Does Intel vPro work via add-on NICs

Intel vPro technology is a platform that requires specific ingredients - you need to have a vPro-capable processor and a vPro-capable motherboard. You can look up processors and boards on http://ark.intel.com and that site will tell you exactly which functionality is available on each component. One thing that I've learned about that site is that vPro capable processors are not called out.

For the 2010 platform, the following processors are vPro-capable:

• Core i5-650, 660, 670, 680
• Core i7-860, 860s, 870, 870s, 880

Does that help? I'm the Community Manager at the Intel vPro Expert Center (www.intel.com/go/vproexpert). We have engineers on hand in our discussion forums to answer questions like these.

Essentially AMT, the vPro feature that allows for remote power on, has its own processor. This is often called the Manageability Engine (ME). It can request DHCP addresses. At the same time, it's smart enough to know when the OS has control of the NIC. In that case, it lets the OS handle DHCP and just uses the same IP. When the OS is down (system is off, or NIC driver is not installed or failing), AMT will take over making DHCP requests as needed.