AutoNation, Inc. Cuts I.T. Costs With ON Technology Solution
31 August 1999
AutoNation, Inc. Cuts I.T. Costs With ON Technology Solution; World's Largest Automobile Retailer Overhauls Its Corporate PC Environment in Four Months Using ON Command CCM
Cambridge, Mass.--Aug. 31, 1999--ON Technology today announced that AutoNation, Inc. , the world's largest automobile retailer, has purchased an additional 3,000 licenses of ON Command CCM(TM), the leading solution for managing and configuring software across corporate networks and the Internet. This recent purchase, combined with an initial ON Command CCM investment, has resulted in dramatic cost savings and competitive advantages to AutoNation.Prior to using ON Command CCM, AutoNation's average IT technician supported 80 to 100 desktop computers. Today, following last fall's four-month overhaul of the Company's PC environment, each member of AutoNation's IT staff manages the software applications of up to 250 desktop computers with the help of ON Command CCM. The increase in productivity has allowed AutoNation to realize a return on its initial ON Technology investment and a reduction in the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of supporting more than 2,000 personal computers. Prior to ON Command CCM, such corporate PC environment overhauls would take a year or longer to perform.
In addition, ON Command CCM has helped AutoNation streamline its IT services throughout a U.S. retailing organization that has absorbed more than 400 companies since the Company entered the automotive retailing business three years ago.
"As a company, we'll continue to take advantage of smart uses of technology, especially those opportunities that allow us to realize efficiencies," said Keith Holcomb, AutoNation's Senior Vice President of Information Technology. "ON Command CCM has helped us dramatically lower our total IT costs."
ON Command CCM has also increased AutoNation's ability to quickly plan and deploy new software applications to its corporate systems - an advantage that is helping the Company retain its competitive edge in the automotive retailing market.
"ON Command CCM has helped AutoNation create a stable, reliable and flexible PC environment, which is a tremendous business benefit for a dynamic, growing company" said Herman DeLatte, President and Chief Executive Officer, ON Technology.
About ON Command CCM
ON Command CCM provides a unique pre-OS and network booting technology that allows operating systems and applications to be instantaneously deployed to multiple client PCs simultaneously, from centralized Windows NT or Unix servers, for immediate installation and configuration. ON Command CCM provides immediate business value by lowering PC Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), providing a high level of reliability and availability for business critical desktops, and accelerating strategic technology initiatives. ON Technology's solution leverages built-in Wired for Management (WfM) capabilities currently available from leading PC manufacturers.
About ON Technology Corporation
ON Technology is a publicly traded company based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1985, the company offers ON Command CCM, the leading desktop management and continuous configuration solution for enterprise networks. ON Technology has formed business and technology alliances with major hardware manufacturers including Dell Computer Corporation , Micron Electronics, Inc. , 3Com Corporation and Sun Microsystems ; core technology suppliers including Microsoft and Intel Corporation ; and complementary enterprise software vendor's Computer Associates International, Inc. and Tivoli Systems Inc., an IBM company . Additional information concerning ON Technology Corporation can be found at www.on.com.
About AutoNation
AutoNation, Inc. is the world's largest automotive retailer with more than 400 new vehicle franchises in 20 states and 42 AutoNation USA used vehicle megastores in 13 states. Led by its AutoNationDirect.com Web site, AutoNation is also the largest online retailer of automobiles, operating more than 270 dealership web sites. The Company's automotive rental units include Alamo Rent-A-Car, Inc., National Car Rental Systems, Inc. and CarTemps USA, which combined have operations nationally and in more than 65 countries. For additional information, visit the Company's corporate web site at www.AutoNation.com.
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The statements in this news release that relate to future plans, events or performance are forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties, including risks associated with uncertainties pertaining to customer orders, demand for products and services, development of markets for the Company's products and services and other risks identified in the Company's SEC filings. Actual results, events and performance may differ materially. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. The Company undertakes no obligation to release publicly the result of any revisions to these forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.