Leading Data Center Automation Tool, SMA OpCon/xps, Receives Major Upgrade

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SMA announced today a major new release of the world’s leading cross-platform automation software for data centers, OpCon/xps 3.31. Major enhancements: - Event-driven processing can now apply to groups of jobs and schedules - Improvements to FTP security, bandwidth usage and delivery confirmation - Web access and monitoring - More than three-dozen new capabilities, enhancements and reports requested by users.

This is the most compelling, ‘must-have’ release of SMA OpCon/xps in two years

SMA announced today a major new release of the world’s leading cross-platform automation software for data centers, OpCon/xps 3.31.

Long-renowned as the universal remote control of IT automation, SMA OpCon/xps supports virtually every platform in commercial production in the world today. SMA also leads the industry in event-driven automation.

Event-Driven Processing Introduced for Groups of Jobs and Schedules

The new release, 3.31, contains a completely redesigned and totally integrated event-driven notification system that “exponentially enhances our event-driven automation,” said Anna Murray, Technical Product Liaison. “OpCon/xps can now process events for entire groups of jobs, schedules, or machines when certain events happen. Event-driven processing is expanded beyond individual jobs, schedules, and external sources.”

“Until now, OpCon/xps users could make individual jobs, machines, or schedules respond appropriately to dozens of external contingencies. In the new release, they can do the same with groups,” said Murray. “Also, the number of types of events that the system can respond to has increased. So has the convenience of configuring them.”

“In 3.31, users can configure events from within the Event Notification System itself,” continued Murray. “All of the various means of defining and sending event notifications are integrated on one screen. It lets users set up notifications for the Windows Event Log, E-mail, Network Messages, SNMP Traps, SPO, Text Messages, and OpCon/xps events.”

File Transfer Enhancements

Another major enhancement to SMA OpCon/xps includes support for a new type of file transfer.

“FTP, long the standard for file transfers, is a notorious bandwidth hog,” says Murray. “And because there was no reliable way to tell when a file transfer completed, sometimes people would process partial files. Worse, FTP security left a lot to be desired. Release 3.31 addresses all these issues.”

Users can now place an agent on a destination machine that requests files to be transferred from a machine running on a different platform. Users can limit bandwidth usage, confirm complete delivery, and maintain tight security.

WebOpCon Improvements

SMA also included an ASP .NET rewrite of WebOpCon, another major new feature of Release 3.31. It transcends the limitations of Visual Basic and harnesses the infinite possibilities of the Web without compromising security, stability or performance.

New Capabilities Requested by Users

SMA OpCon/xps could be described as “event-driven processing meets customer-inspired development.”

Much of the new release has been based on customer requests. Ninety-four such requests resulted in more than three-dozen performance enhancements, new capabilities, or new reports. Most enhancements improve the central components of SMA OpCon/xps. For example, after completing successfully, a job can now reschedule itself at user-defined intervals.

Support for More Platforms

The rest of the enhancements involve the monitoring agents residing on client machines. For instance, the new release enhances support for the latest models in IBM’s iSeries.

“This is the most compelling, ‘must-have’ release of SMA OpCon/xps in two years,” said Michael Taylor, president and CEO. “It cements our lead in cross-platform compatibility and event-driven automation. As the pace of technology change accelerates, both are crucial to clients. Platform proliferation has made their environments more complex than ever. At the same time, clients are under relentless pressure to do more without adding staff. This new release will be a major help on both fronts.”

Lower Overhead Costs

“Our responsiveness to customer requests,” added Taylor, “gives many clients an alternative to developing their own automation systems. SMA OpCon/xps gives them exactly what they need without the extra overhead of a development staff.”

For a complete listing of all the enhancements in SMA OpCon/xps 3.31, visit smausa.com.

Current SMA OpCon/xps customers receive this latest, highly enhanced release at no charge.

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Kelly Larson
SMA
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