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Print Manager Plus® First Microsoft Partner Solution Available in the Launch of Microsoft New Learning Network Manager

Easy to Use Software Solution Included in Learning Network Manager Finds Vital Money for Schools and University Budgets by Reducing Cost of Printing by up to 75%

2 November 2005 - London - BUSINESS WIRE/

Software Shelf International today announced that its new Print Manager Plus® software is now available which integrates with Microsoft's newly released Learning Network Manager for educational institutions in Europe, Middle East and Africa.  In cooperation with its partner Software Shelf, Microsoft has included a free download link to Print Manager Plus specifically designed for the academic market.  It not only helps schools easily manage printing, eliminate waste and reduce costs, it finds vital money which can be used to replenish school budgets by reducing printing costs up to 75%.

Industry studies on 800 schools across Europe showed the average schools saving over 800 Euros a month by using Print Manager Plus.  A school in France that installed Print Manager Plus was able to make enormous savings on paper alone eliminating between 100,000 and 150,000 sheets of paper each month which would otherwise have been completely wasted. And, using Print Manager Plus, the school recovered 10.000 Euros over the year that could then be put right back into the school?s budget.  Additionally, Print Manager Plus was able to find the school nearly another 4,200 more Euros by eliminating unnecessary printer repair and maintenance.  

Microsoft Learning Network Manager is a proven software tool for schools and universities to simplify networking, automate maintenance, and help to setup, configure and manage a connected learning environment. It also greatly simplifies the network management process, reducing the cost and complexity normally associated with this activity.

Learning Network Manager is a further reflection of Microsoft?s commitment to delivering value to the education sector and is available at no extra cost to existing Microsoft users in education.

?IT administrators and network managers in education face unique challenges. Learning Network Manager reduces the burden on busy IT departments and helps them to make technology an integrated element of the learning environment,? said Mark East, regional director of Education Services at Microsoft EMEA (Europe, Middle East, Africa). It also helps them to deliver the highest levels of security and network administration.?

Learning Network Manager and Print Manager Plus were independently developed using Microsoft Windows Server 2003 and Active Directory. 

Following Microsoft?s lead, Print Manager Plus was designed to provide even an inexperienced IT Administrator with an affordable yet complete and easy to use printing control and accounting solution.

?Throughout this past year we have been working together with Microsoft following our mutual commitment to deliver the highest possible value to the academic market without compromising anything on quality or reliability,? noted Software Shelf spokesperson, Rudi C. Loehwing.  With Print Manager Plus we chose to develop and deliver the best software solution and provide the academic sector with the easiest and fastest possible installation.?

Print Manager Plus enables complete control of all printer brands, paper and toner without any need for extra hardware or expensive and time-consuming training.  It deploys in seconds and enables schools and IT administrators to instantly quota, track and fully control student printing and printer usage throughout their networks with confidence and ease.

Print Manager Plus and Learning Network Manager both support most common network topologies found in education, including local area, metropolitan area and wide area networks and are designed to meet the demands of any institution. Both can be easily configured and customised to the exact requirements of a specific institution or group of institutions.

Thousands of schools and universities as well as small, medium and large companies worldwide use Print Manager Plus. Tech support is provided in 12 languages.  It is available from resellers in every country.

For more information, academic pricing, and a free fully functional trial version, go to http://www.softwareshelf.com

For more information on Learning Network Manager, contact your Microsoft Education Team in your country.

Software Shelf and Print Manager Plus are trademarks and service marks owned by Software Shelf worldwide.  Windows and Microsoft are trademarks owned by Microsoft Corporation.

CONTACT: Software Shelf

Europe, Middle East and Africa: Mr. Christian Delalez
Tel: +44 (0)1342 310950
cdelalez@softwareshelf.co.uk

US: Mr. William Feeley
Tel:  +1 727 445 1920
bill.feeley@softwareshelf.com