Done right, costs are dramatically slashed, IT investments are better aligned with business goals, and new opportunities for revenue growth are created. Smart companies know it and are already using utility computing for competitive advantage.

Regardless of your industry sector or individual company, the pressure has been a constant in the past 2 years: reduce IT costs while continuing to make strategic IT investments. “Do more with less” has become the most over-used marketing slogan of the past year. However that is exactly what utility computing offers – and executives are paying serious attention. A recent survey* revealed that 7 in 10 CIOs of the Fortune 500 plan to use utility computing to boost productivity. More importantly, nearly 1 in 2 CEOs from the same group see utility computing as a way to bring IT goals in line with business aims (up from 1 in 4 just 9 months ago).

How can you learn to harness the advantages of utility computing for your enterprise?

UtilCompWorld brings together an impressive array of strategic-level business leaders to share utility computing experiences and best practices at this critical time. C-Level executives from Financial Services, Telecoms, Automotive, Life Sciences, Manufacturing and the Public Sector will tell you what works and what doesn’t. All of the major vendors will be present as well but none dominate the agenda (UtilCompWorld is an independent forum). With every resource you need in one place at one time, UtilCompWorld is your opportunity to network and visualize the possibilities free from pre-packaged answers.

A revolution in the IT environment: Skills, Costs and Effectiveness

Under pressure to meet increasingly difficult demands, the average enterprise IT environment ties many companies’ hands behind their backs. Data centers are separated into islands of resource; storage and communication capabilities present an almost uncontrollable area of growth; and business users are constantly demanding additional functionality. On top of this, the reduction in head count has become a natural enemy of creativity, with innovation at an all time low, according to estimates by leading research firms*.

Utility computing, described by the Executive VP of Guardian Life (just one speaker who will be at the event) as “a powerful tool that can be used to drive out cost and complexity,” changes the paradigm. Utility computing has a vast array of associated strategies – grid, adaptive, agility, and on demand are just some. All are covered in depth at this conference, but it boils down to one key thing: simplicity. Whether in the specific context of the data center, CRM system, supply chain optimization, enterprise-wide storage or the payment model by which IT services are delivered, clarity and simplicity are key pillars of the utility computing model.

Transforming the Outsourcing model

Gartner has already proclaimed utility computing to be the most influential force in enterprise outsourcing today – with long-term implications far beyond the current off-shore trend. One of the flaws of the traditional outsourcing model has been the need to predict business demands as far as 10 years in advance. This frequently results in price-padding and resentment. Now companies including Deutsche Bank and American Express have pioneered new utility computing outsourcing deals. The results are something no executive should ignore.

Anyone who is involved in outsourcing should most certainly attend this event and take the chance to drill down into the new price and delivery metrics others are using – and proving. Rich as the opportunity is, a paradigm shift in outsourcing inevitably brings with it new ways for an unsuspecting buyer to get burned!

Outsourcing executives also should register for our exclusive Utility Computing Outsourcing report, available in March. See the registration form to find out how!

New Growth and New Markets – but problems for many vendors

Vital as cost control and efficiency will remain, the real opportunity of utility computing lies in its opportunities to create growth and empower knowledge workers.

A prime example comes with the new breed of on-demand CRM providers. On one level they offer a clear example of how utility computing brings new growth opportunities. On another level, the market is being thrown into turmoil, with the entire model for software licensing increasingly under threat. Will your favorite software providers survive the turmoil?

As industry-specific capabilities and customized applications increasingly shift to a utility computing model, the implications for your supplier relationships are profound. Early adopters of these customer-facing applications now find that utility computing succeeds where the ASP model failed. Cost per seat and implementation times are being slashed and sales are being boosted by greater customer collaboration and new partnerships.

Make no mistake about it: Despite the confident marketing-speak of most vendors, some are far better prepared to deliver utility computing than others. The key for you and your company is to determine which ones represent the best choices for you and your enterprise.

A genuine period of all change – Pro-active networking is vital

With the (in)famous Harvard Business Review article, “IT Doesn’t Matter” stating that IT is no longer a strategic issue, the relationship between IT and business is under examination like never before. Regardless of your position on this debate, utility computing represents a huge shift in the nature of IT and removes many of the barriers between IT and business strategy. For numerous companies, the balance of power is shifting and the skill-set that brought success in the past will no longer drive the future.

Case Studies: Benchmark your company against both peers and competition

Case Studies of practical examples are a vital feature of UtilCompWorld. We’ve gathered together the industry pioneers – visionaries who are already making utility computing pay off by a combination of trial, error and foresight. These experts will be on hand to share their knowledge and experience. You can learn from their example – both what to do and what not to do!

Under one roof in just two days you will:
- Learn from your peers
- Network
- Understand the changing vendor landscape
- Meet all of the key vendors – both large and small
- Benchmark your position against real-life industry examples