End users win upper hand with apps stores

Published on the 05/11/2013 | Written by Newsdesk


A system developed to allow end users in large enterprises to dial up the applications, peripherals, data and services that they need to do their job will be launched in early 2014…

RES Software is finalising its IT Store, a system designed to put more technology control into the hands of users.

Scheduled for launch in early 2014 the rules based engine allows users to put in a request for access to software, services, data or peripherals – and, depending on their status and role in the firm have that automatically delivered to their workspace.

IT Store can handle other user requirements, such as a request to wipe a lost mobile device, or for access to a cloud service. “This allows the employee to self-serve,” according to chief executive officer, Klaus Besier. He said the system has entry level pricing of $60 per user for a perpetual licence. IT Store is intended to complement the company’s workspace virtualisation tools.

Salesforce announced a similar concept last week with the release of its Private App Exchange which allows enterprises to create a catalogue of applications which can be made available to employees according to their job description and devices. The company said it was an attempt to provide IT departments with the ability “to mimic the experience consumers have (with apps) in their private life”.

Salesforce’s tool exclusively focuses on software applications however, where RES’ IT Store is intended to provide access to a broader sweep of materials including services, peripherals and data.

Klaus Besier who was in Australia last week said IT Store was a logical progression from RES’ workspace virtualisation tools which operate in conjunction with IT service management tools such as Service Now or Remedy – allowing a user to send a ticket to the ITSM which can link to RES to automate delivery of a service or data to the user.

Besier claimed that users reported significant operational improvements. He said that one enterprise user had been dealing with 140,000 incidents each year logged through the ITSM. Implementing a workspace virtualisation tool had “eliminated more than 50 percent of the tickets”.

“ITSM focuses on the symptoms. We focus on the problem – but you do need both,” he said.

The company set up an office in Australia three months ago, which will be the beach-head for a push across Asia Pacific according to Besier. Led by regional director Michael McGrath there are just two local employees, although the company plans to expand and also forge links with local resellers particularly those with Citrix, Microsoft and VMware experience.

It already has a couple of clients in Australia – Adecco and BAE Systems, both outposts of global enterprises which use RES Software internationally. RES’ workspace virtualisation tools are also used by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand, though neither Besier nor McGrath was able to explain how the bank came to be a user long before RES Software decided to sell in this region.

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