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Intel Updates vPro Platform and Features

Posted by kdawson on from the chain-of-trust dept.

MojoKid writes "Intel's has certified the Core 2 Duo E6550, E6750, and E6850 processors for vPro, and is releasing the new low-power Q35 Express chipset with a companion ICH9-DO Southbridge, and 82566DM Gigabit Network controller. With these new chispets and technologies, the vPro platform offers next-generation Intel Active Management Technology, enhanced Intel Virtualization Technology, and Intel Trusted Execution Technology (aka Intel TXT). vPro also supports next-generation management standards like WS-MAN and DASH (draft 1.0 spec) and v1.2 of the Trusted Platform Module. Intel has plans to provide continual updates to the vPro platform and will likely enhance vPro further after the launch of their 'Montevina' platform in the first half on 2008."

5 of 77 comments (clear)

  1. v1.2 of the Trusted Platform Module by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Do not want!

    1. Re:v1.2 of the Trusted Platform Module by Technician · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Do not want!

      As a home user you maybe right. This is not aimed at the home user. Have you seen the demo? This platform has an IT departments dream, a firmware OS wrapped around the end user's OS. In the demo, they demonstrated live the corruption of Windows which crashed it to BSOD. Remotely they patched Windows and rebooted it all while Windows was crashed.

      A powered off machine needing a scheduled backup or critical software rollout is no problem. The machine can be remotely turned on, patched, rebooted, configured, and tested without disturbing users while they are home.

      Demos are here.
      http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=Intel+V-Pro+ demo

      As an end user, it means installing Party Poker or Tor on the corporate machine may result in immediate application removal. The same goes for SONY rootkits and keystroke loggers. So yes for the end user, they have less ability to hose the configuration.

      This is bad and the RIAA and MPAA is on the other end. This is good if your company supplied PC refuses malware. For its corporate target, this provides strong immunity to a BSA, RIAA, MPAA, etc, audit. Unauthorised stuff can't be stuck on the machine.

      --
      The truth shall set you free!
  2. Trust Not by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    "Intel Trusted Execution Technology". Way to sound ominous.

  3. Re:Is Intel a friend of Open Source? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I am not aware of a single hardware company that is as open with their specifications and hardware documentation as Intel. Their chipsets are open and documented, the audio, network and disk controllers are open and documented, their video hardware is open and documented (Who else can you say that about?). They have a great developer relations program, although you can download a lot of their documentation without even joining it.

    So what's all this secretive technology you think Intel have been producing?

  4. Re:much... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    You also make your system "untrusted". Which means, that,among other things, large software companies will no longer talk to you because your system cannot be trusted by them -- and in a few years, neither will your ISP, since there is already moves to ensure that only TPM equipped PCs will be sold and used on the internet.