efficient and reliable than troubleshooting
• How to make new employee setup quick and easy
• Which software tools streamline frequent IT tasks

“Organizations waste countless IT hours trying to fix problems that can be quickly and easily resolved by performing a simple reimage of the computer,” said Aaron Suzuki, CEO of SmartDeploy. “Our team will discuss valuable tips such as simply implementing an IT policy to help minimize frustration and lost time, and show the benefits of streamlining these tasks with the available software tools.”

For details and registration, please visit the registration page. Follow us on Twitter @SmartDeploy.

About SmartDeploy
SmartDeploy is the recognized leader in providing IT systems management solutions that reduce the time, cost, and complexity of managing Windows clients and servers. By using the patented technologies and advanced architecture offered in SmartDeploy software, IT administrators and managers across all industries can take full advantage of the most flexible, efficient, and reliable approaches available to simplify business-critical Windows IT management functions. The company’s growing ecosystem of channel partners rely on SmartDeploy to grow business and maximize productivity through high quality, reliable solutions that their customers demand. SmartDeploy is a private company based in Seattle, WA. For more information, visit www.smartdeploy.com and follow us on Twitter @SmartDeploy.

SEATTLE, WA – SmartDeploy, a leader in IT management solutions, software and services, today announced its upcoming webcast scheduled for Wednesday, February 29 at 1:00 p.m. EST titled “Device Drivers Part 3: Why can’t the same drivers work across multiple manufacturers?” The SmartDeploy team will compare the driver packaging methods used by Dell, HP, and Lenovo. Attendees will receive guidance on creating a streamlined driver management strategy to maximize productivity of the IT staff as well as performance of the target device.

Having an efficient device driver management strategy becomes increasingly important as organizations are being required to manage more and more unique models of computers. Most organizations use a “blob” method of driver management, where they include all available drivers for their target devices into a reference image. This common method can be inefficient to setup and often results in poor performing endpoint computers which in turn translates into additional troubleshooting for the IT staff that can quickly turn into weeks of lost productivity.

In this webcast attendees will:

• Identify risks that exist in their current driver management strategy
• See a live comparison of INF files from different manufacturers
• Learn how SmartDeploy dramatically simplifies driver management

“Drivers are the leading source of problems for our customers. Injecting unnecessary drivers during deployment can produce unpredictable results and lead to costly troubleshooting time and immeasurable IT frustration,” said Aaron Suzuki, CEO of SmartDeploy. “Our philosophy is to take a clean, streamlined approach to Windows deployment. Our engineers will share some inside tips for reducing overall deployment time, simplifying driver management, and minimizing unexpected problems.”

For details and registration, please visit the registration page. Follow us on Twitter @SmartDeploy.

About SmartDeploy
SmartDeploy is the recognized leader in providing IT systems management solutions that reduce the time, cost, and complexity of managing Windows clients and servers. By using the patented technologies and advanced architecture offered in SmartDeploy software, IT administrators and managers across all industries can take full advantage of the most flexible, efficient, and reliable approaches available to simplify business-critical Windows IT management functions. The company’s growing ecosystem of channel partners rely on SmartDeploy to grow business and maximize productivity through high quality, reliable solutions that their customers demand. SmartDeploy is a private company based in Seattle, WA. For more information, visit www.smartdeploy.com and follow us on Twitter @SmartDeploy.

SEATTLE, WA and NEW YORK, NY  – SmartDeploy, a leader in IT management solutions, software and services, today announced a partnership with WinMill, the premier resource for systems development and integration, expert consulting, quality assurance, technology infrastructure, and software resale.

With this partnership, WinMill now offers SmartDeploy Enterprise, a hardware-independent imaging solution, to reduce the cost, time and IT level of effort required to perform OS and application deployment to WinMill’s Fortune 500 customers. SmartDeploy Enterprise uses a wizard-based interface to simplify and expedite deployment, allowing IT technicians to spend less time on system updates and maintenance and more time on strategic projects.

“Adding a new product and technology like SmartDeploy Enterprise will energize our current customer base and help us find new clients,” said Joseph Strazza, CEO of WinMill. “With its pricing strategy, fast deployment times, ease-of-use and flexibility, our sales force has found the product a very attractive offering for our customers.” ­­­­­­

"WinMill can use SmartDeploy to help their customers get an even greater return on current and future IT investments. It is a win for everyone," says Aaron Suzuki, CEO of SmartDeploy. "WinMill sets a new standard of leadership that we are looking for as we grow our channel. This is an ideal partnership to help us expand SmartDeploy in the North American market."

For more information on the partnership program, contact Spencer Dunford, Director of Sales for SmartDeploy, at dunford@smartdeploy.com.

About SmartDeploy

SmartDeploy is the recognized leader in providing IT systems management solutions that reduce the time, cost, and complexity of managing Windows clients and servers. By using the patented technologies and advanced architecture offered in SmartDeploy software, IT administrators and managers across all industries can take full advantage of the most flexible, efficient, and reliable approaches available to simplify business-critical Windows IT management functions. The company’s growing ecosystem of channel partners rely on SmartDeploy to grow business and maximize productivity through high quality, reliable solutions that their customers demand. SmartDeploy is a private company based in Seattle, WA. For more information, visit www.smartdeploy.com and follow us on Twitter @SmartDeploy.

SEATTLE, WA – SmartDeploy, a leader in IT management solutions, software and services, today announced its upcoming webcast scheduled for Tuesday, January 24 at 1:00 p.m. EST titled “Deployment Tool Analysis: Ghost, MDT, Snap Deploy, and SmartDeploy.” The SmartDeploy team will examine these four deployment tools and learn how your current deployment solution compares to the other solutions on the market.

An independent benchmark survey conducted by PassMark Software and commissioned by SmartDeploy revealed critical capabilities across the market’s leading operating system deployment solutions. In this webcast, CEO Aaron Suzuki and his team of deployment experts will take a deeper look at these four deployment tools, identify the pros and cons for each tool, and help you choose the right tool for your organization.

In this webcast attendees will:

• Understand the features, benefits, and limitations of each deployment tool
• Identify the deployment tasks that require the most time and resources and how to simplify these steps
• Receive a copy of PassMark’s "Windows Imaging and Deployment Software Comparison" report
• Learn how to get a free pair of Skullcandy INK’D ear buds and save 20% on deployment software

“After hosting our “Deployment Tool Showdown” webcast, we were flooded with inquiries from attendees on deployment tasks,” said Suzuki. “Deployment is a common pain point across many organizations and using the right deployment tool can save hours of IT time, reduce frustration, and help organizations meet both short and long term goals.”

For details and registration, please visit the registration page. Follow us on Twitter @SmartDeploy.

About SmartDeploy
SmartDeploy is a leader in IT management solutions and software offering a unique approach to deployment and virtualization solutions with its award-winning SmartDeploy Enterprise suite. SmartDeploy is a private company headquartered in Seattle, Washington. For more information, visit www.smartdeploy.com. Follow SmartDeploy on Twitter @SmartDeploy. 

SEATTLE, WA – Leveraging the momentum created by companies looking to improve the speed and ROI of their Windows migration projects, SmartDeploy, a leader in IT management solutions, software and services, today announced continued momentum after a successful 2011 year. The company added more than 100 new customers in the past year, doubling revenue for the fiscal year. SmartDeploy’s growth and commitment to customer satisfaction has led the company to experiencing record employee growth in 2011, increasing its staff by 50 percent, with plans to further grow by another 30 percent in 2012. The company also rolled out a new website (http://www.smartdeploy.com), offering visitors access to resources to help assist with their migration projects.

The company released a major update to its flagship product, SmartDeploy Enterprise, for Windows OS deployment and migration in 2011. This product was reviewed by an independent benchmark survey conducted by PassMark Software that revealed critical capabilities across the market’s leading operating system deployment solutions. Evaluating the time to create, deploy and update images, the survey illustrated that SmartDeploy Enterprise consistently saved IT professionals more time and resources than the competing solutions. The findings of the benchmark testing were also supported by a comparative product review of OS deployment solutions conducted by Network World in which SmartDeploy was chosen as the frontrunner.

A recent customer survey shows that 100 percent of customers who responded rated its product 4-5 stars on a 5 star scale and would recommend SmartDeploy Enterprise to a colleague. “SmartDeploy has made creating and managing images a breeze,” stated Glen Schebece, Manager, Desktop Services at WebMD. “Overnight we went from managing a half dozen images down to managing just one. My senior engineer in charge of imaging and deployment has never been happier.”

“2011 was a great, successful year for SmartDeploy, as seen by our vast growth of customers, partners and the company itself, and 2012 looks to be an even more successful year,” said Aaron Suzuki, CEO of SmartDeploy. “Organizations of all sizes continue to struggle with effective OS and application migration techniques that allow them to maximize their budget as well as the efficiency of the IT team and SmartDeploy will continue to help with this.”

Many software resellers added SmartDeploy Enterprise to their product offerings in 2011 including CDW, Dell, Insight, and PC Mall. With anticipated channel growth in 2012, SmartDeploy has introduced a new license model for partners. The new model makes SmartDeploy an economical solution for a wider range of organizations. SmartDeploy is now offering a 10% discount for educational and non-profits organizations.

Follow SmartDeploy on Twitter @SmartDeploy.

About SmartDeploy

SmartDeploy is a leader in IT management solutions and software offering a unique approach to deployment and virtualization solutions with its award-winning SmartDeploy Enterprise suite. SmartDeploy is a private company headquartered in Seattle, Washington. For more information, visit www.smartdeploy.com. Follow SmartDeploy on Twitter @SmartDeploy. 

SEATTLE, WA – SmartDeploy, a leader in IT management solutions, software and services, today announced its upcoming webinar scheduled for Tuesday, December 13 at 1:00 p.m. EST titled, “Device Drivers Deconstructed and Simplified.” SmartDeploy CEO Aaron Suzuki and his team of deployment experts will take an in-depth look into device drivers in the second session of a driver webcast series.

Managing device drivers is a time-consuming and often frustrating task faced by IT professionals in every organization. On this webcast, the team of Windows deployment experts at SmartDeploy will download and dissect a manufacturer’s driver package to identify specific drivers within the package, find important information about the driver, and explain how to avoid common mistakes. The team will also explain how current technology can help and simplify the driver management process within your organization, saving thousands in IT resources.

In this webcast, attendees will learn:

• How device drivers work with Plug and Play
• How to identify which OS/architecture a specific driver will support
• Which tools can save hours of driver management time
• How to streamline driver management

“We want to provide attendees with an advance way to look at device driver management,” said Suzuki.  “The job responsibilities of most IT professionals are so vast that they often lack a deep technical understanding of device drivers and their critical role in deployment. This webcast will explain how to better understand the various parts of device drivers, how to streamline driver management and avoid costly mistakes.”

For details and registration, please visit the registration page. Follow us on Twitter @SmartDeploy.

About SmartDeploy

SmartDeploy is the recognized leader in providing IT systems management solutions that reduce the time, cost, and complexity of managing Windows clients and servers. By using the patented technologies and advanced architecture offered in SmartDeploy software, IT administrators and managers across all industries can take full advantage of the most flexible, efficient, and reliable approaches available to simplify business-critical Windows IT management functions. SmartDeploy has a growing ecosystem of channel partners who rely on SmartDeploy software to grow their businesses and to maximize productivity through the high-quality, reliable solutions that their customers demand. SmartDeploy is a private company based in Seattle, WA. For more information, visit www.smartdeploy.com and follow us on Twitter @SmartDeploy.

SEATTLE, WA – SmartDeploy, a leader in IT management solutions, software and services, today announced its upcoming webinar with Futurestate IT, scheduled for Tuesday, December 6 at 1:00 p.m. EST titled “Windows Migration Best Practices: Developing a Simplified Approach to OS Upgrades.” SmartDeploy CEO, Aaron Suzuki and Futurestate IT Co-Founder and COO, Eric Courville have teamed up to deliver a simplified guide to a successful Windows migration in this 30 minute webcast.

Implementing a Windows 7 migration is a time consuming, costly and potentially high-risk project for any IT department. The challenges and costs associated with this transition has caused many organizations to delay their Windows 7 migration projects as they wait for a simplified end-to-end solution to ease this transition.

SmartDeploy and Futurestate IT will deliver the must-know tips and best practices for the entire project from initial assessment and planning to application compatibility and Windows deployment. The webcast will explain how utilizing cloud solutions and virtual machines can help eliminate risk, reduce TCO and complete migration projects faster with fewer complications.

Attendees will learn how to:

• Identify cost, time and resources required for your Windows migration project
• Minimize risk associated with application compatibility
• Develop a device driver and deployment strategy for your organization
• Save thousands in IT labor costs

“This webcast will provide attendees with best practices for their OS upgrade projects,” said Suzuki. “Our webcast with Futurestate IT will teach participants how utilizing cloud solutions and virtual machines can help eliminate risk without the cost and complexity.”

For details and registration, please visit the registration page. Follow us on Twitter @SmartDeploy.

About SmartDeploy

SmartDeploy is the recognized leader in providing IT systems management solutions that reduce the time, cost, and complexity of managing Windows clients and servers. By using the patented technologies and advanced architecture offered in SmartDeploy software, IT administrators and managers across all industries can take full advantage of the most flexible, efficient, and reliable approaches available to simplify business-critical Windows IT management functions. SmartDeploy has a growing ecosystem of channel partners who rely on SmartDeploy software to grow their businesses and to maximize productivity through the high-quality, reliable solutions that their customers demand. SmartDeploy is a private company based in Seattle, WA. For more information, visit www.smartdeploy.com and follow us on Twitter @SmartDeploy.

SEATTLE, WA – SmartDeploy, a leader in IT management solutions, software, and services, today announced its upcoming webinar scheduled for Tuesday, November 1 at 1:00 p.m. EDT titled “Applying Desktop Virtualization Techniques to OS Upgrades.” SmartDeploy CEO, Aaron Suzuki and Intel® Director of Enterprise Co-Marketing, Dinesh Rao, will take a high-level look into to how to use existing tools and techniques to realize the benefits of desktop virtualization without the expense, technical expertise and risk associated with emerging desktop architectures.

Alternative desktop architectures are a hot topic as IT professionals look for new ways to simplify Windows 7 migration projects and hear the promise of desktop virtualization solutions. Virtualization can help deliver improved efficiency around the desktop. However, for most organizations a monolithic desktop virtualization solution does not address evolving business needs, and worse – it can be an affront to productivity. Many IT professionals do not realize that hardware independence and quick provisioning can be achieved on the end point without virtualization.

Attendees will learn:

• Key attributes of a successful desktop virtualization solution
• Where to utilize virtualization to maximize efficiency
• How you can use image layering to simplify desktop management
• How to manage devices intelligently and eliminate driver problems

“There are a lot of misconceptions about desktop virtualization. It transcends virtual machines, it’s about new techniques. We want to provide attendees with strategies to apply techniques from desktop virtualization to their current deployment activities regardless of their interest or timeframe to adopt desktop virtualization solutions,” said Suzuki. “Our webcast will teach participants how to improve their current desktop management practices and gain many benefits of alternative desktop architectures without the cost and complexity.”

For details and registration, please visit the registration page. Follow us on Twitter @SmartDeploy for regular updates and a live Twitter event during the webinar.

About SmartDeploy

SmartDeploy is the recognized leader in providing IT systems management solutions that reduce the time, cost, and complexity of managing Windows clients and servers. By using the patented technologies and advanced architecture offered in SmartDeploy software, IT administrators and managers across all industries can take full advantage of the most flexible, efficient, and reliable approaches available to simplify business-critical Windows IT management functions. SmartDeploy has a growing ecosystem of channel partners who rely on SmartDeploy software to grow their businesses and to maximize productivity through the high-quality, reliable solutions that their customers demand. SmartDeploy is a private company based in Seattle, WA. For more information, visit www.smartdeploy.com and follow us on Twitter @SmartDeploy.

SEATTLE, WA – SmartDeploy, a leader in IT management solutions, software, and services, today announced its upcoming webinar scheduled for Wednesday, October 18 at 1:00 p.m. EDT titled “Device Drivers Part 1: Improve your Driver Management Strategy Now.” SmartDeploy CEO Aaron Suzuki and his team of deployment experts will take a high-level look into device drivers in the first session of a three-part driver webcast series.

Managing device drivers is a time-consuming, inescapable, and often frustrating task faced by IT professionals in every organization. Understanding driver basics and the common mistakes to avoid is the first step toward a simplified driver management approach, thus saving costly employee downtime and time-consuming hardware rebuilds.

In this webinar, attendees will learn:

• Simple strategies to regain hours of troubleshooting time
• How to take control of drivers and avoid costly mistakes
• How to identify the risks of common driver management methods

“We want to provide attendees with a basic overview of device drivers and how they vary by manufacturer. We’ll analyze the pros and cons of three common driver management methods and leave participants with some tips for avoiding costly mistakes,” said Suzuki. “Developing a driver management strategy before diving into deployment and migration will help organizations minimize problems while requiring fewer IT hours.”

For details and registration, please visit the registration page. Follow us on Twitter @SmartDeploy for regular updates and a live Twitter event during the webinar.

About SmartDeploy

SmartDeploy is the recognized leader in providing IT systems management solutions that reduce the time, cost, and complexity of managing Windows clients and servers. By using the patented technologies and advanced architecture offered in SmartDeploy software, IT administrators and managers across all industries can take full advantage of the most flexible, efficient, and reliable approaches available to simplify business-critical Windows IT management functions. SmartDeploy has a growing ecosystem of channel partners who rely on SmartDeploy software to grow their businesses and to maximize productivity through the high-quality, reliable solutions that their customers demand. SmartDeploy is a private company based in Seattle, WA. For more information, visit www.smartdeploy.com and follow us on Twitter @SmartDeploy.

SEATTLE, WA – SmartDeploy, a leader in IT management solutions, software, and services, today announced the findings from industry benchmark product evaluations covering a range of deployment software solutions. An independent benchmark survey conducted by PassMark Software and commissioned by SmartDeploy revealed critical capabilities across the market’s leading operating system deployment solutions. Evaluating the time to create, deploy, and update images the survey illustrated that SmartDeploy Enterprise consistently saved IT professionals more time and resources than the competing solutions. The findings of the benchmark testing are also supported by a recent product review of OS deployment solutions conducted by Network World.

PassMark Findings

PassMark tested the latest version of four software products available at the time of testing:

• SmartDeploy Enterprise, v 1.1.1940
• Symantec Ghost Solution Suite 2.5, includes DeployAnywhere
• Acronis Snap Deploy 3 with Universal Deploy
• Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 Update 1

PassMark completed the full deployment process once for each product including: capturing an image, managing drivers, deploying an image, updating the image, and re-deploying the updated image. Among the critical findings, the PassMark survey found that:

• The total amount of time for SmartDeploy Enterprise to capture and deploy an image was nearly half that of the next closest solution (36:26/mm:ss) for both creation and deployment tasks.
• The time required for SmartDeploy Enterprise to update an image, recapture and deploy was also the lowest among tested products; totaling 33:01 mm/ss for the entire process.

“We hear from customers and prospects every day that reducing deployment time is increasingly critical as they work to keep pace with accelerated schedules despite shrinking IT budgets,” said Aaron Suzuki, CEO of SmartDeploy. “We had no doubt that SmartDeploy would fare very well in PassMark’s benchmark testing and are excited to see that hands-down the product provides IT professionals the most efficient and effective tool for image creation and OS deployment.”

SmartDeploy CEO, Aaron Suzuki, and the team of deployment engineers will be discussing the findings of the study during a webinar scheduled for September 13, 2011. Details and registration information can be found here. All webinar registrants will receive a full copy of the PassMark summary report after the webinar event.

For more information on the latest release of SmartDeploy (v1950) or to follow live updates during the webinar, follow @SmartDeploy on Twitter. SmartDeploy Enterprise, a hardware-independent imaging solution, can help any business reduce the cost, time and IT resources required to perform OS and application deployment.

About SmartDeploy

SmartDeploy is the recognized leader in providing IT systems management solutions that reduce the time, cost, and complexity of managing Windows clients and servers. By using the patented technologies and advanced architecture offered in SmartDeploy software, IT administrators and managers across all industries can take full advantage of the most flexible, efficient, and reliable approaches available to simplify business-critical Windows IT management functions. SmartDeploy has a growing ecosystem of channel partners who rely on SmartDeploy software to grow their businesses and to maximize productivity through the high-quality, reliable solutions that their customers demand. SmartDeploy is a private company based in Seattle, WA. For more information, visit www.smartdeploy.com and follow us on Twitter @SmartDeploy.

About PassMark Software

PassMark Software Pty Ltd is a leading authority in software and hardware performance benchmarking and testing. PassMark specializes in the developing of high quality performance benchmarking solutions, as well as providing expert independent IT consultancy services to clients that range from government organizations to major IT heavyweights.

SEATTLE, WA – SmartDeploy, a leader in IT management solutions, software, and services, today announced several best practices to help enterprises tackle the challenging task of operating system migration and application deployment, including migration to Windows 7.  

“Organizations of all sizes continue to struggle with effective OS and application migration techniques that allow them to maximize their budget as well as the efficiency of the IT team,” said Aaron Suzuki, CEO of SmartDeploy. “We’re finding one of two things: businesses aren’t approaching migration in the most efficient way, or they are postponing it all together because they aren’t confident they have the right strategy to get it done. We hope to demystify much of that with our set of best practices.”

With new and more efficient technology, there are different approaches companies can take to upgrade operating systems without sacrificing cost efficiency and IT productivity. SmartDeploy recommends these five steps to achieve migration success:

• Evaluate your upgrade timeline: Realize that every business is different and there is no set timetable for migration. Look at your OS systems and determine if you can and need to upgrade. With Windows XP licenses expiring and Windows 8 just around the corner, do you have the necessary OS resources to support a growing and evolving workforce? If not, it may be time to put a migration plan in place.
• Plan: You need to plan ahead at least a month or two, and in larger organizations possibly several months, to get the deployment plan defined, refined, and locked down. You’ll need to assess hardware and application compatibility and readiness.
• Use virtual machines as reference computers: Using a virtual machine will reduce costs and save thousands with no physical equipment to buy, store, or track. It also reduces the amount of hardware present in your master image, keeping the image as clean as possible for deployment to diverse hardware.
• Build a master image: Determine what makes sense for your organization and build a master image. Keep only the necessary information available on the master image, such as the OS and any desired applications.  
• Deploy: Assuming you have addressed applications and hardware, you still need to consider migration of user data and windows deployment methodology. Solutions such as SmartDeploy Enterprise incorporate all of these best practices and can perform automated deployments with user data migration.

For details on “Windows Deployment: Then and Now” best practices, please listen to this recent webcast. Follow @SmartDeploy on Twitter for best practice tips. SmartDeploy Enterprise, a hardware-independent imaging solution, can help any business reduce the cost, time and IT resources required to perform OS and application deployment.

About SmartDeploy

SmartDeploy is the recognized leader in providing IT systems management solutions that reduce the time, cost, and complexity of managing Windows clients and servers. By using the patented technologies and advanced architecture offered in SmartDeploy software, IT administrators and managers across all industries can take full advantage of the most flexible, efficient, and reliable approaches available to simplify business-critical Windows IT management functions. SmartDeploy has a growing ecosystem of channel partners who rely on SmartDeploy software to grow their businesses and to maximize productivity through the high-quality, reliable solutions that their customers demand. SmartDeploy is a private company based in Seattle, WA. For more information, visit www.smartdeploy.com and follow us on Twitter @SmartDeploy.

SEATTLE, WA – SmartDeploy, a leader in IT management solutions and services, today announced its upcoming webinar scheduled for Wednesday, July 20, 2:00 p.m. EDT - “Windows Deployment: Then and Now.” Aaron Suzuki, CEO of SmartDeploy, and a team of deployment experts will lead a discussion analyzing the evolution of Windows deployment challenges and best practices over the years and what organizations can be doing today to make the deployment process easier.

The rapid development of technology has meant Windows imaging and deployment tasks have changed. New methods and best practices can significantly reduce deployment time, eliminate device driver headaches, and slash hardware costs. However, many existing deployment software tools continue to follow old methods- resulting in wasted time, wasted money, and unnecessary frustration.

In this webinar, attendees will learn how to:

• Utilize the newest Windows imaging and deployment methods
• Build a gold master image - most companies only need one
• Increase efficiency with simple changes to your current process
• Reduce deployment-related IT cost and level of effort

“Updating an organization’s Windows deployment approach can reap significant cost and productivity benefits; however if not executed properly, a business could waste valuable time and IT resources doing the job the old way,” said Suzuki. “Our goal with this webinar is to foster an open discussion between IT managers and technology providers in an effort to highlight where they can cut their costs and make the deployment process much easier to handle.”

For details and to register for this webinar, please visit the registration page.  Follow us on Twitter @SmartDeploy for regular updates and a live Twitter event during the webinar.

About SmartDeploy

SmartDeploy is the recognized leader in providing IT systems management solutions that reduce the time, cost, and complexity of managing Windows clients and servers. By using the patented technologies and advanced architecture offered in SmartDeploy software, IT administrators and managers across all industries can take full advantage of the most flexible, efficient, and reliable approaches available to simplify business-critical Windows IT management functions. SmartDeploy has a growing ecosystem of channel partners who rely on SmartDeploy software to grow their businesses and to maximize productivity through the high-quality, reliable solutions that their customers demand. SmartDeploy is a private company based in Seattle, WA. For more information, visit www.smartdeploy.com and follow us on Twitter @SmartDeploy.

Microsoft Tech Ed North America 2011, Atlanta, GA  – SmartDeploy, a leader in IT management solutions and services, today announced several significant enhancements to its SmartDeploy Enterprise product, the reliable solution for economical deployment of all versions of Windows OS’s and applications, including Windows 7. Released earlier this year, the latest version of SmartDeploy Enterprise is a hardware-independent imaging solution that allows any business to reduce the cost, time and IT resources required to perform OS and application deployment.

Among the enhancements made to the current version’s underlying deployment environment is the addition of Build Wizard, which helps users create virtual machines to use as the starting point for their reference computer. Several types of virtualization software are seamlessly supported with the new feature. Additionally, the new build includes an upgrade from Windows PE 3.0 to Windows PE 3.1 which now allows SmartDeploy to efficiently deploy the latest generation of physical hard disks with larger sector sizes. These enhancements and others all contribute to faster, easier and a more streamlined user experience for SmartDeploy customers.

“Since launching SmartDeploy we’ve seen consistent and continued interest from businesses of all sizes who are struggling with their OS deployments, particularly as many begin critical migrations to Windows 7,” said Aaron Suzuki, CEO, SmartDeploy. “The latest enhancements to SmartDeploy are a result of our dedicated focus to respond to and address customer pain points and new requirements on a regular basis. It’s what separates us from the competition and what will continue to make SmartDeploy the de facto deployment toolset within IT departments.”

Why customers choose SmartDeploy

Leveraging a wizard-driven interface that guides users through the steps, SmartDeploy is different than other migration tools because it does not require any dedicated infrastructure, networking, or hardware. SmartDeploy uses a virtual machine to build a custom reference computer that can include the OS and any desired applications. An image is then captured and subsequently deployed using a highly advanced hardware-independent method to any computer across the organization’s network with a single toolset, saving IT professionals on the time it takes to migrate to Windows 7 (or any version of Windows) at each individual workstation.

Customers across a range of vertical markets including education, healthcare and government are using SmartDeploy to support the most complex of OS migrations and deployments. Backed by a growing network of channel partners, SmartDeploy is quickly becoming the go-to resource for IT departments of all sizes and capacities.

SmartDeploy Enterprise supports all Windows operating systems from Windows 2000 SP4 forward, enabling maximum efficiency, compatibility and flexibility. SmartDeploy has a free, fully-functioning trial and related product resources located at www.smartdeploy.com.

About SmartDeploy

SmartDeploy is the recognized leader in providing IT systems management solutions that reduce the time, cost, and complexity of managing Windows clients and servers. By using the patented technologies and advanced architecture offered in SmartDeploy software, IT administrators and managers across all industries can take full advantage of the most flexible, efficient, and reliable approaches available to simplify business-critical Windows IT management functions. SmartDeploy has a growing ecosystem of channel partners who rely on SmartDeploy software to grow their businesses and to maximize productivity through the high-quality, reliable solutions that their customers demand. SmartDeploy is a private company based in Seattle, WA. For more information, visit www.smartdeploy.com and follow us on Twitter @SmartDeploy.

SEATTLE, WA – SmartDeploy, a leader in IT management solutions and services, today announced the latest version of SmartDeploy Enterprise, the reliable solution for economical deployment of all versions of Windows, including Windows 7. SmartDeploy Enterprise is the hardware-independent imaging solution for all businesses that want to reduce the cost, time and IT level of effort required to perform OS and application deployment.

The new release features important updates to the underlying deployment environment. Most notably an upgrade to Windows PE 3.0 that gives customers even greater flexibility, easier integration with more IT management solutions, and more robust customization capabilities. Other improvements include a simplified evaluation and license activation process.

“Windows 7 has matured enough for organizations to seriously consider making the switch,” said Ian Song, IDC analyst. “With Windows 7, companies can fully leverage next generation technologies such as desktop virtualization and cloud services to maximize the usability, manageability and flexibility of their desktop environment, and thus ensure business agility.”

“Saving time and money on complicated, technical tasks is invaluable to businesses because they are able to focus on more strategic projects,” says Aaron Suzuki, CEO, Prowess. “SmartDeploy’s critical differentiator is the patent-pending hardware independence technology and imaging process that, together, reduce the effort and expertise that other deployment solutions require.”

Leveraging a wizard-driven interface that guides users through the steps, SmartDeploy is different than other migration tools because it does not require any dedicated infrastructure, networking, or hardware. SmartDeploy uses a virtual machine to build a custom reference computer that can include the OS and any desired applications. An image is then captured and subsequently deployed to any computer across the organization’s network with a single toolset, saving IT professionals on the time it takes to migrate to Windows 7 (or any version of Windows) at each individual workstation.

Additionally, driver packages for business-class computers are included as part of support and can be created by request if it isn’t already available. And because it is the only imaging solution licensed per IT technician rather than per desktop, SmartDeploy offers the best value for deployment to both desktops and servers.

By using the latest imaging technologies, less time is spent on transferring complex data, and the image library is significantly reduced by separating hardware from software images. The primary installation created as a virtual machine serves as a reference system, so network updates are easy to manage. By properly and frequently updating images, the risk associated with deployment is reduced and endpoint security improves.

SmartDeploy Enterprise supports all Windows operating systems from Windows 2000 SP4 forward, enabling maximum efficiency, compatibility and flexibility. SmartDeploy has a free, fully-functioning trial and related product resources located at www.smartdeploy.com.

About SmartDeploy

SmartDeploy is the recognized leader in providing IT systems management solutions that reduce the time, cost, and complexity of managing Windows clients and servers. By using the patented technologies and advanced architecture offered in SmartDeploy software, IT administrators and managers across all industries can take full advantage of the most flexible, efficient, and reliable approaches available to simplify business-critical Windows IT management functions. SmartDeploy has a growing ecosystem of channel partners who rely on SmartDeploy software to grow their businesses and to maximize productivity through the high-quality, reliable solutions that their customers demand. SmartDeploy is a private company based in Seattle, WA. For more information, visit www.smartdeploy.com and follow us on Twitter @SmartDeploy.

SEATTLE, WA — SmartDeploy, a leader in IT management solutions and services, today announced its plans to bolster its channel program to offer SmartDeploy Enterprise in both North American and EMEA markets. The program will provide resellers, partners and systems integrators with discounted pricing, resources and support to address Windows 7 deployment challenges in these various markets.

Organizations use SmartDeploy Enterprise, a hardware-independent imaging solution, to reduce the cost, time and IT level of effort required to perform OS and application deployment. SmartDeploy leverages a wizard-based interface to simplify and expedite deployment, so that IT technicians can spend less time on system updates and more time on strategic projects. In fact, government and education markets have cut labor costs by up to 60 percent and reduced image deployment time by up to 95 percent using SmartDeploy for their OS migration efforts.

Newly-enlisted partners include: Zones, Softchoice and PC Mall.

"Customers rely on us to provide the best technology to ease the challenges associated with building, deploying and managing computer systems,” said Lisa Stewart, VP of Software at Zones, a national provider of IT products and solutions to businesses. “With Windows 7 in such high demand, successful migration is one of the top concerns for companies. SmartDeploy enables us to offer IT administrators a solution that increases their productivity, saving time and money.”

“Building on our successes in the government and education sectors is a natural progression for Prowess,” says Aaron Suzuki, CEO of SmartDeploy. “We are building a robust program that includes a reseller portal, dedicated support and sales staff, and specific incentives to aid resellers and systems integrators for government agencies, first responders and educational facilities.”

For more information on the formal reseller program, contact Spencer Dunford, Director of Sales for SmartDeploy, at dunford@smartdeploy.com.

About Prowess

Prowess is a leader in IT management solutions and services, offering a unique approach to deployment and virtualization solutions with its award-winning SmartDeploy Enterprise suite. Prowess is a private company headquartered in Seattle, Washington. For more information, visit www.smartdeploy.com. Follow SmartDeploy on Twitter @SmartDeploy.

SEATTLE, WA – SmartDeploy, a leader in IT management solutions and services, today announced the release of SmartMigrate – a free, wizard-based solution that reduces the cost and complexity of migration from Windows XP to Windows 7. Currently in beta but available for trial use, SmartMigrate offers simplicity and compatibility for users to maintain productivity by preserving existing applications, files and folders in their native environment.

The wizard-driven interface of SmartMigrate simplifies the otherwise complex migration process, walking users through 6 straightforward steps to migrate an existing Windows XP environment into a virtual machine running on Windows 7. SmartMigrate enables customers to move immediately to Windows 7 and make the most of their technology investments at no risk. Most importantly, planned updates will allow SmartMigrate to create virtual machines compatible with numerous target platforms including Windows Virtual PC, VMware Workstation and Player, Parallels Workstation, and Oracle VM VirtualBox– a capability only available with the SmartMigrate solution.

“Our unique approach to Windows 7 migration simplifies a sophisticated IT process, alleviating the time, cost and hassle associated with upgrading operating systems,” said Aaron Suzuki, CEO of SmartDeploy. “Windows 7 is the next step for most computer users, so the only hesitancy to upgrade is the pain and cost associated with the migration process. SmartMigrate makes migration fast, easy, and affordable, providing a simple solution that won’t impact productivity.”

SmartMigrate offers a number of unique benefits:

• Retain your complete existing environment indefinitely in a virtual machine.
• Fully automated, easy to use wizard performs a seamless migration.
• Multiple virtualization formats give you flexibility to output migrated systems in your platform of choice.

SmartDeploy is offering licenses of SmartMigrate free for personal use. For businesses, a version of SmartMigrate is also built into SmartDeploy Enterprise for organizations seeking economical and reliable deployment of all versions of Windows including Windows 7. Prowess SmartDeploy Enterprise is hardware-independent Windows deployment software that reduces the cost, time, complexity, and IT level of effort required to perform OS deployment.

About SmartDeploy

SmartDeploy is the recognized leader in providing IT systems management solutions that reduce the time, cost, and complexity of managing Windows clients and servers. By using the patented technologies and advanced architecture offered in SmartDeploy software, IT administrators and managers across all industries can take full advantage of the most flexible, efficient, and reliable approaches available to simplify business-critical Windows IT management functions. SmartDeploy has a [v-jushof1] growing ecosystem of channel partners who rely on SmartDeploy software to grow their businesses and to maximize productivity through the high-quality, reliable solutions [v-jushof2] [HD3] that their customers demand. SmartDeploy is a private company based in Seattle, WA. For more information, visit www.smartdeploy.com and follow us on Twitter @SmartDeploy.