Latest version of LANDesk® Service Desk automates service desk processes, reduces IT costs and delivers user-centric approach to service management

Salt Lake City – January 12, 2011 – LANDesk Software, a global leader in systems lifecycle management, endpoint security and IT service management, today announced LANDesk® Service Desk 7.4, a significant upgrade to the LANDesk IT Service Management solution. Available today, the new release helps organisations alleviate pressure on the IT service desk with a user-centric approach to service provisioning and support.

“LANDesk Service Desk 7.4 is the next generation of our rich, mature and proven service management solution,” said Steve Daly, president and CEO of LANDesk Software. “This solution offers more out-of-the box capability than alternatives that require a piecemeal and costly approach to achieve this level of functionality and automation.  It goes well beyond traditional ticketing and incident management, allowing IT departments to deliver real business value.”

LANDesk Service Desk 7.4 allows organisations to automate processes, reduce IT costs, and deliver outstanding service to both employees and customers. Specific enhancements include LANDesk Self Service, allowing users to log their own incidents; the addition of the LANDesk Service Catalogue, providing employees with a store front view of services available to them; and enhancements to LANDesk Web Desk, allowing IT analysts to access users’ computers from any location via a Web browser so incidents can be quickly resolved. In addition, LANDesk Self Service includes an easy-to-use Theme Designer which enables configuration of the user interface by applying a supplied theme or a customer’s own corporate branded theme.

“The release of LANDesk Service Desk 7.4 offers a strong, user-centric approach to service desk management, particularly with LANDesk Self Service and LANDesk Service Catalogue,” said Lisa Erickson-Harris, research director at Enterprise Management Associates. “The service desk continues to feel pressure to improve resolution time and lower call volume. Self-service offers a solution to this often formidable challenge.  EMA research also shows a resurgence in service catalog investment as a critical technology for cloud computing, self service and IT transparency strategies.  LANDesk’s timing with investment in these areas is impeccable. ”

A leader in service desk best practices, LANDesk is one of only three service management vendors that have achieved PinkVERIFY status from Pink Elephant for all 14 ITIL v3 processes. Developed by the UK government and used by thousands of organisations around the world, ITIL has become the de facto standard for IT best practices and assists organizations in providing the necessary framework for IT Service Management.

“The release of LANDesk Service Desk 7.4 is a major shift forward for LANDesk in terms of usability, performance and capability,” said Paul Gillen, ITSM Project Manager at Northern Ireland Civil Service. “We have been particularly impressed with the functionality available now through the Web access component, both for technical analysts and end users.”

Key enhancements in LANDesk Service Desk 7.4

• LANDesk Self Service – Designed based on user experience, the next generation of LANDesk Self Service is more intuitive and easier to use. LANDesk Self Service reduces call volumes by providing 24/7 access so that users can submit and track their own incidents and service requests. Today’s users are more accustomed to a self-service mode and are comfortable in searching a knowledge-base and accessing company news without contacting the service desk directly.

• LANDesk Service Catalogue – Accessible from within the LANDesk Self Service Web site, the new LANDesk Service Catalogue reduces service desk costs with a proactive, one-stop shop that lets users browse a graphical list of all the hardware, software and IT services they can request. Integration with other available LANDesk offerings allows users to create a closed-loop solution for users to make requests, obtain approval and receive the requested hardware or software – all without the need for a service desk analyst.

• LANDesk Web Desk – Analysts can get a real-time of data presented in interactive, graphical dashboards that are easy to design and modify. Web Desk allows access to LANDesk Service Desk from any location via the Internet, making it ideal for traveling users as it requires no client installation.

The value of integration and automation
LANDesk Service Desk 7.4 offers a broad range of integration tools, including Web APIs and connectors, allowing customers to embed Web applications and data, and to integrate other business systems including the industry’s top ERP, CRM and Systems Management applications. Unlike many other service management solutions, customers can integrate third-party applications and services without the need for coding expertise.

LANDesk Service Desk 7.4 integrates seamlessly with other LANDesk solutions including LANDesk® Management Suite, LANDesk® Security Suite and LANDesk® Asset Lifecycle Manager. For example, Analysts can initiate numerous LANDesk Management Suite functions from within LANDesk Service Desk such as the automatic fulfillment of a software application request.

Taking automation to a new level, LANDesk Service Desk 7.4 fully supports the LANDesk Management Automation Platform, enabling closed-loop process automation across IT and the business environment. The platform provides approximately 165 best-practice automation templates, a Resource Center with content libraries and workflow designer, unlimited connectors, and an SDK to ensure customers achieve desired value and returns on their investment. An industry open platform, LANDesk Management Automation Platform is available to all LANDesk Service Desk customers at no charge.