As your business grows and expands, your IT needs become more complex. You need solutions that can scale with your business so you’re not left behind. Whether you have a few dozen employees or thousands around the world, keeping systems running smoothly and employees productive is a top priority.
That’s where vPro Intel comes in. vPro is Intel’s flagship platform for business and was designed from the ground up with the needs of growing businesses in mind.
In this blog post, we’ll explore 7 key ways that vPro Intel scales to meet your evolving business needs.
1. Remote Manageability
You probably have better things to do than drive from site to site or office to office to perform routine maintenance and repairs on individual PCs. That’s where vPro’s built-in manageability features come in handy. With vPro, you get out-of-band management capabilities that allow IT to remotely monitor, repair, and secure PCs, whether they’re in the office or halfway across the world.
Even when a PC is powered off or unreachable over the network, Intel vPro gives IT remote access via a dedicated manageability engine. This saves your IT team countless hours and allows them to spend more time on strategic projects rather than routine maintenance.
2. Hardware-Based Security
Security is a top concern for all businesses, but especially as your business expands globally. vPro takes security to the hardware level with protections like Intel Software Guard Extensions (SGX) that defend against malware and even privileged-user attacks. SGX creates secured enclaves in the CPU where sensitive data like passwords and credentials can be protected even if the operating system is compromised.
The Intel vPro platform also includes Intel Active Management Technology (AMT) for out-of-band authentication and encryption of management data traveling to and from PCs. These hardware-based security features give you robust protection that’s less dependent on software-level security, which can fall victim to the latest threats.
3. Flexible Deployment Options
As your business grows, your deployment needs become more complex to support an increasingly mobile and distributed workforce. vPro was designed with flexible deployment models in mind to scale with your business needs.
- Thin/Zero Client Deployment: Leverage vPro’s built-in hardware-level virtualization with Intel Virtualization Technology (VT-x) to deploy vPro laptops as thin or zero clients. This allows you to access a full virtual desktop hosted on your servers from any vPro-enabled laptop, keeping data centralized and secure.
- Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI): Centrally manage pooled desktop environments for internal or remote users with a VDI solution. vPro systems can act as both VDI hosts and endpoints, simplifying management as your deployment expands.
- Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS): For companies with limited IT resources, leverage DaaS for device and image management from an external provider. vPro delivers the hardware performance and manageability required for smooth DaaS operations.
- Workstation Virtualization: Consolidate desktop and workstation workloads onto high-powered Intel vPro servers for more efficient resource utilization and lower costs compared to physical workstations.
- Choose Your Form Factor: Support diverse user needs through the full range of vPro systems, from thin and light laptops to mini PCs and towering workstations.
- Remote/Branch Office Deployment: Remotely monitor and manage systems across offices with vPro’s out-of-band capabilities for easy troubleshooting regardless of location.
- Flexible Licensing: Move seamlessly between perpetual and subscription-based licensing models that align with your business needs and cash flow.
So in summary, vPro delivers the scalable deployment flexibility to align with your unique business requirements as your needs evolve from a single office to global operations.
4. Future-Proof Upgrades
You want solutions that continue to provide value for years to come. vPro is engineered to maintain high performance through multiple generations, so your investment is protected. For example, many 7th generation vPro PCs received free firmware updates to unlock the performance-enhancing capabilities of newer 8th generation vPro chips.
As new Intel processors are released, vPro systems are often compatible with the latest silicon through simple BIOS updates. So as your computing needs change, your existing vPro devices can often be upgraded to keep pace. This future-proof design means you avoid the costly process of wholesale replacement and can maximize the lifespan of your existing hardware.
5. Unmatched Performance
As your business grows, performance demands on your PCs increase. Whether it’s dozens of tabs open for research, heavy CAD/BIM applications, or 4K video conferencing, your employees need responsive PCs that can handle more concurrent tasks. Intel vPro is engineered with performance-optimized Intel Core processors that deliver leading single- and multi-threaded speeds.
You also benefit from Intel’s close partnership with leading independent software vendors to ensure applications are highly optimized for Intel architecture. So as your computing needs evolve from individual tasks to data-heavy workflows, vPro delivers the unmatched performance that allows your business to scale smoothly.
6. Simplified Deployment and Management
As your device count grows, managing a complex fleet of PCs becomes a logistical nightmare without the right tools. vPro streamlines deployment and management with Intel Active Management Technology (Intel AMT) built directly into the silicon. AMT allows you to discover, repair, and help protect new systems remotely before the operating system is even installed.
As devices are rolled out, Intel Unite software enables ad hoc wireless meeting spaces and content sharing across PCs and mobile devices. And Intel vPro Enterprise for Manageability provides centralized oversight of your entire vPro fleet through a single console. These tools simplify every step from initial deployment to day-to-day management as your business scales.
7. Lower TCO
As with any IT solution, the total cost of ownership (TCO) is top of mind for growing businesses. Intel vPro was designed from the ground up with TCO in mind. Built-in manageability and security features help you optimize staff efficiency. Flexible deployment options, like thin clients and virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), reduce infrastructure needs. And future-proof hardware ensures maximum lifespan and value from each deployment.
Conclusion
Whether you need a solution to support a small office or enable global operations, vPro delivers the scalability and manageability required to future-proof your business. Its built-in hardware-level security, simplified deployment tools, and unmatched performance provide an optimized experience as your needs evolve from dozens to thousands of users. And with flexible deployment options and an industry-leading lower TCO, vPro ensures your IT infrastructure grows strategically alongside your business.
