To cut PC maintenance costs, government systems managers employ a duke's mixture of strategies.
Some agencies use remote management techniques.
Others rely on automated software distribution. Some save money with large-scale software licensing agreements and standard configurations. Still others pin future savings on intranets, expecting to need fewer software licenses. One Labor Department division cuts costs with a mix of remote systems management software and intranet-based text support. Remote help software lets Rex Sanders of the Geological Survey's Palo Alto, Calif., office keep desktop machines running in multiple buildings that are 15 to 20 miles apart.