14 DAY TRIAL // One of the solutions that Microsoft announced this week at the Microsoft Management Summit in Las Vegas was Windows Embedded Device Manager 2012, set to become available in the first quarter of the next year.
At the event, Microsoft Server and Tools Vice President Brad Anderson talked about the productivity benefits that this solution can deliver anywhere, on any device.
The market for intelligent systems is expected to increase significantly in the next few years, reaching more than 2.5 billion unit shipments by 2016, according to IDC.
Through the use of intelligent systems, companies can connect point of service (POS) terminals, kiosks and digital signage with back-end software, and also take advantage of them in manufacturing and various other industries.
Microsoft’s Windows Embedded Device Manager is meant to provide businesses with the solution needed to manage their devices in an efficient way.
Robert Peterson, product manager for Windows Embedded at Microsoft, explains that Windows Embedded Device Manager was designed to become an every-day tool for companies.
“As embedded devices become more sophisticated and powerful, enterprises are relying on them more and more,” Peterson stated.
“Just like PCs are critical around the world, ensuring that devices like thin clients are up, running and secure is a requirement to enable mission-critical business operations for many companies.”
Through Windows Embedded Device Manager, IT professionals can manage a range of devices built on the Windows Embedded Standard and Windows Embedded POSReady platforms.
The solution can offer management capabilities for a variety of common devices, and is meant to help large organizations that own devices coming from more than one manufacturer.
“If you have nine OEMs providing nine different management solutions, you can end up with nine different workflows to do the same thing across all your devices,” he says.
“If you want to push an important update, you have to do it nine different ways. Windows Embedded Device Manager integrates all of that effort into a single pane of glass, a single management console. So you have the same workflows, the same processes, across all your devices.”
Pre-loaded on devices, Windows Embedded Device Manager works out of the box and offers support for operating system deployment, software updates and settings, and more.
The new Windows Embedded Device Manager 2012 will arrive in Q1 2013 for all System Center 2012 Configuration Manager customers, Microsoft announced.