The product road-map, which will be released this week and extends through March 2004, takes in major releases of its AssetCenter and ServiceCenter suites, new employee self-service applications, improved web interfaces, and better links with popular systems management systems like IBM’s Tivoli suite, HP’s Openview and Microsoft’s SMS 2003.
Version 4.2 of AssetCenter, which is already in general availability, includes new features that aim to improve the product’s financial management of assets. Key improvements are automated chargeback features, improved budget management routines, and the inclusion of a more flexible data model that allows additional asset types to be controlled with the system. The company also recently introduced Mobile 4.0 that enables field technicians to access and update AssetCenter information from their mobile devices.
Ease of access will be a theme of a series of releases slated for April, when Peregrine will launch various web-based self-serve applications around its Get-Resources, Get-Services and Get-Answers modules. Diagnostic aids and load-management enhancements have been made to ServiceCenter 5.0, which will also benefit from scheduled enhancements of automation technology, including Desktop Inventory, Network Discovery and Desktop Administration, the company said.
Peregrine said its customers need to drive out costs and make their IT assets sweat. That means moving away from ‘siloed’ service models, and running IT more like a business by controlling costs, reducing security risks and improving service delivery, said Gary Greenfield, Peregrine’s CEO.
The San Diego, California-based company came badly unstuck last year after an acquisition spree which saw it buy 16 companies in five years that eventually led to revenue-recognition irregularities, three changes of auditors in a year, the purging of all its top executives, and a market value that slumped from several billion dollars to a few million. It also lost touch with its service desk roots.
Peregrine had been developing a view of infrastructure management that started with the management of IT systems through a central service desk, and expanded to incorporate asset management, fleet management, buildings and more. The heart of this strategy was the asset lifecycle that builds up the workflow processes behind procurement, change management and disposal, and includes features for managing the financial and contractual aspects of every asset within an organization.
Despite financial woes, Peregrine remains a market leader that is able to point to installed base loyalty, a credible service and asset management vision, as well as a solid maintenance stream. But going forward, its ability to win new business will be a key challenge. Due to the precipitous drop in the company’s standing, many enterprises considering investments in Peregrine products have put the process on hold. In an attempt to address customer concerns over support and product development, Peregrine this month also launched Customer Advisory Councils in North America and Europe.
Source: Computerwire
