Intel officially launched the third generation of its vPro technology on Monday, adding new remote management and patching applications that can operate even if the PC is turned off or hibernating.

All of the new features are built directly into the Intel silicon. "We realize by embedding solutions directly in silicon it unlocks new capabilities and helps IT and businesses solve challenges," said Gregory Bryant, Intel’s vice president and general manager of its Digital Office Platform Division, during a Webcast Monday.

About half of the Global 100 firms already have implemented vPro in some capacity, Bryant said.

According to Intel executives, the most important capability of the new technologies, code-named "McCreary," is the ability to manage and update PCs that reside outside of the corporate firewall. A Remote Scheduled Maintenance feature allows scheduled tune-ups of PCs. But if a PC is failing, it can "call for help" via a new Remote Alert feature. If it has already failed with a "crippled" OS or hard drive, users will be able to enter a key sequence to place a "Fast Call for Help," or manually call for IT assistance and give them access to the PC for repairs.

Source: PCmag.com