UBS has signed a four-year, $50 million deal with Dell Computers to replace and manage 30,000 desktop and notebook PCs in its Swiss branches...

UBS has signed a four-year, $50 million deal with Dell Computers to replace and manage 30,000 desktop and notebook PCs in its Swiss branches and the offices of its wealth management unit around the world.

Dell OptiPlex GX280 desktops and Latitude D410 and D610 notebooks will replace a major competitor’s existing hardware, according to Dell.

Under the agreement, Dell will provide UBS with a number of managed services, including installation, advanced help desk services and hardware support. Dell will also provide services to support a migration to Microsoft's Windows XP operating system.

Installation has already started and the rollout should be completed within the next few months, according to Dell.

"Dell won the contract because of the global availability of its products, the exceptional price-performance ratio and its managed-services offerings. By standardising the PC infrastructure worldwide, we can achieve a substantial cost reduction," said Scott Abbey, chief technology officer at UBS.