Discounts cast wide in data services

With corporations keen to cut down their expenses in the prolonged economic slowdown, information service providers are introducing their services at discounted prices. Microsoft Korea said yesterday that it will launch Small Business Server 2003 for small to medium sized enterprises. The product is a combination of programs that operate computer systems, support electronic commerce and e-mail services, and manage customer database. “For example, a company of 50 employees used to have to spend 50 million won ($42,000) to buy the necessary software programs one by one. But it will cost them now about 20 million won if they use the new software,” a Microsoft official said. Small Business Server 2003 software are sold only for the use of small to medium sized companies with up to 75 workers that will use the program. LG CNS, a computer system designing company, recently launched a discount service, which allows companies to “save and share” computer programs. Employing LG CNS’s services, software programs that needed for business, such as Microsoft Excel or word processor programs, do not need to be installed at each individual worker’s computer, but only at the main computer. Workers access to the main computer through network and use the program as if it is in their own computers. Hallym University has adopted the system, and allows students enjoy access to the software programs in the school main computer. “We make the license agreement with software companies,” an official from LG CNS said. “If a company adopts our scheme, it can save about 60 percent of expenses that otherwise it would have to spend to install necessary software programs to each of their worker’s computer.” Oracle Korea unveiled Oracle 10g yesterday, which helps companies skip buying new computer when storage space is wanted in large computers. For example, if a computer for data storage needs more space, the software searches for necessary space, say, in a computer for e-mail services, and let data storage computer use the available space. An increasing number of corporations also outsource establishment or management of their computer systems to cut cost. by Kwon Hyeok-joo