The IT Utility: The Future of the Data Center 2004-2010

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	Research-based Market Strategy Consulting

The IT Utility: The Future of the Data Center 2004-2010

Document:                        SSR-150
Date of Publication:           July 22, 2004
Number of Pages:             21
Lead Author(s):                 Jim Cassell, Mike Isaac, B. McNee
Contributing Author(s):       M. Koenig, M. West
Price:                               $1,295.00 USD

Report Overview:

Thought leadership research report that provides an independent view of the future of the data center over the time period 2004-2010. It defines and assesses the key business and technology drivers and inhibitors that will have the greatest impact on how the future data center will evolve. Saugatuck believes that the IT Utility is the predominant driving force for change in the data center over 2004-2010, therefore the most important one for vendors selling products and services into the data center.

Research Summary:

	The IT Utility is the predominant driving force for change in the data center over 2004-2010.
	Key technologies gating the IT Utility will mature at different rates, creating several distinct phases of deployment through 2012 - Early Virtualization, Policy-based Computing and the IT Utility..
	Despite all of the work that needs to be done to address the technology challenges, it is a variety of business inhibitors that outweighs the technical challenges as gating factors to market adoption of the IT Utility - including political and/or cultural resistance for users, and a significant change in the business model and pricing for vendors .
	The shift to Software-as-Service (SaS) will be a significant one for ISVs that impacts how users and investors view their financial health.
	The trend toward virtualized computing resources and outsourced service delivery carry both opportunities and challenges relative to network management and security.
	Vendors that invest to ensure they are a leader in the IT Utility with technologies, services, and partners providing real customer business value and ROI, will see significant payoff in account control and market success.
	For CIOs and CFOs, the deployment of an IT Utility deployment will not be a one-time event. It will span many years as required function is brought to market and becomes mature enough for a production environment (2004 – 2010).
	CIOs and CFOs must insist on detailed plans through time with associated costs (above) and benefits. We believe that the journey to an IT Utility will typically result in a more effective IT environment. The challenge is to plan for cost/benefit synchronization through the plan period.

Tables/Figures/Graphs:

Six charts and graphs, including user adoption timelines, phases of technology evolution, and emerging data center styles

Press Release and Related Research

What's Keeping Utility IT from Lighting Up? (CIO Insights, 08-01-04)

New Research: The IT Utility Define the Future Data Center (07-22-04)

PAYG IT: A Dose of Reality at UtilCompWorld (03-26-04)

McNee Rebutts Carr at CFO Conference - Pay-go Services Key to Making IT Matter for Business (02-16-04)