Intel plans to release a chipset and network adapter designed to bring new IT management technologies to business PCs.

The company last week said its 945G chipset and Pro/1000 PM network chip will begin to ship in PCs by the end of May.

The features, such as Active Management Technology (AMT), are part of Intel's strategy to emphasize other aspects of system performance rather than raw processing power. AMT is designed to let IT administrators access a protected portion of the PC to install software updates, run diagnostic programs or take inventory of their systems even if the PC is not turned on. PC buyers will need to make sure they purchase a system with the Pro/1000 PM network adapter to use this capability, Intel says.

New PCs with the 945G chipset now will become part of an Intel program to help IT managers avoid changing their software images or managing a network of PCs with different image types, Intel says. Intel guarantees IT departments that buy PCs based on a certain platform will not have to update their software images because of hardware changes for at least a year.

Krazit is a correspondent with the IDG News Service.