Odyssey Intros New Athena Device Management Extensions

Odyssey Software, a provider of enterprise-class device management software products, has announced new Athena device management extensions for Microsoft (News - Alert) System Center Configuration Manager 2007 (Configuration Manager 2007).

 

In addition, the company has also announced the availability of evaluation kits that enable prospective customers to evaluate the Athena for System Center Configuration Manager 2007 product.

 

Implemented as Athena Feature Packs, the new device management extensions, according to the Company, are designed to address enterprise requirements to provide comprehensive support to mobile workers using Windows Mobile devices.

 

The new functionality includes live, remote access to information about the status of a device’s integrated phone, summary statistics about phone and messaging utilization, enhanced wireless wide area network (WWAN) reporting, and more.

 

“The new and enhanced Athena Feature Packs for Configuration Manager 2007 provide more detailed information about a device’s status to better support the mobile user,” said Peter Phillips, senior director of marketing at Odyssey Software (News - Alert).

 

The company is also offering two new kits, Laptop Evaluation Kit and Virtualized Evaluation Kit, saying that it’ll accelerate the evaluation of Athena for Configuration Manager 2007.

 

The Laptop Evaluation Kit includes the necessary hardware and software components required to enable prospective customers to evaluate Athena for Configuration Manager 2007. Plus, it provides a self-contained environment.

 

The Virtualized Evaluation Kit uses the Microsoft virtual hard disk (VHD) test drive program to deliver a virtual image of Configuration Manager 2007 preconfigured with Athena. Officials said that this allows prospective customers to evaluate Athena for Configuration Manager 2007 in their own environment and using their own mobile devices.

 

With the availability of these new evaluation kits, Phillips said that prospective customers can experience “the real-world benefits” of the Athena for System Center Configuration Manager 2007 product for their mobile device management initiatives.

 

The new Athena Feature Packs and enhancements to existing Athena Feature Packs for Configuration Manager 2007 include phone feature pack; positioning feature pack; enhancements to the interactive support feature pack; enhancements to the device provisioning feature pack.

 

Phone feature pack provides detailed phone information and status, carrier information and summaries of incoming, outgoing, missed and dropped calls.

 

In Q1 2009, company plans to enhance this feature pack with additional functionality. Officials said that the functionality will deliver detailed statistics on sent and received e-mail, and text and multimedia messages. Plus, it will include summaries of activity over the past day, seven days, 30 days, 60 days, 90 days and total activity.

 

Officials said that positioning feature pack provides remote access to current device location, detailed GPS status and more. This feature pack is expected to be available in Q1 2009.

 

While enhancements to the interactive support feature pack now delivers WWAN reporting information, including WWAN adapter details, WWAN adapter status, WWAN signal strength and bytes received/sent via the WWAN adapter.

 

In addition, officials said that the enhancements to the device provisioning feature pack supports date ranges with fully automated installation and optional removal of applications, updates, settings, data and media.