Dimension Data Launches New Technology Lifecycle Management Assessment

Dimension Data, a global IT solutions and services provider, today announced the release of its next-generation technology lifecycle assessment service. The company's new Technology Lifecycle Management Assessment (TLM Assessment) enables organizations to contain costs, tighten security, and achieve greater automation and accuracy in network asset planning.

Dimension Data's TLM Assessment provides organizations with a high level of visibility into their networks. With a growing number of applications being deployed on today's corporate networks, there's an increasingly wide array of technology to be monitored and maintained. By automating asset identification and the evaluation of asset status, organizations can accurately identify basic security, configuration and end-of-life network device issues so they can be proactively addressed. This holistic view gives companies the time, knowledge and insight to plan for upgrades, make informed decisions on prolonging the use of certain assets, and budget for those that need upgrades or spares.

In addition to cost savings, Dimension Data's TLM Assessment can also help companies reap the "green" benefits associated with improved network asset planning. With a holistic view of technology assets, organizations can determine which equipment to replace, or which technologies, processes and practices to rationalize in order to improve their environmental impact. An accurate inventory of devices empowers organizations to reduce their carbon footprint without incurring the cost of new hardware or software.

As reported in Dimension Data's 2009 Network Barometer Report, most organizations currently have multiple network vulnerabilities putting them at risk:

    --  73% of networking devices are running with known security
        vulnerabilities. This exposes a business to both external and internal
        security attacks and breaches, and could seriously jeopardize an
        organization's ability to meet regulatory compliance.

    --  There is an average of 30 configuration issues per network device,
        despite the fact that there are widely published and recommended
        standards to safeguard against these problems. The financial services
        sector, with an average of 36, has the highest average number of
        configuration errors per device.

    --  Almost half of all network devices have entered the obsolescence cycle,
        putting organizations at risk for extended downtime and unplanned,
        forced expenditure to regain business continuity. Some industry analysts
        calculate that system downtime can cost as much as $42,000 per month in
        direct IT expenses and up to 3% of an organization's annual
        revenue.

"The great irony here is that every one of these problems is avoidable through thoughtful lifecycle management," said Rich Schofield, global business development manager, Network Integration at Dimension Data. "The growth of Web 2.0, Software as a Service (SaaS), video, voice and mobility applications will put even more pressure on corporate networks. To minimize risk, organizations need to conduct regular assessments via an automated service that constantly evolves and matures along with the technologies themselves. Organizations that don't get the help they need now could find they're being held hostage by their networks in the future."

Dimension Data's new TLM Assessment comprises three steps:

    --  Discover: Dimension Data creates a list of network assets based on
        business and technical reviews with key stakeholders as well as onsite
        electronic discovery, ensuring that relevant information is collected
        and that lifecycle, security and configuration issues are identified.

    --  Assess: Using automated tools, the asset list is analyzed against
        security, configuration and end-of-life databases. Based on this
        analysis, Dimension Data creates a technology roadmap, prioritizing and
        outlining configuration remediations, as well as security and
        maintenance recommendations.

    --  Recommend: Dimension Data specialists and key stakeholders discuss the
        findings and determine how to act based on risk, cost and strategic
        factors. An action plan is developed.

About Dimension Data

Dimension Data (LSE: DDT), a specialist IT services and solutions provider, helps clients plan, build, support and manage their network and IT infrastructures. Dimension Data applies its expertise in networking, security, operating environments, storage and contact center technologies and its unique skills in consulting, integration and managed services to create customized client services. For more information: Call 866-DIDATA-US or visit www.dimensiondata.com/na.

    Media Contacts:
    Lisa Grimes                           Laura Sexton
    Dimension Data                        Davies Murphy Group
    (703) 217-2692                        (781) 418-2417
    lisa.grimes@us.didata.com             ddna@daviesmurphy.com

SOURCE Dimension Data

http://www.dimensiondata.com

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