General Questions

What sets Alloy Navigator apart from other products?

Though there may be some overlap when comparing individual product features, we are not aware of a product on the market containing the same amount and quality of features in a single solution for the price offered by Alloy Software. Alloy Software is focused on delivering an all-in-one integrated solution, rather than a product with many modules, in order to eliminate purchasing confusion, reduce costs and ease deployment.

Some of the features that set Alloy Navigator apart from most, if not all competitors are the power and extensibility of the Workflow Management System, clean and intuitive interface, a choice of web-based and Windows-based technician's console, tight but flexible integrations between the different areas in the product.

The level of customer service at Alloy is unlike most companies in today's market. Both the sales and support teams are well-versed in the IT industry and with Alloy products. In addition, all calls are handled very timely and with quality care.

Who is the target market for Alloy Navigator?

The product is targeted primarily for medium and large organizations that want to streamline their service support processes and manage their IT assets more effectively can benefit from Alloy Navigator. The majority of our clients:

• Support between 100 and 10,000 employees
• Have between 10 and 100 support representatives
• Are mid-size corporations, or divisions of large enterprises

For smaller organizations we recommend Alloy Navigator 6 Express.

Is Alloy Navigator ITIL compliant, and must I understand ITIL to use the product?

Alloy Navigator is based on the ITIL framework, the most widely accepted best practices for organizations. Knowledge of your own practices and business priorities is important to implement Alloy Navigator, but it is not required whether these practices follow ITIL or not. Besides, our Professional Services can provide the necessary assistance with ITIL and in planning and implementing Alloy Navigator to meet the unique needs of your organization.

Where can I find information on ITIL?

• ITIL community pages
• Official British Government ITIL site
• ITSM Portal
• ITIL and ITSM World Directory
• ITIL Survival
• Wikipedia

Is there implementation assistance?

Yes. All of our products come bundled with a valuable technical resource called the JumpStart™ Assistance Program designed to assist you with learning, planning and ultimately implementing our products by providing you with expert guidance. For more information or to schedule a JumpStart, visit www.alloy-software.com/support/jumpstart.html.

Can Alloy Navigator be used right out of the box?

Yes. The installation of Alloy Navigator includes standard workflow designed to streamline common everyday tasks and can be used as soon as it’s installed. If needed, customizing the product to meet your organization’s unique requirements is easy.

Technical Questions

What are the database requirements for installation?

The following database servers are supported:

• Microsoft SQL Server 2000 / 2000 Desktop Engine (MSDE 2000)
• Microsoft SQL Server 2005 / 2005 Express
• Microsoft SQL Server 2008 / 2008 Express

Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition is supplied with Alloy Navigator 6.

What email services does Alloy Navigator support?

Alloy Navigator supports SMTP, POP3, IMAP and Microsoft Exchange. This covers Lotus Notes and Novell's GroupWise due to their support of SMTP, POP3 and/or IMAP.

Do I have to install agents on each computer?

No, agents are not required. The audit is agentless and can run from a network share, on-demand or based on a schedule. The audit supports Windows, Linux and Mac OS computers and can identify networked devices (printers, scanners, routers, hubs, switches, etc) via SNMP.

Pricing Questions

What is the cost of Alloy Navigator?

Pricing is solely based on the number of named technicians that will be using the product, the number of computers in your inventory, and selected product modules (simplified to Service Management and IT Asset Management). The number of client end-users and non-computer hardware assets is unlimited. Please contact our Sales Team so they can analyze your requirements and provide you with a price quote.

What licensing options are available?

Alloy Software offers both perpetual and subscription based licenses.

Currently support and maintenance are bundled together and offered in the Support Contract. The Support Contract entitles you to all product updates and unlimited product support by web, e-mail or phone. All licensees are required to purchase the Support Contract for the first year.

What is included in the support and maintenance contracts, and are they required?

Not necessarily. Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition is supplied with Alloy Navigator 6. This is generally sufficient to host the Alloy Navigator database in environments with less than 1000 computers and 10 technicians. Even if you have a larger environment, this edition may still be sufficient.

Will I need to buy database server software to use Alloy Navigator?

Alloy Navigator integrates with Crystal Reports, the industry standard for reporting and charting.

Am I required to purchase report designer software to generate and customize reports?

The Crystal Reports Viewer is included with Alloy Navigator to generate and print reports included with Alloy Navigator. If you wish to modify existing reports or design your own, you are required to have a Crystal Reports Developer license from SAP, which can be purchased through Alloy Software. If you are a service provider, depending on the methods in which you provide service and access to reports via the Web Portal, SAP may require you sign an ASP Agreement.

Upgrade Questions