Intel® vPro™ Technology Demo in MMS 2008 Keynote

[anjaneshbabu]

Dell has been doing this with their servers for ages. And on their desktops.

iDrac for dekstops ? maybe

[jgq85]

I just install Sub Seven Gold on all my company's computers. Makes management easy!

[unnamednewbie13]

Greeaaaaat. Another potential back door for keyloggers

[asumazilla]

I assume this works over the ethernet? What technology does it use to communicate between the machines - I assume it isnt TCP/IP but something at a lower level. Would this generate network traffic?

[RibcageCoffeeTable]

grate, now skynet gets direct remote hardware control...

[carcosa]

Microsoft's glorious scientists have invented shutdown -h!

HOW GLORIOUS THEY ARE!

[tty1]

Carcosa, are you stupid? You previously weren't able to power a computer on in this manner without expensive KVM-over-IP hardware. You can also edit BIOS settings remotely. You can even recover data from hard disks without having the PC on.

[carcosa]

"You previously weren't able to power a computer on in this manner without expensive KVM-over-IP hardware."

Ever heard of wake-on-LAN?

I'm not impugning Intel's work, I'm impugning Microsoft's attempt at taking credit for it...

[generativemusic]

I'll paraphrase: "I know how to lower IT costs... keep your users completely ignorant and totally in the dark. And god forbid you have to talk to another human being." Great plan, dorks. All bow before the almighty sysadmin panopticon! "Are you guys ready to go to the next level?" Yeah, sure - and check all your human rights and ethical values at the door.

[coonrode]

Please explain to me which of your human rights and ethical values are violated by remote desktop.

[asumazilla]

Privacy, free speech?

[zwqg1985]

It makes me sad to see that the current trend in the computer industry seems to be promoting technologies that remove control from the user and facilitate giving control to someone else. This is a MAJOR privacy/security problem, and I think it is our ( i.e. the public's ) responsability to resist harmful technologies like this and cloud computing by refusing to buy them. At this stage in the game, we still have the power to stop the bad tech with our buying decisions. Let's get to it!

[squarepusher2]

Mark my words, this is going to be mandatory in the near future. Ever heard of 'incrementalism'?

And this won't just be used in the near future in an office-type setting.

It's quite shocking that most 'so-called smart' IT people really can't grasp when they're going TOO far or when they're giving too much power. Trust me, this is going to be expanded upon, and is going to bite even the sysadmin in the ass.

If a lowly sysadmin can do this, then what the hell can the NSA do?

[asumazilla]

I have this motherboard and processor in my computer at home. I didn't even know what vPro is. I can't see that it is useful to me because I dont have the remove administation tools anyway :)

[Membrane556]

This may look good from an IT management stand point and saving energy but it has security hole written all over it .

Some stuff you really want to not be possible to do remotely.

Vpro is going to get hacked so badly it may destroy Intel.

One thing to keep in mind if some 9-5 guy can use it a skilled black hat hacker and play it like a Stradivarius.

I'd definitely firewall this crap from the outside internet if you don't you deserve what you're going to get.

[lukefromdc]

IF YOU HAVE ONE OF THESE MACHINES and value your privacy, CHANGE THE NETWORK CARD to another brand! If the network chip is on the motherboard, either sell the machine to a gamer and get an AMD machine, or replace the motherboard with one using another brand of chipset, like NVIDIA. Where privacy counts, consider using a Pentium 4, Athlon 64, or older on the Internet and keeping your newer stuff offline. V-pro requires two things to work: electricity and a network connection.

[Membrane556]

In theory it could be secure but in practice it won't be secure esp of all features and ports used are not documented and a means of full control given to the machine owner.

Security though obscurity is just stupidity.

Worst case would be machines shipped to home users with vpro turned on for remote management these will become compromised there is no if only when.

[orrinoconnor]

V pro is hardware, controlable without software. No one is gona switch my computer on or off at there leisure and add remove or adjust what ever they want, including the bios. No one in there right mind will want Intel's total control chip's. This will be a blessing for AMD and a money spiner for anyone who can disable this deceptive piece of hardware! These nobody's should be ashamed promoting the shit to make an easy buck, they should know better!

[squarepusher2]

hobbified: You're quite naive if you can't see a wider application in this - and a HUGE privacy/control problem.

Then again, Jacques Ellul seemed dead on in his book 'The Technological Society' when he called most 'technicians' quite simple-minded - and it is. When I ask you what good this does do, your only response as an engineer would be: "Oh, I'm doing it for humankind - I'm doing it for the people". That's a nice convenient excuse, this mythical abstract thing called Humankind.

[CVKent317]

Squarepusher2,

Agreed, this is a major privacy concern.

[squarepusher2]

Or perhaps you would respond: 'oh it makes the sysadmin's job easier'. Yeah, it really does. God forbid they should develop their human relational skills, actually get off their fat ass and walk to the desktop.

What you don't take into account here is that if you, a lowly sysadmin, are granted these powers, then JUST WHAT IN THE HELL is the NSA given? Because believe me, they're going to get special perks and special tools.

[squarepusher2]

Dude stop passing yourself off as this tech wizard - you didn't invent shit, you didn't implement out-of-band remote access, you couldn't program your way out of your API, so stop passing yourself off as this gee-whiz tech guy when you're likely just another end-user masquerading as a 'programmer'.

Kthnx. Now please start talking polite and actually learn to TALK to a fellow human being - you know, that trait that sysadmins and fellow nerds like yourself FAIL so massively at.

[worldofmp3]

it is your last sentence that made me mark your reply as negative.

if that sentence wasn`t there, you`ll get a thumbs up for your reply.

[sarni0]

This is so sick.

I mean the lifestyle these guys have and what they're doing.

TGDaily has a good article on this. It's the big brother system indeed.

[Barbaricfellow]

Our world is WAY too corrupt for that.

Extremely naive to assume this won't be misused in the same way that we all have "Echelon" in our phones.

But w/e some people will always provide...

I will switch to w/e alternative there is when the time comes.Guaranteed.

And still configure ports manually,scan traffic and processes,use no script,disable non essential services, etc,etc.

[rapskallion]

They're tools.

[rapskallion]

The presenters, that is.

[JossStonedems]

These guys are embarassing :D

"Thanks! Let's have a look... bla bla bla bla bla..."

[Kzb75]

intel vPro seems like a Big Brother thing for you losers running windows that screw it up all the time..

its actually kind of freaky if you think about it? that someday Microsoft will control most computers to load & run off the internet like an intranet straight to Microsoft no os needed on your home pc. only BIOS

[mziaei]

It's about time!

why they talk like they invented a new technology.

This feature existed in SUN/SGI servers for years.

[therrerr]

that is true but the user did not use their work stations to buy shoes at walmart with a credit card

[NewProductions]

Pretty cool