Due to the abundance of networking technologies available, as well as the changing needs of corporate enterprises, it is essential to have a well thought-out network and systems management plan.  To be most effective the plan must align network and systems operations to the needs of the business.

In this one day conference attendees will learn:

• The Role the Network Will Play in the Next Generation Data Center

• How to Plan for, Implement and Manage Infrastructure Changes & Upgrades

• Strategies for Simplifying Network Management

• Implement Service-Level Management through IT Processes

• Monitor Availability and Performance Through Metrics

• How to Monitor Diverse Systems and Technologies and Make Sense of the Results

• How to Articulate the Value of the Network and Systems in Terms that Line Executives can Understand

Conference Program

8:00 am - 9:00 am - Registration and Continental Breakfast

9:00 am - 10:00 am

Facing the Challenges of Today's Datacenter, while Preparing for Tomorrow's Technology
Jeff D. Burrus, Midwest Regional Manager, Customer Interface - Customer Service & Product Marketing, Avocent

As companies grow and their reliance on the IT infrastructure increases the demand placed on managers everyone is looking for "the" solution.  Unfortunately there is no 'one size fits all' solution, so in this workshop you will learn that you are not alone with your problems, how some are coping, and yet others are solving theirs and plan for the future. 

This session will use audience interaction to complement the presentation so you will receive input from both the speaker and fellow attendees.

Attendees can learn:

• That even though hardware and software costs may be declining operating costs may not.

• How investments today can help reduce cost operating costs in the future

• How to stave off "tool creep" as more vendors add more features to their products

• How metrics and automated tolls can help optimize efficiency.

• How five companies handled the limitations of their current datacenter

• What individual and collective actions you can take to 'push' vendors to fill your needs

10:00 am - 10:30 am - Refreshment Break

10:30 am - 11:30 am
How to Plan for, Implement and Manage Infrastructure Changes & Upgrades

Joshua Prinsky, Director of System Engineering,Tideway Systems

Since infrastructure and applications have become more closely tied to an organization’s core business processes, it is essential that you have a well mapped out plan for managing changes and upgrades in your network and systems infrastructure.  Without it you can place your business at risk.

In this session, attendees will learn:

• How to design a plan for infrastructure changes, additions and upgrades
• How to manage conflicts that arise
• How to deliver the project on time
• How to avoid potential stumbling blocks during a migration

11:30 am - 12:30 pm
Strategies for Simplifying Network Management

Lloyd Hemauer, System Engineer, Network General

Networks have evolved considerably since they were invented, however, they are still prone to service instability and service interruption.  Adding to the complexity, is having to adhere to compliance regulations and policies.

In this session attendees will learn:

• How to identify and correct trends that could lead to network instability and service interruption
• How to track and regulate software and configuration changes throughout your multi-vendor systems and infrastructure
• When problems arise, how to pinpoint where the problem is
• How to analyze the results of effective network management for future proofing the network
• How to make sure the network and systems infrastructure will support the specific needs related to compliance and regulations

12:30 pm - 1:30 pm - Luncheon

1:30 pm-2:30 pm
How to Monitor Diverse Systems and Technologies and Make Sense of the Results

Kim Jahnz, Lead Systems Management Analyst, Enterprise Management Team, Aurora Health Care

In any network, there are going to be challenges that arise.  Even if you consider your network to be extremely reliable in its current state, what will happen when you add new technologies to the mix?

What will happen to internal user satisfaction if conflicts arise?  Worse, what are the potential effects to your customers’ experiences?

In this session, attendees will learn:

• A proactive approach and plan to monitoring your system environments

• How your monitoring of systems will change when additions are made to the infrastructure

• How to interpret the results of before migration and after

2:30 pm - 3:00 pm Refreshment Break

3:00 pm-4:00 pm
How to Get the Most out of Your Service Level Agreements

Steven Robb, Vice President and General Manager, LaSalle Solutions

Over time you will be modifying your infrastructure and systems based on the dynamic needs of your business.  How will this cause you to rethink the SLAs you have in place with your suppliers?  With your internal customers?

In this session attendees will learn:

• The potential impact on service that can be expected during a migration period
• How different and new technologies will impact your level of service
• How to ask the right questions of your suppliers
• How to ask the right questions of your internal customers
• How to negotiate with both groups

4:00pm-5:00pm
How to Articulate the Value of the Network and Systems in Terms that Line Executives can Understand

Moderator: James Tammen, Enterprise Systems Management Business Unit Director, CA
Panelists: Gregg Revak, Director, IT Technical Support, Laidlaw Educational Services

Daniel M. Vonder Heide, Director, Information Technology Services, Loyola University Chicago

Bill Blount, Vice President of Technology, FTD.com

Organizations are becoming more progressive in terms of understanding the benefits that IT and the systems can bring to the extended enterprise.  However, many companies still face the ‘communication gap’ or ‘disconnect’ where IT professionals are speaking in IT terms and business professionals are looking for business solutions.

In this session, attendees will hear from enterprise IT professionals as to how they have successfully articulated the value of the network and systems to business professionals.

Topics covered include:

• How to understand the needs of the business
• How to map the business needs to IT infrastructure and systems
• How to show systems’ metrics and what they mean to the business
• How to leverage the business to support IT initiatives

Conference price: $179 per person.

Each attendee will receive a certificate awarding 7 CPE credits for CISSP continuing education,
in addition to 0.7 CEUs and 7 PDUs.  CISSP is a registered certification mark of (ISC)², Inc.

Exhibits

As is always the case at CAMP IT Conferences events, the talks will not include product presentations. During the continental breakfast, coffee breaks, and the luncheon break you will have the opportunity to informally meet representatives from the following sponsoring companies, who have solutions in the area of the conference.