Intel aims to make life easier for small businesses

Small businesses make up around 17 percent of the total PC market, yet often they don’t have dedicated resources to manage their systems.

Chip maker Intel has spotted an opportunity here and is launching its Small Business Advantage program, offering a blend of systems management and business collaboration.

SBA automates PC maintenance tasks to keep systems up to date with minimal interruption. It also enhances security by monitoring software for compromise and offering a USB blocker to help keep out viruses and stop unauthorized file transfers.

It helps staff work together too with built-in chat, file sharing and screen sharing for instant collaboration. This offers a more secure solution than using consumer tools. There's an optional Companion App -- supported on Windows, Android, and iOS platforms -- which keeps mobile users connected when they are on-the-go.

"Small businesses are very focussed on their own business, not on the latest technology and they're not buying PCs all the time. We tried to build something that was very easy to use and that integrated all of the tools they need," says Chad Constant Director of Business Client Marketing at Intel. "If they buy a PC that's SBA capable from one of our OEM partners they get this solution which can then be downloaded to other machines in the business".

SBA runs on Core i3 and above systems. It can also be added to a network in the form of a headless appliance that can relay traffic across the internet, allowing mobile users to access their work data, and will be able to deliver future small business capabilities.

SBA is available though Intel's OEM channel partners with no ongoing cost once installed. You can find out more on the Intel site.