Honda Australia’s information services department (ISD) has reduced the time spent on patching PCs, laptops and servers by using a software suite to send out automatic patches.
Honda Australia's ISD business services division network manager, John Kardas, told Computerworld Australia that it manages 400 PCs/laptops and 100 servers.
Previously when a new employee joined Honda Australia, the team of five ISD staff would need to load a new PC or laptop with software. Because different ISD staff did this each time, configurations were not always consistent. When software updates or patches were released, ISD staff needed to go around to each computer and perform the update manually.
- Honda concept cars get the 3D printing treatment
- Honda creates bilingual robots
- SuperPartners uses virtualization to conduct systems testing
In 2009, ISD selected LANDESK’s Management suite as it offered automatic software updates and remote diagnostics.
“If we have to do any patching or updates we can do this from one central console. We wanted to get away from the situation [in 2009] where every computer was different. If one machine developed a problem, no-one knew why,” said Kardas.
ISD staff can also use the software to analyse what new patches need installing and push these out to servers, desktop PCs and laptops.
Earlier in 2014, ISD used the Management suite to roll out Microsoft Lync to 50 office staff.
Read more: 2012: The year of ‘big data’
“We sent the [50] users an email which said, 'You’ve got Lync installed and this is how you login.’ We didn’t have to go around to each PC and install it,” he said.
According to Kardas, its biggest saving from using the suite has been time.
“We can push out new applications, apply patches and quickly solve problems. Automation has got rid of human error.”
He added that Honda Australia is currently half way through an 18 month SAP implementation, which will merge financial reporting systems.
Read more: Robots to replace 'rote labour': Gates
Follow Hamish Barwick on Twitter: @HamishBarwick
Follow Computerworld Australia on Twitter: @ComputerworldAU, or take part in the Computerworld conversation on LinkedIn: Computerworld Australia