Reynolds and Reynolds Launches Anti-Virus Service

Company research shows that 44% of dealerships name viruses as their top concern when using the Internet for business

DAYTON, Ohio, May 3 -- The Reynolds and Reynolds Company , the leading provider of software and services to the automotive retailing industry, announced the launch of Reynolds Anti-Virus Service.

The service enables dealers to manage anti-virus protection for their whole network from a single PC. Backed by Reynolds' award-winning support team, Reynolds Anti-Virus Service features business class anti-virus protection and a central management console to administer virus protection for networked PCs.

Today, viruses, Trojan horses, worms and other bits of malicious computer code can erase data, steal confidential customer information and turn PCs into "zombies," using them to re-distribute viruses. For typical dealerships, which employ 40 or more personal computers on their network, the threat is serious -- any one PC with a virus can immobilize business operations. According to Gartner Inc., a provider of research and analysis on the global IT industry, the average hourly cost of downtime for computer networks is $42,000, an exorbitant cost to any business.

Steve Brown, IT manager for Sanderson Ford in Phoenix, Arizona, has battled his share of virus attacks. "In one month, viruses shut down our network three times, costing our dealership hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost revenues and productivity. When they'd hit the network, they would consume all the bandwidth and bring it down to a crawl.

"We decided to implement Reynolds Anti-Virus Service and we haven't been down since. It keeps our network clean. Now I can more easily monitor our networked computers from one central console and see which PCs contain threats -- before they become an issue."

Under the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLB), dealerships are required to safeguard customer information. One successful virus attack could expose sensitive customer information. Reynolds Anti-Virus Service can help dealers reduce their risk, but the service should be part of a comprehensive network security plan that includes a firewall, secure network and educated workforce.

"Virus protection is a time-and-resource-consuming headache for many dealerships," said Jeff Almoney, vice president and chief technology officer at Reynolds and Reynolds. "Nearly half of dealers list virus attacks as their top concern when using the Internet for business. With Reynolds' Anti-Virus Service, they can rest more assured and have more time to concentrate on selling and servicing cars, not managing their network."

Single-source administration

With Reynolds Anti-Virus Service, it's easier for dealerships to protect their Windows(R) PC network. The solution, powered by the leader in information security, Symantec(TM), consists of a central management console running on a distribution server. Although the solution requires little management, the console allows the network administrator to easily manage the protection of their network from one PC. Each client on the network is configured to automatically pull virus definition updates from the distribution server-not the Internet-every hour. The setup reduces the impact on the dealership's Internet bandwidth during these updates.

Automatic containment

In the event that a virus is detected on a networked PC, Reynolds' Anti- Virus Service attempts to clean the infected file or quarantine it to prevent infection of other network resources. The solution is designed to assist in the protection of the network from common types of malicious software, which include the following:

   * Viruses can make copies of themselves and then attempt to infect other
     computers that are exposed to them. Viruses can be transmitted as e-
     mail attachments, downloads or through sharing computer disks or files.
   * Spyware is often disguised as an innocuous e-mail message or freeware
     program. Spyware secretly monitors system activity on an infected PC,
     capturing passwords or account numbers and then transmitting them to
     hackers and identity thieves.
   * Trojan horses are disguised as harmless programs or files, but in fact
     contain malicious or harmful code. They often leave a "back door" into
     the network, allowing hackers future access.
   * Worms are also self-replicating programs. Generally they do not alter
     files, but their uncontrolled replication consumes system resources,
     slowing or halting other tasks-potentially bringing a network to a
     standstill.

Reynolds Network Services offers a suite of connectivity solutions specifically tailored to meet the unique needs of automotive retailers and car companies. From complete network and Internet connectivity solutions to expert consultants, Reynolds Network Services help automotive retailers get their business running at top speed.

About Reynolds

Reynolds and Reynolds ( http://www.reyrey.com/ ) helps automobile dealers sell cars and take care of customers. Serving dealers since 1927, it is the leading provider of dealer management systems in the U.S. and Canada. Reynolds ranked first among major DMS providers in the most recent study of dealership satisfaction by the National Automobile Dealers Association. The company's award-winning product, service and training solutions include a full range of retail Web and Customer Relationship Management solutions, e-learning and consulting services, documents, data management and integration, networking and support and leasing services. Seventy of the Ward's Dealer Business e-Dealer 100 leaders rely on Reynolds Web Solutions to manage their presence on the Internet. Reynolds serves automotive retailers and OEMs globally through its incadea solution and a worldwide partner network, as well as through its consulting practice.