Help Desk Applications.

GraphOn Corporation (OTCBB:GOJO), a leading developer of cross-platform application publishing and Web-enabling solutions, today announced that Resource Dynamics, an independent software vendor (ISV), has deployed GraphOn's GO-Global Web-enabling solution. After first attempting to develop a native HTML version of its popular Windows-based Tele-Support HelpDesk product, Resource Dynamics instead turned to GraphOn's GO-Global solution to instantly Web-enable the application.

GO-Global is a fast, simple, affordable way to access Windows programs from any location, platform and operating system. Unlike other alternatives, GO-Global eliminates the need for Citrix or Microsoft Windows Terminal Services software.

Tele-Support HelpDesk manages the workflow of call centers and help desk departments for small- to medium-sized companies. With over 900 installations in 35 countries, it is Resource Dynamic's flagship product.

Thanks to GraphOn, Tele-Support HelpDesk customers can now manage calls and deliver timely support to their users from any location in the world, over any type of Internet connection, using virtually any remote device.

Initially, Resource Dynamics embarked on a development project to create its own Web interface for HelpDesk. After eight months of work, however, they realized that even when completed, it would encompass only 80% of the features available in the Windows version. Completion of the project would also require a whole new set of testing and QA protocols, plus the ongoing need for specialized staff to manage the HTML platform.

What Resource Dynamics needed was a way to quickly Web-enable HelpDesk rather than creating a separate Web-based product.

"Our solution was to go with GO-Global," said Resource Dynamics President Alan Frankel. "We were able to instantly Web-enable our application without having to modify a single line of code. We selected GO-Global due to its simple implementation and ease of use, its ability to efficiently deliver the fully-functional HelpDesk client desktop interface over the Web, and GraphOn's professional and friendly account representation and support department."

"GO-Global has given us an important competitive edge," concluded Frankel. "Now we can concentrate our development efforts on our core applications, while still satisfying our customers' Web access demands."

About Resource Dynamics

Based in St. Petersburg Beach, Fla., Resource Dynamics develops, markets and supports software solutions that provide customer service, call tracking and help desk functionality. The company's powerful yet cost-effective Tele-Support HelpDesk application can be used as a stand-alone solution or integrates with popular contact management solutions such as ACT!, GoldMine and Outlook. For further information, call 888-633-1020 or visit www.resource-dynamics.com.

About GraphOn

For over a decade, GraphOn has been an innovator of cost-effective, advanced solutions that help customers access applications from anywhere. GraphOn's solutions run under Microsoft (MSFT) Windows, Linux and UNIX, including Sun (SUNW) Solaris, IBM AIX, Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) HP-UX and more. For further information, call 1-800-GRAPHON or visit www.graphon.com.

This press release contains statements that are forward looking as that term is defined by the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are based on current expectations that are subject to risks and uncertainties. Actual results will differ due to factors such as shifts in customer demand, product shipment schedules, product mix, competitive products and pricing, technological shifts and other variables. Readers are referred to GraphOn's most recent periodic and other reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

GraphOn and GO-Global are registered trademarks of GraphOn. Other trademarks belong to their owners.

Magic Help Desk.

BMC Software pulled a rabbit out of its IT hat on Monday, announcing an agreement to acquire assets of Magic Solutions from Network Associates for approximately $47 million in cash.

The acquisition, which was expected to close by Feb. 1, should strengthen BMC's service management offerings beyond its traditional enterprise customer base. Magic Solutions, with its Magic Service Desk and Magic Help Desk products, provides help desk software and related solutions targeted at small- and medium-sized businesses.

At BMC headquarters in Houston, officials said they planned to incorporate Magic Solutions into the company's existing Remedy business unit, and noted that the acquisition will provide the publicly traded BMC with end-to-end service management solutions that reach a variety of customers.

"Customers of all sizes need the flexibility to adapt their IT solutions on the fly and the scalability to expand their solution as their business grows," said Jim Grant, vice president and general manager of the Remedy unit. "The small- to medium-sized business market is a huge one for us, and this acquisition should help us reach that market like we've never reached it before."

For BMC channel partners, access to this new market opens a brand new world of potential customers. While Grant said he didn't expect the move to affect the company's current channel strategy or compensation structure, he admitted that reorganizing the Remedy business unit may result in minor changes to channel efforts down the road.

Gartner Research Director Kris Brittain said the Magic acquisition was the first move in what could become a trend of consolidation in the service management marketplace overall.

"As the economy offers positive signals for growth, vendors of consolidated IT service management technologies will look for acquisition opportunities to expand their presence in the marketplace," she said. "Enterprises should anticipate more consolidations as vendors improve their market penetration from small- to enterprise-level [customers] and build on their industry expertise."

The Magic Solutions division of publicly traded Network Associates is located in Plano, Texas. Grant said he did not expect to relocate the division due to the acquisition.

Help Desk

A help desk is an information and assistance resource that troubleshoots problems with computers and similar products. Corporations often provide help desk support to their customers via a toll-free number, website and/or e-mail. There are also in-house help desks geared toward providing the same kind of help for employees only.

In the Information Technology Infrastructure Library, within companies adhering to ISO/IEC 20000 or seeking to implement IT Service Management best practice, a Help Desk may offer a wider range of user centric services and be part of a larger Service Desk.

Functions

A typical help desk has several functions. It provides the users a central point to receive help on various computer issues. The help desk typically manages its requests via help desk software, such as an incident tracking system, that allows them to track user requests with a unique ticket number. This can also be called a "Local Bug Tracker" or LBT. The help desk software can often be an extremely beneficial tool when used to find, analyze, and eliminate common problems in an organization's computing environment.

The user notifies the help desk of his or her issue, and the help desk issues a ticket that has details of the problem. If the first level is able to solve the issue, the ticket is closed and updated with documentation of the solution to allow other help desk technicians to reference. If the issue needs to be escalated, it will be dispatched to a second level.

There are many software applications available to support the help desk function. Some are targeting enterprise level help desk (rather large) some are targeting departmental needs. See Comparison of issue tracking systems.

From the mid 1990s research by Middleton ^[1] at The Robert Gordon University found that many organizations had begun to recognize that the real value of their help desk(s) derives not solely from their reactive response to users' issues but from the help desk's unique position where it communicates daily with numerous customers or employees. This gives the help desk the ability to monitor the user environment for issues from technical problems to user preferences and satisfaction. Such information gathered at the help desk can be valuable in planning and preparation to other units in IT as well as non-IT departments such as sales and product development.

Organization

Large help desks have different levels to handle different types of questions. The first-level help desk is prepared to answer the most commonly asked questions, or provide resolutions that often belong in an FAQ or knowledge base. Typically, an incident tracking system has been implemented that allows a logging process to take place at the onset of a call. If the issue isn't resolved at the first-level, the ticket is escalated to a second, higher, level that has the necessary resources to handle more difficult calls.

Larger help desks have a person or team responsible for managing the tickets and are commonly called queue managers or queue supervisors. The queue manager is responsible for the ticket queues, which can be setup in various ways depending on the help desk size or structure. Typically, larger help desks have several teams that are experienced in working on different issues. The queue manager will assign a ticket to one of the specialized teams based on the type of issue. Some help desks may have phone systems with ACD splits that ensure that calls about specific topics are put through to analysts with experience or knowledge on that topic.

Many help desks are also strictly rostered. Time is set aside for analysts to perform tasks such as following up problems, returning phone calls, and answering questions via e-mail. The roster system ensures that all analysts get time to follow up on calls, and also ensures that analysts are always available to take incoming phone calls. As the incoming phone calls are random in nature, help desk agent schedules are often maintained using an Erlang C calculation.

Deskside team

The deskside team (sometimes known as "desktop support") is responsible for the desktops, laptops and peripherals such as PDAs. The help desk will assign the desktop team the second level deskside issues that the first level was not able to solve. They set up and configure computers for new users and are typically responsible for any physical work relating to the computers such as repairing software or hardware issues and moving workstations to another location.

Network team

The network team is responsible for the network software, hardware and infrastructure such as servers, switches, backup systems and firewalls. They are responsible for the network services such as email, file, and security. The help desk will assign the network team issues that are in their field of responsibility.

Other teams

Some companies have a telecom team that is responsible for the phone infrastructure such as PBX, voicemail, VOIP, telephone sets, modems and fax machines. They are responsible for configuring and moving telephone numbers, voicemail setup and configuration and are assigned these types of issues from the help desk.

Companies with custom application software may also have an applications team, who are responsible for development of any in-house software. The Applications team may be assigned problems such as software bugs from the Help Desk. Requests for new features or capabilities to in-house software that come through the Help Desk are also assigned to Applications groups.

Not all of the help desk staff and supporting IT staff are in the same location. With remote access applications such as DiagWin Enterprise, BOSSAssist, Microsoft Remote Desktop, PcAnywhere, GoMyPlace. NetSupport, IBM Tivoli, Citrix and Dameware Net Op - technicians are able to solve many help desk issues from another location or their home office. There is a need for on-site support to physically work on some help desk issues; however, help desks are able to be more flexible with their remote support. They can also audit workstations.

Help desk is a broadly applied term referring to a staffed resource—often, an actual desk, or a telephone service—that can help persons answer questions or to use resources such as audio-visual or computer resources