Intel vPro

Intel vPro technology is a set of features built into a PC’s motherboard and other hardware.Intel vPro is not the PC itself, nor is it a single set of management features (such as Intel Active Management Technology (Intel AMT)) for sys-admins. Intel vPro is a combination of processor technologies, hardware enhancements, management features, and security technologies that allow remote access to the PC -- including monitoring, maintenance, and management -- independently of the state of the operating system (OS) or power state of the PC.Intel vPro is intended to help businesses gain certain maintenance and servicing advantages, security improvements, and cost benefits in information technology (IT) areas.

Relationships between Intel vPro, Intel AMT, Intel Centrino 2, and Intel Core 2

The numerous Intel brands can be confusing. Here are the key differences between vPro (a platform), AMT (a technology), Centrino 2 (a package of technologies), and Core 2 (a processor).

Intel Core 2 Duo or Quad processors are central processing units (CPUs), the brains of the PC.Intel Centrino 2 processor technology is a package of technologies that includes the Intel Core 2 Duo.Intel Centrino 2 is designed for mobile PCs, such as laptops and other small devices. Core 2 and Centrino 2 use 45-nm nanotech manufacturing processes, have multi-core processing, and are designed for multithreading.

Intel vPro technology is a set of technologies built into the hardware of the laptop or desktop PC.The technology is targeted at businesses, not consumers. A PC with vPro includes Intel AMT, Intel Virtualization Technology (Intel VT), Intel Trusted Execution Technology (Intel TXT), a gigabit network connection, and so on. You can have a PC with a Core 2 processor, without vPro built in. However, vPro features require a PC with at least a Core 2 or Centrino processor. Current versions of vPro are built into PCs with Core 2 Duo or Quad processors or Centrino 2 processors.

Intel AMT is part of the Intel Management Engine, which is built into PCs with Intel vPro technology.Intel AMT is a set of remote management and security features designed into the PC’s hardware and which allow a sys-admin with AMT security privileges to access system information and perform specific remote operations on the PC.These operations include remote power up/down (via wake on LAN), remote / redirected boot (via integrated device electronics redirect, or IDE-R), console redirection (via serial over LAN), and other remote management and security features.