Fujitsu Launches Cloud-based Services to Support End-User ICT

Fujitsu today announced the launch in Japan of its Workplace LCM Service, which leverages a cloud-based platform to provide total outsourcing support over the lifecycle of customer ICT equipment, including personal computers, printers, multifunction copiers⁽¹⁾, and on-site departmental servers.

Workplace LCM Service is designed to keep pace with the diverse work styles and multivendor ICT environment at customer offices. The outsourcing service is available for a monthly fee and covers all tasks involved in the ICT equipment lifecycle, ranging from planning and acquisition to deployment, day-to-day operations, equipment retirement, and disposal.

Previously only available for PC management, the new service extends outsourcing to printers, multifunction copiers, servers, and other ICT equipment, while also adding a wide range of new sought-after offerings, including security measures and mobile access. In addition, the previous outsourcing service for PCs has been expanded into Desktop-as-a-Service (DaaS)⁽²⁾ to deliver a host of business applications to PCs at customer sites via the Internet.

Background

As working styles have grown more diverse and the speed of business has accelerated, companies have found themselves needing to support an increasingly diverse ICT environment that includes not only office-based PCs but also laptops used at customer premises or the homes of employees.

At the same time, ICT departments are bearing a vastly increased workload, with the need to support a greater diversity of ICT equipment, implement mobile connectivity that delivers a secure working environment outside of the office, and deal with increasingly complex security management issues. Doing this while lowering costs, as well as increasing flexibility for end users, has become increasingly challenging.

To take pressure off ICT departments, Fujitsu has revamped its PC-LCM Service, which provided PC outsourcing to approximately 400 companies since its launch in 2004. Now renamed Workplace LCM Services, this new suite of services will help customers reduce operating costs and administrative workloads while providing end users with a flexible working environment, not only for PCs, but for a wide range of ICT equipment.

Workplace LCM Service Benefits

1. Simple software management with DaaS
   Security concerns have led to a growing demand for thin-client support, but high startup costs have been a barrier to deployment. To overcome this barrier, Fujitsu has equipped its trusted cloud platform with a client-virtualization management system as its standard environment. By offering this service as DaaS, startup costs for software installation are reduced. Furthermore, the use of software templates for transition and operations greatly shortens the rollout time.
2. Comprehensive support for multi-vendor environments
   Fujitsu handles a wide range of duties associated with the hardware and software that make up the end-user ICT environment, including PCs from Fujitsu and other manufacturers, thin clients, printers, multi-function copiers, and on-site departmental servers, all while maintaining high quality service delivery. These activities are complemented by a variety of collaboration services to enhance operational efficiency, such as electronic mail and file storage⁽³⁾, unified communications⁽⁴⁾, as well as by network services to securely connect offsite mobile users to the office network.
3. Hardware and software resources provided as a monthly service
   For a monthly service fee, Fujitsu provides all the IT resources customers need for their end-user environment, including hardware and software resources from other manufacturers. Fees vary based on the number of users and workstations, allowing clients to reduce and smooth out asset holding costs.
4. Consolidated management using an advanced services platform
   The service management system is built on Fujitsu's cloud platform and includes incident management, configuration and asset management, resource distribution and other functions. By establishing this system as the standard environment, shorter lead times, lower startup costs, and a higher level of quality and standardization in end-user environments can be realized.
5. Consistent service on a global level
   Using the Fujitsu Group's international resources, Fujitsu can deliver the same quality and processes to locations outside of Japan that it does inside Japan. This ensures that customers with global operations can rely on consistent ICT operations and higher-quality governance overall.

Workplace LCM Service Menu

Pricing (sample)

Virtual Desktop Service: 5,000 JPY/month per PC when using 1,000 virtualized PCs (no startup cost)

Availability

Immediate (in Japan)

Sales Targets

400 corporate customers over next 3 years with cumulative sales of 200 billion JPY