Users confused about utility computing: IDC

Uptake of utility computing is expected to be minor from an overall market perspective, according to a survey released by industry analyst IDC.

The Business selection criteria for server computing environments report found that only a small number of respondents to the survey were moving to, or planned to move towards, a grid computing model.

More than 15 percent of respondents didn't know whether their organisation was moving towards a utility computing model.

Michael Sager, market analyst for PC hardware at IDC, said the task of educating vendors about utility computing, and initiating cultural change within larger Australian organisations, still remained.

"The true benefits and value proposition of the model must be pushed even further as end users from the survey are still generally confused as to the concept of grid computing," Sager said.

From its survey, IDC also found respondents top three factors for server purchases over the coming year were total cost of ownership, customer service, and system stability.

Margaret Banaghan, senior analyst for AP servers and workstations at IDC, said that with the entrenchment of industry standard servers in the marketplace, the barriers to switch from one server vendor to another had become increasingly less complex.

"Vendors must continue to invest heavily in their customer service levels to maintain their existing customer base, particularly those in the industry standard x86 server marketplace," Banaghan said.