Data Center Transformation a Top Priority in 2009 for CIOs – Survey

HP Data Center Transformation Experience workshops launch

PALO ALTO, Calif., New global research reveals that 84 percent of technology organizations are planning to implement a data center transformation (DCT) project in the next 12 months, primarily to lower costs and reduce business risk.

The HP-commissioned survey(1) further shows that a vast majority of technology decision makers are currently implementing or planning to implement in 2009 consolidation (95 percent), business continuity (93 percent) and virtualization (91 percent) projects.

In support of these and other DCT initiatives, HP announced the worldwide availability of the HP Data Center Transformation Experience workshops. Designed to help build out efficient next-generation data centers, these collaborative workshops demonstrate how chief information officers (CIOs) can swiftly maximize their investments in transformation initiatives through an integrated and customized technology roadmap aligned to business goals.

Today’s CIOs are challenged more than ever to control costs and quickly achieve returns on technology investments. According to the study, respondents named reducing operational costs (31 percent) as their top driver for 2009 DCT spending. Enhancing security (29 percent) followed as a close second.

However, in both cases decision makers reported that technology needs, more than business needs, are prompting the investments. This may limit their ability to achieve both short-term and long-term business benefits such as reduced costs, mitigated risks and accelerated growth.

“CIOs who approach DCT initiatives with a focus on business needs can significantly reduce time to value for today’s technology investments while laying the foundation for future growth,” said John Bennett, worldwide director, Data Center Transformation Solutions, HP. “HP Data Center Transformation Experience workshops offer CIOs a unique opportunity to align technology strategies with their specific business goals.”

Opportunity for CIOs to impact business performance in 2009

Most organizations are transforming their data centers through independent projects instead of taking a broad, integrated approach. The new research indicates that 20 percent of technology decision makers are initiating a complete transformation, while the remaining 80 percent are implementing individual transformation projects without an overall DCT strategy.

When asked to indicate what projects they would implement independently to achieve specific technology goals, respondents named the following:

* Automation – 64 percent
* Green IT – 60 percent
* Operations management – 59 percent
* Virtualization – 59 percent
* Business continuity – 58 percent

All of these projects have the potential to also achieve business goals. By taking a comprehensive approach and aligning these autonomous projects to an overall DCT strategy, an opportunity exists for CIOs to maximize the value of their transformation initiatives.

HP Data Center Transformation Experience

The HP Data Center Transformation Experience is a half-day or full-day workshop providing an opportunity for CIOs and key decision makers to gain critical knowledge and discover best practices regarding complete transformation projects that can help organizations lower overall costs, reduce risk and accelerate growth. The workshop is an interactive walkthrough of the key elements that make up a successful data center transformation project.

The HP Data Center Transformation Experience helps CIOs:

* Realize the scope, scale and critical success factors for a DCT initiative, including facilities, IT infrastructure, governance and operations,
* Identify initiatives that require a more strategic approach and teaming with the business to deliver significant company benefits, and
* Outline next steps in a customized roadmap.

Methodology

Hansa | GCR performed the study, commissioned by HP, using a web survey to collect information from 600 technology decision makers from midsized organizations to enterprises, globally. Approximately 85 percent of the respondents were from enterprise companies and 15 percent were from midmarket companies. Countries included in the survey were Brazil, Germany, India, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States.

HP, the world’s largest technology company, simplifies the technology experience for consumers and businesses with a portfolio that spans printing, personal computing, software, services and IT infrastructure. More information about HP (NYSE: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com.

(1) Hansa I GCR, “HP Data Center Transformation: Key Implementation Drivers,” November 2008.