Intel Set To Roll Out Centrino Pro Technology

Modeled after Intel's vPro technology for managing desktop PCs, Centrino Pro will enable partners and service providers to manage the wireless and security capabilities of notebooks. For example, Centrino Pro will allow remote management of mobile workers' Wi-Fi services, as well as wired notebooks and PCs, regardless of whether a computer is on or off, Intel said.

Several leading vendors have announced support for Centrino Pro, including Microsoft, Cisco Systems, Altiris, CA, Hewlett-Packard, LANDesk and Trend Micro, according to Intel.

The Centrino processor platform upgrade, code-named Santa Rosa, is based on Intel's enhanced Core 2 Duo chips and is expected to be introduced during the week of May 8. The platform offers a new wireless feature dubbed Intel Next Gen Wireless N, which will give users longer-distance connectivity to their access routers -- as much as a twofold improvement -- and up to a five times performance improvement over the previous platform, Intel said.

The Santa Rosa processor also offers improped graphics performance to support Windows Vista's Aero user interface plus the new Intel Turbo Memory, formerly code-named Robson, which will speed boot times by 20 percent.

System builders and solution providers are eagerly awaiting the new Centrino platform, and many partners building managed services with vPro for desktop PC management will be be able to use Centrino Pro for managing mobile PCs.

"I am very excited about Santa Rosa. Performance, performance performance: 800Mhz front-side bus, 4-Mbyte cache, 802.11n, Intel Turbo Memory," said Jeff DiBella, vice president of sales at AOpen Center, Gaithersburg, Md.

"The vPro aspects for Santa Rosa are important due to the ability to be able to support a client remotely in the field," he added. "This is key for us in being able to sell and support whitebooks. This gives us the ability to provide support for a customer, no matter where they are in the world."