IBM announced today a comprehensive series of offerings based on datacenter technologies that are designed to help retailers improve security, systems management and serviceability. The hardware and software enhancements are the latest efforts by IBM to simplify and automate retail environments -- helping retailers to lower costs, streamline operations, and protect existing investments.
The new technologies include upgrades to IBM's flagship 4690 point of sale (POS) operating system, new advanced systems management software, and serviceability enhancements to the SurePOS 500 series of POS systems.
"Retailers continue to seek out new technologies that can improve the customer experience, while streamlining and simplifying operations," said Steve Ladwig, general manager of IBM's Retail Store Solutions. "We've taken some of our most innovative data center advancements and applied those to the retail environment. This has resulted in solutions that help retailers improve end-to-end systems management, tighten security and ease serviceability -- allowing them to leverage the investments they've already made."
Enhancements to the 4690 operating system deliver store-level management capabilities and new features designed to help retailers protect store data and maintain robust network security. Enhanced systems management capabilities with remote management agent (RMA) and its new retail extensions for IBM Director include the ability to manage multiple stores remotely from a central location -- managing traditional IT, today's retail devices and next generation technology offerings with one easy-to-use tool. The newest SurePOS 500 offers easier serviceability, with a virtually tool-less design that enables fast, easy service to help reduce the total cost of ownership.
In addition to its new offerings, IBM's Retail Store Solutions Division also recognized the 25th anniversary of its Retail Solutions Business Partner program. Since it launched in 1982, the program has grown to over 1,000 members today that sell more than half of IBM POS and Kiosk solutions.
ScanSource, an international distributor of specialty technology products providing distribution sales to resellers in the specialty technology markets, was an early RSS business partner.
"We have been distributing IBM's POS products and retail solutions for more than 12 years and truly value their partnership," said Jeff Yelton, vice president of merchandising for ScanSource. "We continue to strengthen our relationship with IBM, and the new products IBM is announcing today will help the solution providers we work with better serve the needs of their retail customers" - IBM.
Posted January 15th, 2007 by Nymphadora
