NComputing, the world's leading provider of ultra low-cost computing, today announced that the Andhra Pradesh (India) government was honored for the social impact of its 5,000-school computing program. Andhra Pradesh is the largest and most populous state in South India, and its government has earned a reputation as a leader in using technology for economic and social development.
A distinguished panel of industry executives, government officials, and technology journalists selected Andhra Pradesh (AP) and their use of NComputing. Winner of the PCQuest Best IT Implementation of the Year award, the educational computing program provides computer labs in rural government schools and was cited for its maximum social impact. Award panel members included the Deputy Director General of India's National Informatics Centre, the CIO of Ernst & Young, the head of Wipro's Government unit, the former CEO of Reliance Infosolutions, and the Chairman and President of CyberMedia.
The AP program required outfitting 5,000 schools across the state with computer labs to teach computer skills and prepare the students for the digital economy. The government needed a computing technology that was affordable, simple to install, and easy to maintain. "The NComputing solution was chosen after multiple stages of deliberations," stated Mr. Suresh Chanda, IT Secretary of Andhra Pradesh. "Many factors like long-term sustainability, power saving, infrastructure costs and scale were considered and we are pleased that computing access has been created for 1.8 million students around the state, most of whom have never had the opportunity to even touch a computer."
The NComputing solution is based on a simple fact: today's PCs are so powerful that the vast majority of applications use only a small fraction of the computer's capacity. NComputing taps the unused capacity in a PC and shares it among multiple users as if each person had their own computer. Each person enjoys a full PC experience by connecting their own monitor, keyboard, and mouse to an NComputing access device, which is then connected to the shared PC. The access devices snap into place in seconds, are almost impossible to break, and save on maintenance costs because only the shared PC requires ongoing service or upgrading.
The AP Government estimates it saved 50 percent in computer equipment and will save 70 percent in support and maintenance. Electricity is limited or unreliable at many of the schools, which are located in some of the most remote parts of the state and rely on generators to run the computer labs. The NComputing solution uses just 1 watt of electricity, making it a model for sustainable, energy-efficient computing for regions of the world where access to power is too expensive, unpredictable, or non-existent.
"The government Andhra Pradesh deserves considerable recognition for its ambitious initiative to equip its schools with 21st century educational tools and its foresight in selecting NComputing," said Stephen Dukker, chairman and CEO of NComputing. "Our solution has proven time and again to save organizations in up-front acquisition costs as well as long-term operations and maintenance costs."
NComputing has been recognized for its role in bringing truly affordable computing to schools, businesses, governments, hospitals, and factories. Since introducing the award-winning virtual desktop technology two years ago, NComputing has emerged as the market leader with nearly two million seats sold in over 140 countries. The PCQuest award is the latest of many industry accolades, including the Wall Street Journal Technology Innovation award, the Gartner Cool Vendor Award, the Frost and Sullivan Green Computing award, as well as numerous awards from CES, Deloitte, CeBit, and ExpoComm.
Equity Bulls /July/27/2009
