2010 Speaker List

SMBs don’t have thousands or even hundreds of servers that they are trying to consolidate in order to achieve massive savings on power, cooling, and floor space. But this doesn’t mean virtualization isn’t a fit. Virtualization for the SMB is all about availability and the ability to drive down management costs, particularly for shops with few IT personnel. Even for companies with as few as two physical servers, virtualization can provide benefits that break the limitations of the physical computer world, simplifying IT and unlocking cost and time savings for SMBs. This session will take a close look at all the availability characteristics (reliability, data protection, etc.) that a virtualization platform can provide and show real-world examples of how smaller IT organizations can drive more utilization out of existing hardware through virtualization.

Widely used to consolidate data centers, virtualization also provides an opportunity for branch office infrastructure consolidation. Before organizations can utilize virtualization in the branch, they need to understand how and what to virtualize. This session will identify strategies for virtualizing branch applications, services and technologies and the efficiencies that result.

Twenty years ago video conferences started 30 minutes early to accommodate temperamental ISDN networks and video hardware, and these islands of technology ultimately offered a very poor user experience at a very high price. Video was used in special circumstances or reserved for executive access. Now with lower prices, better hardware and performance and most importantly deployment ease, video is accessible to enterprise users. Unified communications-based video conferencing today offers a user-friendly and productive way of getting work done, while today’s new video appliances offer a panoramic experience for the price of a good laptop PC. Attend this session for an insider’s view of video communications applications and trends.

Presence is the heart of unified communications and, some would argue, of all next-generation enterprise communications. But presence loses much of its value if it's implemented within discrete systems that can't exchange information with each other - between different systems within an enterprise, between partner companies, with customers, and between public and private networks. In addition to exchange issues, there are important trends in providing richer presence content, automating status, and in the development of rules and policy engines that govern who is accessible to whom and under what conditions. This session will explore these topics and examine progress on these important functionality issues.

As data centers move become more virtualized, companies are still determining how to secure these environments. This session will examine the inner workings of the virtual data center, including where the security weak spots are and what can be done to ensure protection of critical data being stored there.

This panel of enterprise IT executives looks at their experience with cloud computing platforms, with a particular focus on compliance, performance, and the support for legacy applications. What could they move? What broke? Join this revealing discussion if you're tasked with enterprise cloud migration.

Along with its many benefits, the move to a virtual infrastructure brings new challenges to managing the data center. These challenges include virtual server sprawl (largely due to the ease of provisioning virtual servers), capacity and performance management of the virtualized infrastructure, and troubleshooting problems across the virtual and physical environment. While network and systems management toolsets have been around for decades, are they able to handle a virtual world? Hundreds of new tools have emerged to specifically address virtualization management, while existing tools are evolving with new virtual capabilities. Learn about how both of these types of tools can be implemented to help you with the long-running challenge of successful end-to-end management.

While major wireless security concerns have long since left the front page, security is the one area in IT (and especially in mobile IT) where “done” is never achieved. New challenges and outright threats appear on essentially a weekly basis, and it’s important to keep up with the ever-changing security landscape. Our goal for this session is to look at the latest in mobile security threats, and how new solutions are enabling mobile users to go about their business without compromise to corporate assets.

As the world of information technology changes, the skill set required to lead your IT organization continually evolves. Attend Day One of this intensive two-day CIO Boot Camp to learn firsthand from successful CIOs at billion-dollar-plus organizations. Hear about common mistakes, how to avoid making them and how to apply their lessons to your world.

As the world of information technology changes, the skill set required to lead your IT organization continually evolves. Attend Day Two of this intensive two-day CIO Boot Camp to learn firsthand from successful CIOs at billion-dollar-plus organizations. Hear about common mistakes, how to avoid making them and how to apply their lessons to your world.

Traditional video conferencing vendors and a set of recent market entries are pushing a wide variety of video conferencing solutions all the way from high end Telepresence suites to software solutions running on the PC desktop. Which technologies will provide the right communications solution for the needs of your enterprise? This session will propose a decision tree for sorting through the vendor offerings and hype and focusing on the right size, right bandwidth and right features to meet your visual communications needs.

Desktop video conferencing has traditionally consumed the PC, used up the screen real-estate and provided poor images. Has this technology evolved into a useful tool? What are the enterprise applications where desktop video can provide productivity enhancements or better customer interactions that justify its deployment? In this session we will quiz the desktop video vendors to see if we can rationalize deploying yet another complex application on the desktop.

Video conferencing could be the toughest application your enterprise network has to support. It places significant bandwidth demands on the network, while simultaneously demanding priority treatment (QoS). Designing the right network solution to support an enterprise video conferencing deployment is critical to getting early positive feedback on using a video capability which will affect its acceptance as a business tool. This two hour session will look at the technical details of designing, testing and managing an enterprise network to support high quality video conferencing and telepresence communications with deep dives into security, LAN QoS and WAN QoS issues.

Maybe a private cloud is an oxymoron. In this reprise of the heated debate from Interop New York, we'll debate the elephant in the room: Maybe private clouds are simply enterprise IT finally applying the automation, virtualization, and service-oriented architectures we've been hoping for all these years. Join this panel of industry pundits and provocateurs for a vigorous discussion that goes to the heart of IT reinvention.

To be sure, there’s still a good deal of debate around the very definition of 4G, and 4G services to date has been spotty. Fear not, 4G is in fact well on the way to reality now, offering improved throughput and a broad range of additional capabilities to mobile devices and their users. This session will examine the key options for 4G, including their features, benefits, and status, and discuss the evolution of 4G as plows ahead towards ubiquity, and, we might add, 5G.

Business leaders know about it, your board of directors will ask about it, so it’s time to figure what it’ll take your IT operation to be cloud-ready. We’ll outline a step by step process to take cloud computing from an interesting concept to a strategically important element to your IT strategy.

Most IT organizations are taking IT resources such as servers, applications and storage out of branch offices and placing them in centralized data centers. This raises some critical questions: How can IT organizations overcome the impediments to the broad deployment of virtual desktops? Should the next generation branch office be serverless? What type of device(s) needs to still be in the branch office and how is it managed? What techniques can be used to overcome the performance issues? The speakers on this panel will answer those questions and will present alternative designs for your next generation branch office.

In just a few years, cloud computing has gone from a fringe idea for startups to a mainstream tool in every IT toolbox. The Enterprise Cloud Summit will show you how to move from theory to implementation. We'll cover practical cloud computing designs, as well as the standards, infrastructure decisions, and economics you need to understand as you transform your organization's IT. We'll also debunk some common myths about private clouds, security risks, costs, and lock-in. On-demand computing resources are the most disruptive change in IT of the last decade. Whether you're deciding how to embrace them or want to learn from what others are doing, Enterprise Cloud Summit is the place to do it.

The enterprise network has become the very foundation of most businesses today. Whether it is a conduit to revenue-generating opportunities, vital to the global supply chain, or internal service that links the increasingly global and mobile workforce, the enterprise network will remain a core area of IT investment in the coming years. As a result network managers are on the front line of key industry trends.
Join IDC's Cindy Borovick as will address the following key questions:

• What is the role of the datacenter network in converged IT infrastructures?
• Why will customers adopt Application Delivery?
• How will customer networking priorities evolve in the era of cloud computing?

Along with its many benefits, the move to a virtual infrastructure brings new challenges to managing the data center. These challenges include virtual server sprawl (largely due to the ease of provisioning virtual servers), capacity and performance management of the virtualized infrastructure, and troubleshooting problems across the virtual and physical environment. While network and systems management toolsets have been around for decades, are they able to handle a virtual world? Hundreds of new tools have emerged to specifically address virtualization management, while existing tools are evolving with new virtual capabilities. Learn about how both of these types of tools can be implemented to help you with the long-running challenge of successful end-to-end management.

2009 was a year of major shifts in network and computer security. Social networking, Web 2.0, virtualization, consolidation, downsizing, and more drove the agenda for nearly every organization. So what's next? Should you expect more of the same or something new? Will virtualization and cloud computing finally meet IT operational realities? Are networks risk-ready for bandwidth hogging applications, social media streams, voice, video and more. Will this be the year that the predicted efficiencies of a borderless business finally take hold. We'll take a look at these trends and more for 2010.

In just a few years, cloud computing has gone from a fringe idea for startups to a mainstream tool in every IT toolbox. The Enterprise Cloud Summit will show you how to move from theory to implementation. We'll cover practical cloud computing designs, as well as the standards, infrastructure decisions, and economics you need to understand as you transform your organization's IT. We'll also debunk some common myths about private clouds, security risks, costs, and lock-in. On-demand computing resources are the most disruptive change in IT of the last decade. Whether you're deciding how to embrace them or want to learn from what others are doing, Enterprise Cloud Summit is the place to do it.

This intensive workshop offers a critical, independent evaluation of SharePoint, detailing the platform's strengths and weaknesses culled from customer experiences and hands-on testing. Through presentations and discussion, the workshop helps you figure out how, where, when, and why to use SharePoint -- and reviews how well SharePoint "fits" into different types and sizes of enterprises with different business objectives.

The workshop will also prepare you for developing a SharePoint strategy for your enterprise, empowering business and technology managers to reach a common assessment of what SharePoint can and can't do effectively for your enterprise. This course will enable you to confidently assess and plan any effort to extend SharePoint beyond a set of departmental installations into an enterprise-wide platform.

Course Outline
* What Is and Isn't SharePoint
* How SharePoint 2010 Changes the Picture
* SharePoint Architecture for Business Managers
* Evaluating SharePoint's Core Features and Functionality
* SharePoint as an Application Development Platform
* Enterprise Architecture and Operations
* Evaluating the SharePoint Ecosystem
* Best Practices and Looking Forward

Who Should Attend and What You Will Learn

* Business analysts -- to learn what SharePoint does and doesn't offer out of the box, and what are the likely costs
* Enterprise architects and IT managers -- to better guide business colleagues about choices and impacts before they try to dive into SharePoint, by understanding architectures, governance, critical 3rd-party modules employed at the enterprise level
* SharePoint project managers, senior architects, and lead developers -- to understand what you're about to get into, with respect to architectures, licensing, and functionality, as well as different approaches for customizing and extending SharePoint
* SharePoint evaluation teams -- to level-set understanding and terminology among the team, and make more informed choices about whether and where to employ SharePoint
* Information and Knowledge Managers -- to compare SharePoint against other information and knowledge management tools in your enterprise, as well as what key investments need to be made to up-size SharePoint for the enterprise
* Consultants -- to understand where SharePoint works well, and where it does not, as well as how to improve SharePoint implementations through better governance and 3rd-party tools
* Anyone who wants to understand the impact of SharePoint 2010 on any existing deployments

To date, technology analysts have quite properly focused on the social and business aspects of social software. And yet, social software tools (including collaboration suites, pure-play blog / wiki / social-networking products, and revamped portal products from major vendors) differ quite substantially in maturity, approach, and support. This session will share customer research from noted evaluation firm CMS Watch on leading social software technologies, and provide a framework for customers to evaluate the marketplace based on their own needs.

With corporate environmental sustainability on the rise, IT departments are increasingly turning to green IT initiatives. While most organizations start on their path towards greener IT in the data center – organizations oftentimes lack a comprehensive strategy and struggle to prioritize projects. To spend time and capital wisely – ultimately delivering financial and environmental benefits – this session will help data center managers develop a comprehensive green data center framework across their server, storage, network and facilities assets.

There are two major subsystems in a data center: physical infrastructure and IT equipment. PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness) indicates the proportion of power consumed by both. Companies around the globe are publishing PUE values that are close to perfection, but are these numbers achievable in a real-world production data center? This session will help attendees filter out the hype, understand the science behind PUE, and set realistic expectations for their own data centers. Beyond the basic calculations, you will examine what factors could increase or decrease your PUE and set you on track for improving your data center efficiency.

Throughout the early stages of the data center design/build process, complex decisions are made that greatly impact the eventual efficiency and performance of the data center. There are free tools available that can simplify this decision making process by experimenting with numerous “what if” scenarios regarding virtualization, efficiency, capital cost, and other key design issues. This presentation will review two of these tools, PUE and Capital Cost Calculator, and demonstrate each of them.

In just a few years, cloud computing has gone from a fringe idea for startups to a mainstream tool in every IT toolbox. The Enterprise Cloud Summit will show you how to move from theory to implementation. We'll cover practical cloud computing designs, as well as the standards, infrastructure decisions, and economics you need to understand as you transform your organization's IT. We'll also debunk some common myths about private clouds, security risks, costs, and lock-in. On-demand computing resources are the most disruptive change in IT of the last decade. Whether you're deciding how to embrace them or want to learn from what others are doing, Enterprise Cloud Summit is the place to do it.

Given the combination of the economic malaise and the sensationalism that surrounds topics such as cloud computing and server virtualization, it is possible to surmise that nothing of significance is happening in the networking space. Nothing could be further from the truth. Venture capitalists and others have been funding significant investments in a wide range of networking technologies and the results of those investments are beginning to hit the market. The panelists in this fast-paced, PowerPoint-free session will discuss some of the most promising emerging networking technologies. Attend this session to get an early look at what could be some significant networking breakthroughs.

Desktop and application virtualization hold the promise of solving many of the desktop management problems that have been plaguing IT since PCs first began to multiply in corporations in the early 1980s. How can these various technologies help reduce desktop and application management nightmares? Where should they fit into an overall desktop management strategy? What benefits can be gained and what pitfalls can be avoided? What is involved in evaluating, planning and implementing them? Learn about implementing virtual desktops and application virtualization and streaming, and evaluate how you might incorporate these types of solutions into your desktop and application management strategy.

Description to come.

This panel brings together leaders in data center server and switch technologies, storage and virtualization applications to review the rise of 10 Gigabit Ethernet and LAN on Motherboard in the data center. They will debate the impact of ‘everything over 10GE’, unified networks and interconnect advances on virtualization, storage networks, cost control and performance optimization. Is this a convergence whose time has come?

Video conferencing could be the toughest application your enterprise network has to support. It places significant bandwidth demands on the network, while simultaneously demanding priority treatment (QoS). Designing the right network solution to support an enterprise video conferencing deployment is critical to getting early positive feedback on using a video capability which will affect its acceptance as a business tool. This two hour session will look at the technical details of designing, testing and managing an enterprise network to support high quality video conferencing and telepresence communications with deep dives into security, LAN QoS and WAN QoS issues.

Given the combination of the economic malaise and the sensationalism that surrounds topics such as cloud computing and server virtualization, it is possible to surmise that nothing of significance is happening in the networking space. Nothing could be further from the truth. Venture capitalists and others have been funding significant investments in a wide range of networking technologies and the results of those investments are beginning to hit the market. The panelists in this fast-paced, PowerPoint-free session will discuss some of the most promising emerging networking technologies. Attend this session to get an early look at what could be some significant networking breakthroughs.

It’s more than a question of Web/cloud services vs. traditional applications vs. device-specific apps. It’s a question of how best to get enterprise information into the hands of those who need it no matter when or where. Building mobile apps has definitely become easier with device-independent tools, but challenges remain. We’ll look in detail at the key options for building mobile apps, and suggest alternatives that provide the greatest flexibility at the lowest cost.

One impact of the movement to use more private and public cloud computing solutions is that it increases the likelihood that IT resources will be accessed over a relatively low capacity, high latency WAN. Even worse, in some cases these IT resources will be accessed over multiple WAN links. The panelists on this session will identify both the performance challenges associated with cloud computing as well as myriad technologies and services that IT organizations can use to mitigate the impact of those challenges.

Physical servers now support multiple Virtual Machines (VMs) that can be dynamically provisioned and moved between servers. There is just one huge problem - today the supporting network and management infrastructure is still largely static and physical. So while it is possible to move a VM between data centers in a matter of milliseconds, it can take days to get the supporting infrastructure in place. Many industry pundits believe that the way to solve this problem is both through automation and orchestration and by implementing a flat Layer 2 LAN. Potentially those are good solutions, but what do they actually mean and how do we get there? In this two-hour, rapid-paced session two groups of panelists will address those questions. The first group of panelists will discuss what has to happen to the data center LAN in order to support virtualization and what migration strategies make the most sense. The second group of panelists will discuss the data center automation and orchestration functionality that is ready for production networks today and how that may change over the next twelve months

Virtualization is causing the convergence of server, storage, and network platforms. At the same time, fewer CAPEX dollars coupled with rising energy costs is promoting data center managers to incorporate energy efficient and highly utilized IT equipment in the data center. This session will help data center managers understand virtualization’s role in convergence and plan for a more efficient and highly utilized server, storage and network environment.

Articles often describe the value that virtualization technologies can bring to IT but what is it really like to implement virtualization? Does it really offer the benefits that the vendors are touting? What are the "gotchas" to avoid? Does desktop virtualization really work? Hear about the experiences of those who have implemented various virtualization solutions. Find out what strategies worked and which ones didn't. Listen to accounts of life in the trenches, and learn what to consider for your next steps in your own implementations of virtual infrastructure.

Desktop and application virtualization hold the promise of solving many of the desktop management problems that have been plaguing IT since PCs first began to multiply in corporations in the early 1980s. How can these various technologies help reduce desktop and application management nightmares? Where should they fit into an overall desktop management strategy? What benefits can be gained and what pitfalls can be avoided? What is involved in evaluating, planning and implementing them? Learn about implementing virtual desktops and application virtualization and streaming, and evaluate how you might incorporate these types of solutions into your desktop and application management strategy.

One of the toughest conversations in IT involves justifying new spending on security. It doesn’t have to be that way, in this panel Michael Davis will discuss how to position security spending as a business enabler. It’s not only what you say, it’s how you say it.

Whether you’re planning a mass migration or transitioning as you replace end user systems, Windows 7 is in your future. In this session we’ll look at issues ranging from maintaining legacy applications to migration strategies to the use virtualization to hardware compatibility and minimum capability requirements. We’ll also look at the relationship between Windows 7 and Windows server to effectively use certain features.

The value of Unified Communications has been more promise than reality, but now with the IP telephony as the enabling technology, there’s renewed interest in UC. We’ll describe the business-changing capabilities that UC now has to offer, as well as what it takes to actually get the business to use those capabilities.

Data security via Web application and database controls is difficult and rapidly evolving. With the introduction of cloud computing new questions around sensitive data protection arise. Learn how data security can be achieved within cloud computing environments. See several use cases demonstrating effective, risk mitigating strategies.

The last few years has seen a great growth in the deployment of virtualized servers and storage. We are now seeing the deployment of software based application delivery appliances such as WAN optimization controllers (WOCs) and application delivery controllers (ADCs). These devices hold the promise of fundamentally changing application delivery. The members of this PowerPoint-free session will discuss the pros and cons of these appliances. What kind of performance improvements will you experience with a virtualized appliance? How will these devices be managed? Do they work with all hypervisors? Are they integrated with other branch office or data center functionality? Are they certified with any major software or storage vendors? How are they priced vs. a traditional appliance?

The Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard (DSS) has become the central driver of the Information Technology Security. The Data Security Standard’s oppressive costs and low efficacy have distracted organizations from performing true information risk management. Paved with good intentions, where does this road lead? Did raising the bar lower it? Is the cure worse than the disease? We will compare PCI to “No Child Left Behind Act”, explore PCI’s origins, motives, and impact, and outline actionable areas for improvement.

This panel brings together leaders in data center server and switch technologies, storage and virtualization applications to review the rise of 10 Gigabit Ethernet and LAN on Motherboard in the data center. They will debate the impact of ‘everything over 10GE’, unified networks and interconnect advances on virtualization, storage networks, cost control and performance optimization. Is this a convergence whose time has come?

In just a few years, cloud computing has gone from a fringe idea for startups to a mainstream tool in every IT toolbox. The Enterprise Cloud Summit will show you how to move from theory to implementation. We'll cover practical cloud computing designs, as well as the standards, infrastructure decisions, and economics you need to understand as you transform your organization's IT. We'll also debunk some common myths about private clouds, security risks, costs, and lock-in. On-demand computing resources are the most disruptive change in IT of the last decade. Whether you're deciding how to embrace them or want to learn from what others are doing, Enterprise Cloud Summit is the place to do it.

When you buy a car, it comes with a speedometer. It doesn't come with a roofrack. The automobile industry decided long ago what was built into a car, and what was purchased from third-party vendors. While many companies are using cloud computing today, the cloud ecosystem is still in flux. It's unclear what functions are part of a cloud, and what pieces will come from third party providers. In this opening session, Bitcurrent's Alistair Croll looks at how the industry is deciding what's an essential part of a cloud offering and what's an optional, third-party component.

Anything that disrupts a market reveals new opportunities -- and few changes have been more disruptive to IT than cloud computing. This panel of investors talks about how utility computing is changing their investment philosophies. From reduced upfront capital that changes founder dillution to the ecosystem of tools and infrastructure that's emerged to support cloud computing, you'll get a long view of on-demand IT in this session.

Maybe a private cloud is an oxymoron. In this reprise of the heated debate from Interop New York, we'll debate the elephant in the room: Maybe private clouds are simply enterprise IT finally applying the automation, virtualization, and service-oriented architectures we've been hoping for all these years. Join this panel of industry pundits and provocateurs for a vigorous discussion that goes to the heart of IT reinvention.

The biggest obstacle to cloud computing adoption is trust. Whether you think of it as vulnerabilities, leakage of private data, or fear of lock-in, it all amounts to one thing: whether you trust your cloud platform. Now that on-demand computing is an IT certainty, it's time to establish best practices and governance, and mitigate the inherent risks of outsourced infrastructure. This presentation looks at the thorniest legal issues surrounding cloud computing.

Hear industry visionaries discuss the growth and future of IT.

Hear industry visionaries discuss the growth and future of IT.

Many of the most significant corporate success stories have been because of IT innovations. Leading executives understand that IT innovation is a major factor for their companies' bottom lines and future growth. Unfortunately, not all organizational decision-makers understand or do a good job evaluating ( or implementing) the strategic importance of IT. It is not enough to just sell or buy a well designed equipment or software package. To realize the strategic, mutual advantages of technology solutions, it is also necessary for organizations to have a competent technical (and business savvy IT workforce), which can implement, integrate, manage, maintain and support users of the solution. This session presents industry and education perspectives on these issues

Specifically you will learn:

* Which IT growth barriers are most relevant to your business
* Why Technology Innovation projects fail
* How business requirements are transforming IT departments worldwide
* How to improve operational efficiencies, enhance innovation and value
* Issues affecting the IT profession
* How do a better job raising awareness and understanding of IT by key organizational, educational and governmental decision-makers.

Experts agree that the IPv4 address space will be depleted in about two years. In this session, John Curran, the president and chief executive officer of the American Registry for Internet Numbers (ARIN), will identify the challenges that IPv4 depletion presents to networks and the Internet community as a whole, and how organizations can prepare for these challenges. The session will discuss the considerations for IPv6 adoption, as well as how to get involved in the community-driven public policy process that dictates how the remaining IPv4 address space is allocated.

The role of network management has fundamentally changed. It is no longer just about the availability of networks. In now includes managing the performance of networks and applications. In addition, the continued deployment of new functionality, such as mobility and the virtualization of just about every component of IT, is making the task of network management significantly more challenging. Thankfully there has been a lot of investment in network management and the panelists in this fast paced, PowerPoint-free session will discuss some of the most promising of the emerging network management technologies.

Physical servers now support multiple Virtual Machines (VMs) that can be dynamically provisioned and moved between servers. There is just one huge problem - today the supporting network and management infrastructure is still largely static and physical. So while it is possible to move a VM between data centers in a matter of milliseconds, it can take days to get the supporting infrastructure in place. Many industry pundits believe that the way to solve this problem is both through automation and orchestration and by implementing a flat Layer 2 LAN. Potentially those are good solutions, but what do they actually mean and how do we get there? In this two-hour, rapid-paced session two groups of panelists will address those questions. The first group of panelists will discuss what has to happen to the data center LAN in order to support virtualization and what migration strategies make the most sense. The second group of panelists will discuss the data center automation and orchestration functionality that is ready for production networks today and how that may change over the next twelve months

As IT is challenged to deliver services – not manage assets – could computing presents itself as an affordable, scalable strategy. And the pressure is mounting for data center managers to move their on-premise infrastructure and applications into the cloud. But security concerns, poor service-level commitments, and lack of organizational readiness – and willingness – are all valid roadblocks that stand in the way. This session will help data center managers determine if could computing is right for them – and if not, how to achieve cloud-like efficiencies in their current environment.

One impact of the movement to use more private and public cloud computing solutions is that it increases the likelihood that IT resources will be accessed over a relatively low capacity, high latency WAN. Even worse, in some cases these IT resources will be accessed over multiple WAN links. The panelists on this session will identify both the performance challenges associated with cloud computing as well as myriad technologies and services that IT organizations can use to mitigate the impact of those challenges.

Most IT organizations are taking IT resources such as servers, applications and storage out of branch offices and placing them in centralized data centers. This raises some critical questions: How can IT organizations overcome the impediments to the broad deployment of virtual desktops? Should the next generation branch office be serverless? What type of device(s) needs to still be in the branch office and how is it managed? What techniques can be used to overcome the performance issues? The speakers on this panel will answer those questions and will present alternative designs for your next generation branch office.

One of the toughest conversations in IT involves justifying new spending on security. It doesn’t have to be that way, in this panel Michael Davis will discuss how to position security spending as a business enabler. It’s not only what you say, it’s how you say it.

The extended range and performance of 802.11n WiFi opens up a whole new set of uses for wireless LAN technology. It could also expose your network to new avenues of attack. We’ll offer best practices in implementing 802.11n wireless, securing it, and managing it along with existing networks. We’ll also look at the most common mistakes made in implementing 802.11n, and how to avoid them.

In just a few years, cloud computing has gone from a fringe idea for startups to a mainstream tool in every IT toolbox. The Enterprise Cloud Summit will show you how to move from theory to implementation. We'll cover practical cloud computing designs, as well as the standards, infrastructure decisions, and economics you need to understand as you transform your organization's IT. We'll also debunk some common myths about private clouds, security risks, costs, and lock-in. On-demand computing resources are the most disruptive change in IT of the last decade. Whether you're deciding how to embrace them or want to learn from what others are doing, Enterprise Cloud Summit is the place to do it.

In just a few years, cloud computing has gone from a fringe idea for startups to a mainstream tool in every IT toolbox. The Enterprise Cloud Summit will show you how to move from theory to implementation. We'll cover practical cloud computing designs, as well as the standards, infrastructure decisions, and economics you need to understand as you transform your organization's IT. We'll also debunk some common myths about private clouds, security risks, costs, and lock-in. On-demand computing resources are the most disruptive change in IT of the last decade. Whether you're deciding how to embrace them or want to learn from what others are doing, Enterprise Cloud Summit is the place to do it.

Wi-Fi is now a fixture in a huge range of applications within enterprises around the globe. With the 802.11n standard now finished, many have assumed that Wi-Fi is now “done”. Not so fast – new developments continue within both the IEEE 802.11 Working Groups and the Wi-Fi Alliance, all of which will influence what you’ll be doing with Wi-Fi over the next five years. In this session, we’ll present the views of experts and practitioners, helping you set a wireless LAN strategy delivering maximum benefits at the lowest possible cost.

Given the rapid rate of change in wireless and mobile technologies, services, products, and applications, it’s no surprise that the experts will disagree as to what the single most important item on your mobility to-do list should be. This session, nonetheless, will provide just that – a list of single best ideas (and subsequent debate) to enable you to pick what will be at the top of your list. Join us for a fast-paced kickoff session that will bring the entire range of wireless and mobile opportunities into focus.

When companies conduct risk analyses, they often have to take into consideration the costs associated with protecting their organizations against malware (malicious software) and the potential likelihood that the end user is going to take an action that will increase their risk. To combat the complexity and sheer volume of malware creation and distribution, analyzing malware traffic, behavior and code continue to be the known methods for identifying and reducing the malware risk. Taking behavior analysis to the next level: the end user - provides a means of determining whether or not end users have been exploited and now pose a threat to themselves and, potentially, their organizations. The end user has, traditionally, been regarded as the “weakest link”. Learning and leveraging end user behavior has the potential to not only add to the security layering, but also increase the strength of the weakest link.

This panel brings together leaders in data center server and switch technologies, storage and virtualization applications to review the rise of 10 Gigabit Ethernet and LAN on Motherboard in the data center. They will debate the impact of ‘everything over 10GE’, unified networks and interconnect advances on virtualization, storage networks, cost control and performance optimization. Is this a convergence whose time has come?

Rising energy costs, an economic slowdown and environmental awareness are forcing enterprises and government to consider greener IT. To address these challenges, the State of California initiated one of the largest government-green IT projects across its 50,000 hardware devices and 2 million software titles. In all, the initiative expects to save $44 million in energy expenses and avoid over 200,000 tons of carbon emissions. This case study will provide attendees with the State of California’s approach to green IT, projects initiated and valuable lessons learned along the way.

Desktop virtualization can simplify IT, secure corporate data and reduce costs like never before. That said, upcoming Windows 7 migrations will be one of the most daunting and expensive projects facing CIOs today. In this presentation, you’ll hear how real-life customers are successfully implementing desktop virtualization with a staged approach and benefitting from a desktop upgrade process that’s simpler and more cost-effective.

Learn how SIEM and real-time, in memory, analytics combine to capture, correlate and respond to network attacks and insider abuse. See automated responses to network attacks, policy violations, inappropriate web browsing and USB device usage. Hear how mid-sized enterprises use SIEM to meet regulatory compliance initiatives and gain network control.

As the world of information technology changes, the skill set required to lead your IT organization continually evolves. Attend Day One of this intensive two-day CIO Boot Camp to learn firsthand from successful CIOs at billion-dollar-plus organizations. Hear about common mistakes, how to avoid making them and how to apply their lessons to your world.

As the world of information technology changes, the skill set required to lead your IT organization continually evolves. Attend Day Two of this intensive two-day CIO Boot Camp to learn firsthand from successful CIOs at billion-dollar-plus organizations. Hear about common mistakes, how to avoid making them and how to apply their lessons to your world.

The great growth over the last few years in the use of Web applications combined with the recent interest in cloud computing has caused IT organizations to realize that simple server load balancers can’t keep up with the emerging demands. What is needed is an application delivery controller (ADC). In addition to balancing traffic, an ADC offloads computationally intensive tasks off of a server farm. However, the ADCs that are currently available in the market differ dramatically in terms of their underlying architectures and the functions that they provide. In this fast-paced, PowerPoint-free session, leading ADC vendors will be asked questions that serve to identify the similarities and differences between their products.

Desktop video conferencing has traditionally consumed the PC, used up the screen real-estate and provided poor images. Has this technology evolved into a useful tool? What are the enterprise applications where desktop video can provide productivity enhancements or better customer interactions that justify its deployment? In this session we will quiz the desktop video vendors to see if we can rationalize deploying yet another complex application on the desktop.

This panel of enterprise IT executives looks at their experience with cloud computing platforms, with a particular focus on compliance, performance, and the support for legacy applications. What could they move? What broke? Join this revealing discussion if you're tasked with enterprise cloud migration.

The over-provisioning model used by data centers for years is unsustainable – and a new dynamic model is emerging driven by virtualization and automation. While these technologies aren’t necessarily new, IT departments must become competent and refine their skills in the use of virtualization and automation to contain costs as businesses continue to demand IT services. This session will help data center managers learn how to leverage these virtualization and automation technologies to create a business-driven data center that delivers new levels of service quality, efficiency, agility and risk reduction.

Along with its many benefits, the move to a virtual infrastructure brings new challenges to managing the data center. These challenges include virtual server sprawl (largely due to the ease of provisioning virtual servers), capacity and performance management of the virtualized infrastructure, and troubleshooting problems across the virtual and physical environment. While network and systems management toolsets have been around for decades, are they able to handle a virtual world? Hundreds of new tools have emerged to specifically address virtualization management, while existing tools are evolving with new virtual capabilities. Learn about how both of these types of tools can be implemented to help you with the long-running challenge of successful end-to-end management.

The 802.11n standard is official, and enterprises are now rolling out .11n both in replacement/upgrade and greenfield deployments. This session will explore the best ways to implement 802.11n in your enterprise. We’ll look at channel planning, device issues, system architecture, wireless network management, and how to perform the big upgrade with a minimum of disruption, cost, and confusion.

While evaluating and managing technology comes naturally to IT professionals, communicating business value may not. With data center transformation at the heart of delivering on businesses demand for reliable, flexible and resilient IT services at an affordable cost, data center managers must learn to develop and articulate business cases. This session will help attendees create a successful transformation strategy by: demonstrating ROI to secure CEO support for migrating to a next-generation data center; highlighting attributes to build the business case; and identifying infrastructure features that increase efficiency and lower costs, while delivering business value.

Deduplication (dedupe) and single instance storage (SIS) are perhaps the hottest topics in the storage industry. EMC just acquired a dedupe startup for over two billion dollars! Meanwhile, all of the leading backup vendors are scrambling to integrate dedupe into their products. But this is just the beginning of a major new technology trend! Dedupe offers benefits not just for backups, but also for cloud storage, archiving, virtual desktops, and even primary storage for high performance production servers and VMs. This session is broken into three parts: 1) The first section discusses the fundamental technology of dedupe, revealing both the shortcomings of current approaches and the opportunities for new solutions. 2) The second section focuses on dedupe for backups. We illustrate different ways to integrate dedupe into backup systems as well as revealing non-dedupe approaches that might deliver similar results at lower costs. 3) Lastly, we describe applications for dedupe and SIS in rich media archives, virtual desktops, and primary storage.

Data storage is just one element in the application delivery ecosystem, but it turns out that it is often the critical performance bottleneck. A number of new technologies have come out in the recent years to optimize storage performance. This session reviews several of these innovations and explains how some performance-optimization technologies can be easily integrated into the existing storage infrastructure. Topics include spindle aggregation, various storage acceleration devices, application-level QoS techniques, and caching or hot-spotting with solid state disk. Specific attention will be given to accelerating network file systems, MS Exchange, and SQL databases.

One impact of the movement to use more private and public cloud computing solutions is that it increases the likelihood that IT resources will be accessed over a relatively low capacity, high latency WAN. Even worse, in some cases these IT resources will be accessed over multiple WAN links. The panelists on this session will identify both the performance challenges associated with cloud computing as well as myriad technologies and services that IT organizations can use to mitigate the impact of those challenges.

Whether you’re planning a mass migration or transitioning as you replace end user systems, Windows 7 is in your future. In this session we’ll look at issues ranging from maintaining legacy applications to migration strategies to the use virtualization to hardware compatibility and minimum capability requirements. We’ll also look at the relationship between Windows 7 and Windows server to effectively use certain features.

Business leaders know about it, your board of directors will ask about it, so it’s time to figure what it’ll take your IT operation to be cloud-ready. We’ll outline a step by step process to take cloud computing from an interesting concept to a strategically important element to your IT strategy.

Physical servers now support multiple Virtual Machines (VMs) that can be dynamically provisioned and moved between servers. There is just one huge problem - today the supporting network and management infrastructure is still largely static and physical. So while it is possible to move a VM between data centers in a matter of milliseconds, it can take days to get the supporting infrastructure in place. Many industry pundits believe that the way to solve this problem is both through automation and orchestration and by implementing a flat Layer 2 LAN. Potentially those are good solutions, but what do they actually mean and how do we get there? In this two-hour, rapid-paced session two groups of panelists will address those questions. The first group of panelists will discuss what has to happen to the data center LAN in order to support virtualization and what migration strategies make the most sense. The second group of panelists will discuss the data center automation and orchestration functionality that is ready for production networks today and how that may change over the next twelve months

Anything that disrupts a market reveals new opportunities -- and few changes have been more disruptive to IT than cloud computing. This panel of investors talks about how utility computing is changing their investment philosophies. From reduced upfront capital that changes founder dillution to the ecosystem of tools and infrastructure that's emerged to support cloud computing, you'll get a long view of on-demand IT in this session.

Wi-Fi is now a fixture in a huge range of applications within enterprises around the globe. With the 802.11n standard now finished, many have assumed that Wi-Fi is now “done”. Not so fast – new developments continue within both the IEEE 802.11 Working Groups and the Wi-Fi Alliance, all of which will influence what you’ll be doing with Wi-Fi over the next five years. In this session, we’ll present the views of experts and practitioners, helping you set a wireless LAN strategy delivering maximum benefits at the lowest possible cost.

Morning Focus
Managing and Securing Mobile Devices
Enterprises are depending more and more on mobile applications to increase productivity and responsiveness. However cellular charges are growing faster than any other element in the networking budget and organizations need to develop policies that ensure they are getting the best return on that investment. Along with controlling the costs associated with mobility, networking departments will have to develop systems and procedures to allow them to manage, maintain, and secure the growing number of laptops, smartphones, and other mobile devices that are now becoming an important part of their responsibility. Security is a major part of that concern. With incidents like the TJX security failure, the requirement to secure mobile networks and devices has become a major issue for the enterprises. This workshop is designed to help enterprise IT departments to define their mobility requirements and develop systems and policies to manage the growing assortment of mobile devices users are demanding. The program will feature a discussion of the overall task of managing mobility solutions, the vulnerabilities inherent in each of the major wireless technologies, and the best practices for addressing them.

Course Outline
* Mobile Device Management
* Mobile Security Overview
* New Wi-Fi Security Issues
* Cellular 2.5/3G Security Elements
* PDA/Smart Phone Security

You Will Learn This workshop is designed to help managers understand the management and security issues involved in the full range of wireless networks and mobile devices.

Afternoon Focus
Next Phase Planning for Wireless LANs: 802.11n, Voice over Wireless LANs, and Fixed Mobile Convergence
Enterprise wireless LANs have gone from being a convenient network access mechanism to a critical part of the network infrastructure. Centrally-controlled WLAN switching systems have become commonplace, and we are now in the midst of a major upgrade as to the new higher-capacity 802.11n radio link. To ensure that the upgrade delivers the full benefit, buyers will need to understand the different 802.11n implementations, new network design factors, core network capacity, security requirements, testing, frequency planning, and access point powering. This workshop is designed to bring you up to speed on the major developments in wireless LAN technology and applications. While it features a brief overview of WLAN technologies, the program assumes a fundamental understanding of the basic concepts and focuses on planning issues for the developing areas in WLAN technology.

Course Outline
* WLAN Fundamentals
* The 802.11n Radio Link
* Voice over Wireless LANs
* Fixed-Mobile Convergence and Mobile Unified Communications

You Will Learn
This program will provide a comprehensive, vendor-neutral description of client and infrastructure requirements for WLAN voice, and the range of options for implementing FMC.

Who Should Attend
Wired and wireless network managers and security specialists who need a clearer understanding of the challenges involved in the developing areas of mobility and the current best practices for dealing with them

New technologies continue to increase the demand for better more efficient ways to mange IP Address as well as DNS and DHCP services. Companies today are continually looking for ways to consolidate, save money and integrate Green initiatives within their existing operating environments. In order to do this, companies must evaluate their existing IPAM infrastructure and identify ways in which they can implement cost savings initiatives during growth and leverage flexible effective solutions while keeping the existing mission critical infrastructure growing smoothly for tomorrow.

Virtualization is causing the convergence of server, storage, and network platforms. At the same time, fewer CAPEX dollars coupled with rising energy costs is promoting data center managers to incorporate energy efficient and highly utilized IT equipment in the data center. This session will help data center managers understand virtualization’s role in convergence and plan for a more efficient and highly utilized server, storage and network environment.

The concept of thin provisioning is not new, but the state of the art has advanced, adding awareness between the operating system and storage device for enhanced efficiency. This session introduces the value proposition and concept of thin provisioning, covers the technology of the major thin storage vendors (3PAR, BlueArc, Compellent, Dell, EMC, HDS, HP, IBM, NetApp, Pillar) and operating system integration layers (Symantec, VMware, and T10), and presents novel approaches from Data Robotics, Apple, and cloud storage systems. We will present the pros and cons of these various approaches in the context of enterprise storage management.

Enterprises are now leveraging cloud storage services at a rapid pace and are looking for qualified answers on how using a cloud platform can increase efficiency and ROI simultaneously. The old model of purchasing expensive storage systems or using large amounts of tape are prehistoric, adapting a new approach to storage is necessary in today’s tough economic climate as budgets continue to be slashed and performance upkeep is critical . This session will enable users to learn about the benefits and economies of scale as it relates to developing/implementing a cloud storage solution, a focus will be placed on performance, cost-effectiveness, user experience, and customer service/satisfaction.

First voice traffic hopped on the LAN, now new technologies like desktop video conferencing and virtual desktops and application streaming put even more stress on enterprise networks. In this session we’ll look at designing a LAN infrastructure that meets the complex needs of today’s application mix.

The value of Unified Communications has been more promise than reality, but now with the IP telephony as the enabling technology, there’s renewed interest in UC. We’ll describe the business-changing capabilities that UC now has to offer, as well as what it takes to actually get the business to use those capabilities.

As IT is challenged to deliver services – not manage assets – could computing presents itself as an affordable, scalable strategy. And the pressure is mounting for data center managers to move their on-premise infrastructure and applications into the cloud. But security concerns, poor service-level commitments, and lack of organizational readiness – and willingness – are all valid roadblocks that stand in the way. This session will help data center managers determine if could computing is right for them – and if not, how to achieve cloud-like efficiencies in their current environment.

Once an organization has completed the initial server virtualization/consolidation phase, it becomes clear that the right advanced management tools along with the right policies and processes are required to better monitor, manage, secure, troubleshoot and tune this new virtual infrastructure, to reap the full benefits of operational efficiency and IT agility. IT managers have to sift through the plethora of virtualization management solutions to identify which products are really ready for prime time, and then how to match their particular needs with available solutions. In addition, many shops with traditional Enterprise Systems Management solutions are wondering how new management tools integrate with/utilize what they already have. In addition to operational management, successfully moving towards full virtualization requires optimization and automation of the virtual infrastructure – creating a self-managing compute factory. Add self-service provisioning and a service catalog to the mix and you have a private cloud, which may extend to public/hybrid cloud computing.

Attendees of this workshop will gain:
• Insight into the impact the new virtual infrastructure has on IT and the challenges it creates
• An understanding of the base management functions that come from virtualization vendors as well as the add-on tools available from startups and long time management players
• An understanding of the requirements, options and best practices for managing all the aspects of the virtual infrastructure including
o Virtual machine lifecycle, VM image management and provisioning (IT and self-service based)
o Capacity management across the virtual and physical infrastructure
o Application performance management from the application through the virtual and physical layers
o Root cause analysis and fault monitoring and management
o Data protection, backup, disaster recovery and storage management
o Securing the virtual environment, from switches to trust zones to hypervisor integrated security
• An independent look at the different approaches of virtualization management solutions
• Considerations for choosing and implementing virtualization management solutions
• How virtualization and advanced management capabilities enable cloud computing – how do you get there from here?
• An update on the recent changes and future of virtualization management
• A discussion of various vendor alternatives and experiences moving beyond consolidation to advanced virtualization management and virtualization-enabled cloud computing

You Will Learn
During this workshop, industry analysts and virtualization experts from FOCUS will discuss the challenges that come with the new virtual infrastructure and the move to cloud computing, and the types of solutions available for virtualization management, optimization and automation.

Who Should Attend
This workshop targets IT managers and administrators who are looking to fulfill the full promise of virtualization and the move to cloud computing, especially around improving operational efficiencies, optimization, and automation – improving IT agility while reducing costs.

Hear industry visionaries discuss the growth and future IT.

Cloud computing and virtualization are the hottest buzz words in the industry today as data centers undergo a massive transformation of their servers, storage and network systems. The focus most recently has been on applications but it is the network infrastructure that plays a critical role to deliver these applications in the cloud. In this session, learn about some of the key enterprise trends and how they are driving changes in networking. Get an overview of what the network must deliver to enable ultimate performance of applications in a virtualized environment.

Data center (DC) consolidation harkens back to the centralized glass room, enabling better control over fixed costs. Virtualization drives up utilization of server compute and storage assets, reduces sprawl and helps reduce power and cooling.
The next phase of DC evolution will help applications adjust to load. Referred to as Services Oriented Architectures (SOA) a few years ago, it is now being mixed in with cloud computing and networking. The tools are there to usher in a new way of making traditionally static networks ‘dynamic.’ The network responds automatically to requests for more or less bandwidth, provisioning network access, security and QoS, all without human intervention. This session will illustrate how existing data center assets have been repurposed to increase utilization, and improve application agility.

The biggest obstacle to cloud computing adoption is trust. Whether you think of it as vulnerabilities, leakage of private data, or fear of lock-in, it all amounts to one thing: whether you trust your cloud platform. Now that on-demand computing is an IT certainty, it's time to establish best practices and governance, and mitigate the inherent risks of outsourced infrastructure. This presentation looks at the thorniest legal issues surrounding cloud computing.

What's a cloud worth? With so many definitions of cloud computing, and such a diverse range of implementations, it's hard to get a grip on cloud costs. This session will look at the fundamentals of cloud economics, as well as many of the factors enterprises need to consider when making financial decisions about on-demand options.

When one looks at the main benefits of storage networking people often cite performance. Performance means many things to many people in the IT world. This two hour session identifies just what aspects of performance are and are not critical to the successful deployment of these storage and storage networking technologies. We will look at the different kinds of information flow requirements and how best to map those to storage infrastructures today. We will examine the best place to invest for performance as well as talk about some of the performance "myths" as well. Session topics will include: Performance Elements - What's Important Storage Device & Controller Technology - Performance Enablers Storage Networking: Bit Rate, Bandwidth, Latency & Throuput The Role of iSCSI and Fibre Channel in today's data center Unified Fabric and FCoE Developments

Once an organization has completed the initial server virtualization/consolidation phase, it becomes clear that the right advanced management tools along with the right policies and processes are required to better monitor, manage, secure, troubleshoot and tune this new virtual infrastructure, to reap the full benefits of operational efficiency and IT agility. IT managers have to sift through the plethora of virtualization management solutions to identify which products are really ready for prime time, and then how to match their particular needs with available solutions. In addition, many shops with traditional Enterprise Systems Management solutions are wondering how new management tools integrate with/utilize what they already have. In addition to operational management, successfully moving towards full virtualization requires optimization and automation of the virtual infrastructure – creating a self-managing compute factory. Add self-service provisioning and a service catalog to the mix and you have a private cloud, which may extend to public/hybrid cloud computing.

Attendees of this workshop will gain:
• Insight into the impact the new virtual infrastructure has on IT and the challenges it creates
• An understanding of the base management functions that come from virtualization vendors as well as the add-on tools available from startups and long time management players
• An understanding of the requirements, options and best practices for managing all the aspects of the virtual infrastructure including
o Virtual machine lifecycle, VM image management and provisioning (IT and self-service based)
o Capacity management across the virtual and physical infrastructure
o Application performance management from the application through the virtual and physical layers
o Root cause analysis and fault monitoring and management
o Data protection, backup, disaster recovery and storage management
o Securing the virtual environment, from switches to trust zones to hypervisor integrated security
• An independent look at the different approaches of virtualization management solutions
• Considerations for choosing and implementing virtualization management solutions
• How virtualization and advanced management capabilities enable cloud computing – how do you get there from here?
• An update on the recent changes and future of virtualization management
• A discussion of various vendor alternatives and experiences moving beyond consolidation to advanced virtualization management and virtualization-enabled cloud computing

You Will Learn
During this workshop, industry analysts and virtualization experts from FOCUS will discuss the challenges that come with the new virtual infrastructure and the move to cloud computing, and the types of solutions available for virtualization management, optimization and automation.

Who Should Attend
This workshop targets IT managers and administrators who are looking to fulfill the full promise of virtualization and the move to cloud computing, especially around improving operational efficiencies, optimization, and automation – improving IT agility while reducing costs.

Most companies have already implemented server consolidation projects utilizing virtualization technologies, and have brought significant cost reductions to both capital and operational expenditures. Recent FOCUS research shows that the next priority for virtualization amongst advanced organizations is desktop virtualization. Companies are looking to leverage server, desktop and application virtualization technologies to bring order to the long-standing chaos of enterprise desktop management. But what are the available desktop and application virtualization technologies, and where/how do they apply in your environment? More importantly, how can your IT organization assess desktop requirements across the entire organization and leverage the appropriate technologies to deal with the unrelenting daily demands of provisioning, administering, securing and supporting hundreds or tousands of corporate desktops and applications for a wide variety of user types?

Course Outline
• Methodology for evaluating your user requirements and determining which technologies and combined approaches are best suited for your users' needs
• A deeper understanding of the various approaches and architectures of the different desktop virtualization and application virtualization and streaming technologies
• An independent look at the top desktop and application virtualization solutions
• Considerations for IT managers and administrators developing strategies for the selection and implementations of these technologies
• Removing barriers, implementing best practices, and avoiding pitfalls of desktop and application virtualization
• Compliance and licensing issues with desktop virtualization
• A look into the recent changes and future of desktop and application virtualization
• A discussion of various vendor alternatives and experiences involving the different approaches to delivering desktops and applications to all types of users

You Will Learn
During this workshop, industry analyst and virtualization experts from FOCUS will detail the technologies and solutions available for desktop virtualization, and application virtualization and streaming.

Who Should Attend
This workshop targets IT managers and administrators who are interested in developing their knowledge of virtual desktops, application virtualization and streaming technologies to better design and implement a forward thinking strategy for desktop and application delivery within their companies

Feeling bewildered by a slew of new acronyms, technologies and concepts describing virtualization? Need a high-level overview of what the different types of virtualization mean to you and your business? Do you want to get your arms around server virtualization, hypervisors, OS virtualization, hardware assists, virtual desktop architectures, application streaming and isolation, and where all the various virtualization vendors fit? This is the session for you.

Enterprises have invested money in disaster recovery (DR) for years, while small and mid-sized companies with limited budgets simply hoped and prayed that nothing disastrous would happen. Today, companies of all sizes are leveraging virtualization to create cost-effective DR implementations. This session discusses why and how so many companies are utilizing virtualization to implement successful disaster recovery plans.

Articles often describe the value that virtualization technologies can bring to IT but what is it really like to implement virtualization? Does it really offer the benefits that the vendors are touting? What are the "gotchas" to avoid? Does desktop virtualization really work? Hear about the experiences of those who have implemented various virtualization solutions. Find out what strategies worked and which ones didn't. Listen to accounts of life in the trenches, and learn what to consider for your next steps in your own implementations of virtual infrastructure.

As virtualization implementation progress, the key to realizing the full potential of virtual infrastructures is though advanced management, optimization and automation. This session is a primer on advanced management capabilities such as dynamic workload balancing, high availability, disaster recovery, capacity and performance management, and automated policy-based workflows. It will discuss the value of implementing advanced management features and describe the landscape of solution vendors, from start-ups to long-time industry leaders.

According to a recent FOCUS survey, “Managing the Virtual Environment”, backing up the virtual environment is IT’s biggest virtualization pain point. The application data contained within each virtual machine is only part of what needs to be backed up. This session will cover best practices for backup in the virtual environment and will discuss capabilities available to assist and simplify your backup process.

Along with its many benefits, the move to a virtual infrastructure brings new challenges to managing the data center. These challenges include virtual server sprawl (largely due to the ease of provisioning virtual servers), capacity and performance management of the virtualized infrastructure, and troubleshooting problems across the virtual and physical environment. While network and systems management toolsets have been around for decades, are they able to handle a virtual world? Hundreds of new tools have emerged to specifically address virtualization management, while existing tools are evolving with new virtual capabilities. Learn about how both of these types of tools can be implemented to help you with the long-running challenge of successful end-to-end management.

When discussing virtual desktops, most people think of virtual desktop infrastructures (VDI) based on server virtualization technologies. However, there are a number of methods for delivering, provisioning and managing virtual desktops. This session will examine a range of technologies that can be used to deploy and manage virtual desktops, and how to match these technologies with user requirements.

Desktop and application virtualization hold the promise of solving many of the desktop management problems that have been plaguing IT since PCs first began to multiply in corporations in the early 1980s. How can these various technologies help reduce desktop and application management nightmares? Where should they fit into an overall desktop management strategy? What benefits can be gained and what pitfalls can be avoided? What is involved in evaluating, planning and implementing them? Learn about implementing virtual desktops and application virtualization and streaming, and evaluate how you might incorporate these types of solutions into your desktop and application management strategy.

You have heard good things about VDI, but is there really a business case for moving to a virtual desktop infrastructure? Whether you are just starting to evaluate desktop virtualization or have started implementing virtual desktops, building a business case for your next phase can help you get the investment dollars you need to move forward. This session will give you the information you need to begin to create that business case and help your management understand how desktop virtualization can reduce your total cost of ownership (TCO), including your ongoing OpEx costs.

Recent data breaches have taught us that we cannot solely rely on Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS) alone to identify security challenges. Enterprises need to take a proactive approach to securing their network and applications by implementing a log management system that allows for real time access to data and reports so problems can be stopped before they start. This session will discuss the current industry leading methods and practices for log management.

Given the combination of the economic malaise and the sensationalism that surrounds topics such as cloud computing and server virtualization, it is possible to surmise that nothing of significance is happening in the networking space. Nothing could be further from the truth. Venture capitalists and others have been funding significant investments in a wide range of networking technologies and the results of those investments are beginning to hit the market. The panelists in this fast-paced, PowerPoint-free session will discuss some of the most promising emerging networking technologies. Attend this session to get an early look at what could be some significant networking breakthroughs.

Physical servers now support multiple Virtual Machines (VMs) that can be dynamically provisioned and moved between servers. There is just one huge problem - today the supporting network and management infrastructure is still largely static and physical. So while it is possible to move a VM between data centers in a matter of milliseconds, it can take days to get the supporting infrastructure in place. Many industry pundits believe that the way to solve this problem is both through automation and orchestration and by implementing a flat Layer 2 LAN. Potentially those are good solutions, but what do they actually mean and how do we get there? In this two-hour, rapid-paced session two groups of panelists will address those questions. The first group of panelists will discuss what has to happen to the data center LAN in order to support virtualization and what migration strategies make the most sense. The second group of panelists will discuss the data center automation and orchestration functionality that is ready for production networks today and how that may change over the next twelve months

Vulnerability identification and management has quickly become an essential capability within information security organizations. This capability has moved beyond basic identification of unpatched systems and open ports to include elements such as log management, security event monitoring, and other advances that help organizations understand where they have technological challenges. This session will focus on the concepts and technologies that are used in next generation technical vulnerability identification and management capabilities and how to more effectively use the information that is generated from them.

As the world of information technology changes, the skill set required to lead your IT organization continually evolves. Attend Day One of this intensive two-day CIO Boot Camp to learn firsthand from successful CIOs at billion-dollar-plus organizations. Hear about common mistakes, how to avoid making them and how to apply their lessons to your world.

As the world of information technology changes, the skill set required to lead your IT organization continually evolves. Attend Day Two of this intensive two-day CIO Boot Camp to learn firsthand from successful CIOs at billion-dollar-plus organizations. Hear about common mistakes, how to avoid making them and how to apply their lessons to your world.

To mitigate website security risks, organizations need to know what vulnerabilities bad guys are exploiting as well as issues that could possibly be taken advantage of. This session will combine comprehensive data with leading industry insight to address the “possible” and “probable” to help attendees make better website security decisions.

Storage Area Networks (SANs) are expensive and complex – to implement, manage and grow. Organizations need to understand how they can reduce their capital investment and extend technology lifecycles while supporting critical applications. This session will help you to understand how to easily expand and repurpose your storage resources over an extended lifecycle.

Wi-Fi is now a fixture in a huge range of applications within enterprises around the globe. With the 802.11n standard now finished, many have assumed that Wi-Fi is now “done”. Not so fast – new developments continue within both the IEEE 802.11 Working Groups and the Wi-Fi Alliance, all of which will influence what you’ll be doing with Wi-Fi over the next five years. In this session, we’ll present the views of experts and practitioners, helping you set a wireless LAN strategy delivering maximum benefits at the lowest possible cost.

This panel brings together leaders in data center server and switch technologies, storage and virtualization applications to review the rise of 10 Gigabit Ethernet and LAN on Motherboard in the data center. They will debate the impact of ‘everything over 10GE’, unified networks and interconnect advances on virtualization, storage networks, cost control and performance optimization. Is this a convergence whose time has come?

This panel of enterprise IT executives looks at their experience with cloud computing platforms, with a particular focus on compliance, performance, and the support for legacy applications. What could they move? What broke? Join this revealing discussion if you're tasked with enterprise cloud migration.

Public cloud computing has the potential to be a management nightmare. For example, public cloud computing services have at least three separate management domains: the enterprise, the WAN service provider and the various cloud computing service providers. Effective management requires that detailed, consistent management data be gathered from each of the domains. Effective management also requires processes that span the various management domains. The panelists on this session will identify what you can and must do to manage this complex environment.

Hear industry visionaries discuss the growth and future IT.

Many of the most significant corporate success stories have been because of IT innovations. Leading executives understand that IT innovation is a major factor for their companies' bottom lines and future growth. Unfortunately, not all organizational decision-makers understand or do a good job evaluating ( or implementing) the strategic importance of IT. It is not enough to just sell or buy a well designed equipment or software package. To realize the strategic, mutual advantages of technology solutions, it is also necessary for organizations to have a competent technical (and business savvy IT workforce), which can implement, integrate, manage, maintain and support users of the solution. This session presents industry and education perspectives on these issues

Specifically you will learn:

* Which IT growth barriers are most relevant to your business
* Why Technology Innovation projects fail
* How business requirements are transforming IT departments worldwide
* How to improve operational efficiencies, enhance innovation and value
* Issues affecting the IT profession
* How do a better job raising awareness and understanding of IT by key organizational, educational and governmental decision-makers.

Many of the most significant corporate success stories have been because of IT innovations. Leading executives understand that IT innovation is a major factor for their companies' bottom lines and future growth. Unfortunately, not all organizational decision-makers understand or do a good job evaluating ( or implementing) the strategic importance of IT. It is not enough to just sell or buy a well designed equipment or software package. To realize the strategic, mutual advantages of technology solutions, it is also necessary for organizations to have a competent technical (and business savvy IT workforce), which can implement, integrate, manage, maintain and support users of the solution. This session presents industry and education perspectives on these issues

Specifically you will learn:

* Which IT growth barriers are most relevant to your business
* Why Technology Innovation projects fail
* How business requirements are transforming IT departments worldwide
* How to improve operational efficiencies, enhance innovation and value
* Issues affecting the IT profession
* How do a better job raising awareness and understanding of IT by key organizational, educational and governmental decision-makers.

“The Cloud” is just another marketing label applied to the latest trend. While some vendors proclaim that it will simplify everything and eliminate the need for IT professionals, those in the trenches know better. Learn how SMB IT pros are really adopting cloud services and managing IT in a hybrid onsite/cloud world.

Even as the blistering pace of innovation in wireless and mobile continues, there are signs that the industry in converging (so to speak) on a set of technologies that will provide a degree of stability that’s not been seen in the past two decades. Which technologies will survive and prosper, and what direction should your planning take to maximize benefits while minimizing costs? This session will explore key wireless technologies and the impacts they will have.

Description to come.

Physical servers now support multiple Virtual Machines (VMs) that can be dynamically provisioned and moved between servers. There is just one huge problem - today the supporting network and management infrastructure is still largely static and physical. So while it is possible to move a VM between data centers in a matter of milliseconds, it can take days to get the supporting infrastructure in place. Many industry pundits believe that the way to solve this problem is both through automation and orchestration and by implementing a flat Layer 2 LAN. Potentially those are good solutions, but what do they actually mean and how do we get there? In this two-hour, rapid-paced session two groups of panelists will address those questions. The first group of panelists will discuss what has to happen to the data center LAN in order to support virtualization and what migration strategies make the most sense. The second group of panelists will discuss the data center automation and orchestration functionality that is ready for production networks today and how that may change over the next twelve months

First voice traffic hopped on the LAN, now new technologies like desktop video conferencing and virtual desktops and application streaming put even more stress on enterprise networks. In this session we’ll look at designing a LAN infrastructure that meets the complex needs of today’s application mix.

Whether you’re planning a mass migration or transitioning as you replace end user systems, Windows 7 is in your future. In this session we’ll look at issues ranging from maintaining legacy applications to migration strategies to the use virtualization to hardware compatibility and minimum capability requirements. We’ll also look at the relationship between Windows 7 and Windows server to effectively use certain features.

Description to come.

Given the combination of the economic malaise and the sensationalism that surrounds topics such as cloud computing and server virtualization, it is possible to surmise that nothing of significance is happening in the networking space. Nothing could be further from the truth. Venture capitalists and others have been funding significant investments in a wide range of networking technologies and the results of those investments are beginning to hit the market. The panelists in this fast-paced, PowerPoint-free session will discuss some of the most promising emerging networking technologies. Attend this session to get an early look at what could be some significant networking breakthroughs.

According to a recent FOCUS survey, “Managing the Virtual Environment”, backing up the virtual environment is IT’s biggest virtualization pain point. The application data contained within each virtual machine is only part of what needs to be backed up. This session will cover best practices for backup in the virtual environment and will discuss capabilities available to assist and simplify your backup process.

Technology has advanced in all the aspects necessary to enable HD quality video conferencing over the Internet. So why are we still breaking natural workflow to utilize fixed room Telepresence? Participants will be able identify both challenges and actionable solutions for implementing Personal Telepresence solutions for a more effective tele-workforce.

Description to come.

Come see how the System Center R2 add-in for Visio 2010 works along with Visio Services in SharePoint 2010. We will show you how the add-in works and discuss in detail what is needed to get to this magic show on its way to totally amaze your management team and colleagues. We will launch the Visio 2010 add-in for System Center Operations Manager 2007 R2, which includes the data module for Visio Services in SharePoint 2010. The new cool in network and infrastructure management using Visio 2010 and Visio Services in SharePoint 2010.

Anything that disrupts a market reveals new opportunities -- and few changes have been more disruptive to IT than cloud computing. This panel of investors talks about how utility computing is changing their investment philosophies. From reduced upfront capital that changes founder dillution to the ecosystem of tools and infrastructure that's emerged to support cloud computing, you'll get a long view of on-demand IT in this session.

In just a few years, cloud computing has gone from a fringe idea for startups to a mainstream tool in every IT toolbox. The Enterprise Cloud Summit will show you how to move from theory to implementation. We'll cover practical cloud computing designs, as well as the standards, infrastructure decisions, and economics you need to understand as you transform your organization's IT. We'll also debunk some common myths about private clouds, security risks, costs, and lock-in. On-demand computing resources are the most disruptive change in IT of the last decade. Whether you're deciding how to embrace them or want to learn from what others are doing, Enterprise Cloud Summit is the place to do it.

This panel of enterprise IT executives looks at their experience with cloud computing platforms, with a particular focus on compliance, performance, and the support for legacy applications. What could they move? What broke? Join this revealing discussion if you're tasked with enterprise cloud migration.

Video conferencing could be the toughest application your enterprise network has to support. It places significant bandwidth demands on the network, while simultaneously demanding priority treatment (QoS). Designing the right network solution to support an enterprise video conferencing deployment is critical to getting early positive feedback on using a video capability which will affect its acceptance as a business tool. This two hour session will look at the technical details of designing, testing and managing an enterprise network to support high quality video conferencing and telepresence communications with deep dives into security, LAN QoS and WAN QoS issues.

Even as the blistering pace of innovation in wireless and mobile continues, there are signs that the industry in converging (so to speak) on a set of technologies that will provide a degree of stability that’s not been seen in the past two decades. Which technologies will survive and prosper, and what direction should your planning take to maximize benefits while minimizing costs? This session will explore key wireless technologies and the impacts they will have.

To mitigate website security risks, organizations need to know what vulnerabilities bad guys are exploiting as well as issues that could possibly be taken advantage of. This session will combine comprehensive data with leading industry insight to address the “possible” and “probable” to help attendees make better website security decisions.

Desktop and application virtualization hold the promise of solving many of the desktop management problems that have been plaguing IT since PCs first began to multiply in corporations in the early 1980s. How can these various technologies help reduce desktop and application management nightmares? Where should they fit into an overall desktop management strategy? What benefits can be gained and what pitfalls can be avoided? What is involved in evaluating, planning and implementing them? Learn about implementing virtual desktops and application virtualization and streaming, and evaluate how you might incorporate these types of solutions into your desktop and application management strategy.

Presence is the heart of unified communications and, some would argue, of all next-generation enterprise communications. But presence loses much of its value if it's implemented within discrete systems that can't exchange information with each other - between different systems within an enterprise, between partner companies, with customers, and between public and private networks. In addition to exchange issues, there are important trends in providing richer presence content, automating status, and in the development of rules and policy engines that govern who is accessible to whom and under what conditions. This session will explore these topics and examine progress on these important functionality issues.

Many of the most significant corporate success stories have been because of IT innovations. Leading executives understand that IT innovation is a major factor for their companies' bottom lines and future growth. Unfortunately, not all organizational decision-makers understand or do a good job evaluating ( or implementing) the strategic importance of IT. It is not enough to just sell or buy a well designed equipment or software package. To realize the strategic, mutual advantages of technology solutions, it is also necessary for organizations to have a competent technical (and business savvy IT workforce), which can implement, integrate, manage, maintain and support users of the solution. This session presents industry and education perspectives on these issues

Specifically you will learn:

* Which IT growth barriers are most relevant to your business
* Why Technology Innovation projects fail
* How business requirements are transforming IT departments worldwide
* How to improve operational efficiencies, enhance innovation and value
* Issues affecting the IT profession
* How do a better job raising awareness and understanding of IT by key organizational, educational and governmental decision-makers.

Physical servers now support multiple Virtual Machines (VMs) that can be dynamically provisioned and moved between servers. There is just one huge problem - today the supporting network and management infrastructure is still largely static and physical. So while it is possible to move a VM between data centers in a matter of milliseconds, it can take days to get the supporting infrastructure in place. Many industry pundits believe that the way to solve this problem is both through automation and orchestration and by implementing a flat Layer 2 LAN. Potentially those are good solutions, but what do they actually mean and how do we get there? In this two-hour, rapid-paced session two groups of panelists will address those questions. The first group of panelists will discuss what has to happen to the data center LAN in order to support virtualization and what migration strategies make the most sense. The second group of panelists will discuss the data center automation and orchestration functionality that is ready for production networks today and how that may change over the next twelve months

Given the combination of the economic malaise and the sensationalism that surrounds topics such as cloud computing and server virtualization, it is possible to surmise that nothing of significance is happening in the networking space. Nothing could be further from the truth. Venture capitalists and others have been funding significant investments in a wide range of networking technologies and the results of those investments are beginning to hit the market. The panelists in this fast-paced, PowerPoint-free session will discuss some of the most promising emerging networking technologies. Attend this session to get an early look at what could be some significant networking breakthroughs.

To be sure, there’s still a good deal of debate around the very definition of 4G, and 4G services to date has been spotty. Fear not, 4G is in fact well on the way to reality now, offering improved throughput and a broad range of additional capabilities to mobile devices and their users. This session will examine the key options for 4G, including their features, benefits, and status, and discuss the evolution of 4G as plows ahead towards ubiquity, and, we might add, 5G.

Hear industry visionaries discuss the growth and future IT.

In just a few years, cloud computing has gone from a fringe idea for startups to a mainstream tool in every IT toolbox. The Enterprise Cloud Summit will show you how to move from theory to implementation. We'll cover practical cloud computing designs, as well as the standards, infrastructure decisions, and economics you need to understand as you transform your organization's IT. We'll also debunk some common myths about private clouds, security risks, costs, and lock-in. On-demand computing resources are the most disruptive change in IT of the last decade. Whether you're deciding how to embrace them or want to learn from what others are doing, Enterprise Cloud Summit is the place to do it.

It’s finally time to stop thinking of wireless as “the other network”, and instead to begin enjoying the benefits of a unified wired/wireless network infrastructure. Wired and wireless share broad areas of commonality, but wireless does indeed introduce new concerns inherent in signals that propagate unpredictably and new benefits in terms of location-based services, user convenience, and more. We’ll look at opportunities to take advantage of the unification of wired and wireless into a single network, with a focus on unified network management strategies that lower operating expenses while providing great visibility to the enterprise.

This presentation will discuss 10 years of research and benchmarking of 1,000 organizations by the IT Process Institute, that uncovered the 20% of IT controls that deliver 80% of the performance improvement, as well as creating a sustainable and secure controls environment. Case studies of effective organizations will be discussed as well as observations and conclusions that where developed as a result of the research.

Most IT organizations are taking IT resources such as servers, applications and storage out of branch offices and placing them in centralized data centers. This raises some critical questions: How can IT organizations overcome the impediments to the broad deployment of virtual desktops? Should the next generation branch office be serverless? What type of device(s) needs to still be in the branch office and how is it managed? What techniques can be used to overcome the performance issues? The speakers on this panel will answer those questions and will present alternative designs for your next generation branch office.

Hear industry visionaries discuss the growth and future of IT.

“Cloud” promises tantalizing benefits (e.g. business agility and on-prem/cloud combinations). But interoperability with your on-prem investments (tooling, languages, servers & services) is critical, and avoids costs in training and new tooling. We’ll discuss key tenets, and how one of the world’s largest eCommerce platforms is extending its heterogeneous platform into the cloud.

It’s finally time to stop thinking of wireless as “the other network”, and instead to begin enjoying the benefits of a unified wired/wireless network infrastructure. Wired and wireless share broad areas of commonality, but wireless does indeed introduce new concerns inherent in signals that propagate unpredictably and new benefits in terms of location-based services, user convenience, and more. We’ll look at opportunities to take advantage of the unification of wired and wireless into a single network, with a focus on unified network management strategies that lower operating expenses while providing great visibility to the enterprise.

Open Source PBXs have become a force in the enterprise communication market, with some estimates showing as much as 18% of stations shipped (for all size segments) may be open source. Clearly, this is an option that many enterprises are taking much more seriously than they might have expected to a few years ago. But does that mean open source should be a part of your next procurement, or at least included in RFIs and RFPs? This session will look at the technical aspects of Open Source PBX/communications systems. You’ll come away with an understanding of what open source can do for your enterprise’s communications infrastructure, and the true nature of the investment you’ll have to make to procure, customize, install and support Open Source PBXs.

Presence is the heart of unified communications and, some would argue, of all next-generation enterprise communications. But presence loses much of its value if it's implemented within discrete systems that can't exchange information with each other - between different systems within an enterprise, between partner companies, with customers, and between public and private networks. In addition to exchange issues, there are important trends in providing richer presence content, automating status, and in the development of rules and policy engines that govern who is accessible to whom and under what conditions. This session will explore these topics and examine progress on these important functionality issues.

The recession economy has taken its toll on market demand for enterprise communications systems and solutions. It may be bad time for suppliers, but a good time for buyers who can enjoy lower prices, increased system performance, and no/low interest financing as buying incentives. The crowded competitive field is preparing for the next OCS release from Microsoft that is likely to affect major market equilibrium changes while more than a few long time system suppliers, such as Nortel, struggle to survive. In addition, the trends towards cloud-based computing and greater reliance on mobile communications each threaten to bring a new paradigm shift in the way enterprises communicate internally and externally. This session will include updated telephony system market forecasts and supplier share estimates; a discussion of which enterprise communications system features and applications are hot (selling) or cold (stagnating); a review of major market trends, such as cloud computing, hosted solutions, and Fixed Mobile Convergence (FMC); and a critical analysis of the leading system suppliers and their flagship offerings.

There is continued pressure in today’s corporate environment to do more with less, to reduce costs and to become more agile in order to meet rapidly changing business demands in a difficult global economy. Outsourcing IT Security services is often senior management’s response to these challenging times, so the question is not if it will happen, but rather when and how it will happen, if it hasn’t already. However, has anything really changed, though? What is the true impact of the decision to outsource IT Security services? When IT Security is outsourced, what are the hidden challenges? This session will be presented from the perspective an enterprise security manager who has first-hand knowledge of how outsourcing certain IT Security services can help meet the resource and costs pressures of an organization without compromising its IT Security posture.

Anything that disrupts a market reveals new opportunities -- and few changes have been more disruptive to IT than cloud computing. This panel of investors talks about how utility computing is changing their investment philosophies. From reduced upfront capital that changes founder dillution to the ecosystem of tools and infrastructure that's emerged to support cloud computing, you'll get a long view of on-demand IT in this session.

Many of the most significant corporate success stories have been because of IT innovations. Leading executives understand that IT innovation is a major factor for their companies' bottom lines and future growth. Unfortunately, not all organizational decision-makers understand or do a good job evaluating ( or implementing) the strategic importance of IT. It is not enough to just sell or buy a well designed equipment or software package. To realize the strategic, mutual advantages of technology solutions, it is also necessary for organizations to have a competent technical (and business savvy IT workforce), which can implement, integrate, manage, maintain and support users of the solution. This session presents industry and education perspectives on these issues

Specifically you will learn:

* Which IT growth barriers are most relevant to your business
* Why Technology Innovation projects fail
* How business requirements are transforming IT departments worldwide
* How to improve operational efficiencies, enhance innovation and value
* Issues affecting the IT profession
* How do a better job raising awareness and understanding of IT by key organizational, educational and governmental decision-makers.

Anything that disrupts a market reveals new opportunities -- and few changes have been more disruptive to IT than cloud computing. This panel of investors talks about how utility computing is changing their investment philosophies. From reduced upfront capital that changes founder dillution to the ecosystem of tools and infrastructure that's emerged to support cloud computing, you'll get a long view of on-demand IT in this session.

It’s finally time to stop thinking of wireless as “the other network”, and instead to begin enjoying the benefits of a unified wired/wireless network infrastructure. Wired and wireless share broad areas of commonality, but wireless does indeed introduce new concerns inherent in signals that propagate unpredictably and new benefits in terms of location-based services, user convenience, and more. We’ll look at opportunities to take advantage of the unification of wired and wireless into a single network, with a focus on unified network management strategies that lower operating expenses while providing great visibility to the enterprise.

First voice traffic hopped on the LAN, now new technologies like desktop video conferencing and virtual desktops and application streaming put even more stress on enterprise networks. In this session we’ll look at designing a LAN infrastructure that meets the complex needs of today’s application mix.

The value of Unified Communications has been more promise than reality, but now with the IP telephony as the enabling technology, there’s renewed interest in UC. We’ll describe the business-changing capabilities that UC now has to offer, as well as what it takes to actually get the business to use those capabilities.

In just a few years, cloud computing has gone from a fringe idea for startups to a mainstream tool in every IT toolbox. The Enterprise Cloud Summit will show you how to move from theory to implementation. We'll cover practical cloud computing designs, as well as the standards, infrastructure decisions, and economics you need to understand as you transform your organization's IT. We'll also debunk some common myths about private clouds, security risks, costs, and lock-in. On-demand computing resources are the most disruptive change in IT of the last decade. Whether you're deciding how to embrace them or want to learn from what others are doing, Enterprise Cloud Summit is the place to do it.

The dream of portable, fluid workloads is far from today's reality. While companies might like to move their IT from provider to provider, or from on-premise to on-demand environment, quickly and easily, the reality is that competing standards and formats stand in the way. There's no common language for managing cloud computing, and proprietary formats, custom scripts, and relying on third-party middleware to insulate applications from the underlying platform are the norm. In this session, we'll look at cloud standards that are trying to overcome this chaos, and see whether truly portable, interoperable cloud platforms will become a reality.

In just a few years, cloud computing has gone from a fringe idea for startups to a mainstream tool in every IT toolbox. The Enterprise Cloud Summit will show you how to move from theory to implementation. We'll cover practical cloud computing designs, as well as the standards, infrastructure decisions, and economics you need to understand as you transform your organization's IT. We'll also debunk some common myths about private clouds, security risks, costs, and lock-in. On-demand computing resources are the most disruptive change in IT of the last decade. Whether you're deciding how to embrace them or want to learn from what others are doing, Enterprise Cloud Summit is the place to do it.

Articles often describe the value that virtualization technologies can bring to IT but what is it really like to implement virtualization? Does it really offer the benefits that the vendors are touting? What are the "gotchas" to avoid? Does desktop virtualization really work? Hear about the experiences of those who have implemented various virtualization solutions. Find out what strategies worked and which ones didn't. Listen to accounts of life in the trenches, and learn what to consider for your next steps in your own implementations of virtual infrastructure.

While wireless broadband gets all the attention, many other types of wireless links are humming away in all kinds of enterprise applications, from manufacturing and logistics to energy management and security. Sensor-based wireless networks, RFID, machine-to-machine communications, and many other wireless telemetry and control systems are becoming essential to businesses everywhere. This session will have the latest details on this exciting aspect of mobility.

In just a few years, cloud computing has gone from a fringe idea for startups to a mainstream tool in every IT toolbox. The Enterprise Cloud Summit will show you how to move from theory to implementation. We'll cover practical cloud computing designs, as well as the standards, infrastructure decisions, and economics you need to understand as you transform your organization's IT. We'll also debunk some common myths about private clouds, security risks, costs, and lock-in. On-demand computing resources are the most disruptive change in IT of the last decade. Whether you're deciding how to embrace them or want to learn from what others are doing, Enterprise Cloud Summit is the place to do it.

As the world of information technology changes, the skill set required to lead your IT organization continually evolves. Attend Day One of this intensive two-day CIO Boot Camp to learn firsthand from successful CIOs at billion-dollar-plus organizations. Hear about common mistakes, how to avoid making them and how to apply their lessons to your world.

As the world of information technology changes, the skill set required to lead your IT organization continually evolves. Attend Day Two of this intensive two-day CIO Boot Camp to learn firsthand from successful CIOs at billion-dollar-plus organizations. Hear about common mistakes, how to avoid making them and how to apply their lessons to your world.

To be sure, there’s still a good deal of debate around the very definition of 4G, and 4G services to date has been spotty. Fear not, 4G is in fact well on the way to reality now, offering improved throughput and a broad range of additional capabilities to mobile devices and their users. This session will examine the key options for 4G, including their features, benefits, and status, and discuss the evolution of 4G as plows ahead towards ubiquity, and, we might add, 5G.

By adopting server virtualization we’ve reduced the number of physical servers in the data center but the proliferation of separate storage, data, management and VMotion networks has made the back of our server racks look like an explosion in a spaghetti factory. Now that 10Gigabit Ethernet is widely available several solutions have arisen to consolidate network and storage I/O onto a smaller number of higher bandwidth connections. With consolidated networking users can stop playing the game of one cable, two cable, orange cable, blue cable.

This session will explore the solutions available to server and storage administrators for reducing cable clutter and consolidating network and storage I/O. Ranging from Fibre Channel NPIV and using vLANs to segregate data traffic to cutting edge technologies including Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE) and PCIe extension, We’ll look at the technologies, the players, the politics and how users can integrate new technologies into their short and long term planning.

Topics include:

· I/O virtualization for management and security

· The state of FCoE

· End of Row vs. Top of Rack configurations

· External I/O virtualization solutions

· 10Gig Ethernet, CEE, DCB, DCE – Ethernet for the Data Center

There's no question that web 2.0 technologies are powerful, flexible and can provide enormous benefits, but sometimes ad hoc uptake and usage can actually result in an enterprise being less organized, productive and successfully governed.

This session aims to demystify and focuses on pragmatically strategy, providing real world experience on viable tactics for budgeting, value propositions and measuring your desired results.

We aim to to help you unlock the value of these rapidly maturing and increasingly important social constructs to meet your business needs, and address how they can significantly augment the value you get from your current technology investments with greater employee, customer and partner performance.

Key to the success of any mobile strategy is putting the right devices into the hands of users in the field. But this can be a difficult task – with so many choices, including a broad range of handsets, operating environments, and applications, how can IT management make the best choice? This session will feature a look at some of the key alternatives and help you make the decision as to the optimal mobile arsenal for your enterprise.

It’s finally time to stop thinking of wireless as “the other network”, and instead to begin enjoying the benefits of a unified wired/wireless network infrastructure. Wired and wireless share broad areas of commonality, but wireless does indeed introduce new concerns inherent in signals that propagate unpredictably and new benefits in terms of location-based services, user convenience, and more. We’ll look at opportunities to take advantage of the unification of wired and wireless into a single network, with a focus on unified network management strategies that lower operating expenses while providing great visibility to the enterprise.

You have heard good things about VDI, but is there really a business case for moving to a virtual desktop infrastructure? Whether you are just starting to evaluate desktop virtualization or have started implementing virtual desktops, building a business case for your next phase can help you get the investment dollars you need to move forward. This session will give you the information you need to begin to create that business case and help your management understand how desktop virtualization can reduce your total cost of ownership (TCO), including your ongoing OpEx costs.

As the world of information technology changes, the skill set required to lead your IT organization continually evolves. Attend Day One of this intensive two-day CIO Boot Camp to learn firsthand from successful CIOs at billion-dollar-plus organizations. Hear about common mistakes, how to avoid making them and how to apply their lessons to your world.

As the world of information technology changes, the skill set required to lead your IT organization continually evolves. Attend Day Two of this intensive two-day CIO Boot Camp to learn firsthand from successful CIOs at billion-dollar-plus organizations. Hear about common mistakes, how to avoid making them and how to apply their lessons to your world.

Presence is the heart of unified communications and, some would argue, of all next-generation enterprise communications. But presence loses much of its value if it's implemented within discrete systems that can't exchange information with each other - between different systems within an enterprise, between partner companies, with customers, and between public and private networks. In addition to exchange issues, there are important trends in providing richer presence content, automating status, and in the development of rules and policy engines that govern who is accessible to whom and under what conditions. This session will explore these topics and examine progress on these important functionality issues.

Enterprises have invested money in disaster recovery (DR) for years, while small and mid-sized companies with limited budgets simply hoped and prayed that nothing disastrous would happen. Today, companies of all sizes are leveraging virtualization to create cost-effective DR implementations. This session discusses why and how so many companies are utilizing virtualization to implement successful disaster recovery plans.