BigFix Endorses ROI Benchmark Study by Aberdeen Group.

ROI Model for Security Configuration Management Indicates $5 Million in Savings Could Be Achieved for Large Enterprises

EMERYVILLE, Calif. -- Large enterprises can slash up to $5 million per year off of their IT costs by implementing an automated security configuration management (SCM) solution, according to a benchmark study by Aberdeen Group. The study, "Automated Security Configuration: Calculating a Real ROI?," creates an independent, industry-standard ROI model for businesses considering SCM solutions.

Sponsored by BigFix[R] Inc. as part of its IT.Next program, the Aberdeen Group study examined the return on investment (ROI) of SCM technologies for three different business types: large enterprises, medium enterprises, and small-to-medium businesses (SMBs). In all cases, cost savings were 75 percent or greater, ROI was achieved in five months or less, and the number of full-time employees assigned to these tasks was drastically reduced.

As shown in the table below, the Aberdeen Group model was applied to use cases (assuming varying degrees of pre-existing automation and software) to illustrate projected ROI:

Table 1:

[TABLE OMITTED]

According to Aberdeen Group, labor costs have always represented a large proportion of operational IT budgets, but leveraging solutions that improve efficiency through automation will significantly reduce those costs.

"Finding real ROI in security has historically been a challenge. By comparing the automation of SCM processes with the real-world labor costs of carrying out those same functions, we were able to create a formula to calculate the ROI for security functions," said Carol Baroudi, Research Director at Aberdeen Group. "The ROI model should provide an invaluable tool for IT executives in creating a business case to budget holders when seeking funds for the implementation of SCM solutions."

A significant part of the cost savings can also be attributed to the evolution of SCM solutions beyond basic patch management and software deployment. Today's solutions should also encompass:

* Power management

* Software update deployment

* Endpoint discovery, inventory and automated vulnerability reporting

* Software licensing management

* Centralized anti-malware management

* Automated audit and compliance reporting

"While BigFix customers experience rapid ROI on SCM, they also get an IT services platform that provides next-generation, real-time visibility and control capabilities on all endpoints and mobile devices for faster time to remediation," said Dave Robbins, president and CEO for BigFix. "BigFix addresses IT security and operations as two sides of the same coin, enabling businesses to automate and optimize key policies and processes for both functions. By breaking away from the manually-intensive, reactive, siloed structures and processes of yesterday's IT architecture, and moving towards a network of intelligent endpoints capable of continuous, real-time self remediation, companies can re-deploy valuable human and technology resources while enhancing security and the performance of the IT - a win-win for both the IT department and the business."

About BigFix

Founded in 1997, BigFix Inc. offers the only real-time IT service delivery platform that automates and optimizes enterprise computer security and management. BigFix enables large-scale enterprises to continuously enforce IT security, IT policy compliance and systems management on all computers, anytime, anywhere. Designed for highly distributed and complex IT infrastructures, BigFix delivers real-time endpoint visibility and control through its single-agent, multi-function, on-demand architecture. Its award-winning technology is proven in production at more than 600 companies, government agencies and public sector institutions worldwide, and currently manages over 7,000,000 desktop and mobile clients, workstations, and servers. More information can be found at www.bigfix.com

About Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks Company

Aberdeen is a leading provider of fact-based research and market intelligence that delivers demonstrable results. Having benchmarked more than 30,000 companies in the past two years, Aberdeen is uniquely positioned to educate users to action: driving market awareness, creating demand, enabling sales, and delivering meaningful return-on-investment analysis. As the trusted advisor to the global technology markets, corporations turn to Aberdeen(TM) for insights that drive decisions.

As a Harte-Hanks Company, Aberdeen plays a key role of putting content in context for the global direct and targeted marketing company. Aberdeen's analytical and independent view of the "customer optimization" process of Harte-Hanks (Information - Opportunity - Insight - Engagement - Interaction) extends the client value and accentuates the strategic role Harte-Hanks brings to the market. For additional information, visit Aberdeen http://www.aberdeen.com or call [phone], or to learn more about Harte-Hanks, call [phone] or go to http://www.harte-hanks.com.

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