Benefits for IT Vendors    Benefits for IT Users 

Benefits for IT Users

Ideas International (IDEAS) has been servicing enterprise-class IT organizations for more than 10 years with unique, industry-leading tools, data, and research capabilities. Our suite of products provides actionable intelligence for two main constituencies: IT infrastructure planning professionals and IT purchasing/sourcing professionals.

End-User Audience
Competitive Profiles
  • IT Architects
  • IT Purchasing
  • Vendor and Supplier Management
  • Capacity and Performance Management
  • Server and Storage Product Management
Server CAR (Consolidation Analysis Resource)
  • IT Sustainability
  • Datacenter Management
  • Capacity and Performance Management
  • System Operations
  • Server Product Management

 

End-User  Audience
Custom Consulting Services
  • IT Architects
  • IT Purchasing
  • Vendor and Supplier Management
  • Capacity and Performance Management
  • Server and Storage Product Management
Research & Advisory Services
  • IT Architects
  • IT Purchasing
  • Vendor and Supplier Management
  • Capacity and Performance Management
  • Server and Storage Product Management

 

Tools That Save You Time and Money

Server CAR (Consolidation Analysis Resource)

IDEAS Server CAR is an invaluable resource for anyone embarking on a server consolidation project. Server CAR enables you to model the future state of your datacenter, without running costly and time-consuming benchmark tests, and without having to manually research all the environmental data required. Employing IDEAS unique IP, the Relative Performance Estimate version 2 (RPE2), Server CAR helps you quickly and easily assess the performance capabilities of older platforms versus newer ones. Server CAR couples its performance-matching capability with extensive environmental data – including server dimensions, number of rack units, maximum power consumption, and maximum heat output – dating back over 10 years. This combination exposes the very significant footprint and environmental benefits possible.

Server CAR includes an integrated Carbon Calculator that analyzes the CO2 equivalent reductions, carbon footprint reductions, and electricity cost savings possible from server upgrades and consolidation projects. This is a particularly valuable feature for large corporations that must track their CO2 emissions and carbon footprint for regulatory compliance and sustainability.

Competitive Profiles

IDEAS Competitive Profiles (CP) subscription services enable IT professionals to quickly and easily analyze a vast array of data to help them make better decisions. With a few a clicks, you can generate robust side-by-side comparisons outlining the features, pricing, and performance capabilities of competing IT infrastructure products. The user-friendly web-based interface puts an arsenal of analysis tools at your disposal: You can analyze the three-year cost of ownership of competing server platforms, or see which competing platforms will give you enough performance headroom. Normally, this type of market research could take hours, days, or even weeks; with Competitive Profiles, the process is distilled down to a matter of minutes.

CP is updated daily to keep you tuned in to the latest product developments. In addition, CP houses a wealth of historical information providing insights into not only existing, but previous-generation equipment.

Added Value through Research and Consulting

Ideas International's online tools are backed up by expert industry analysts who can also deliver specialized advisory and consulting services. Our research capabilities deliver the in-depth information professionals require, with high-quality evaluations that back up our conclusions and recommendations. If you need help on a particular project, our analysts are here to assist you. The following are just some ways that we have engaged with end users in custom consulting projects:

  • RFP analysis of sever pricing and features for a major buyer
  • Creation and maintenance of detailed storage configurations for a range of SAN solution products
  • Advice regarding the strategic impact of a range of potential storage vendor choices for a major financial institution
  • Advice on choosing between Linux, UNIX, or Windows for a number of end-user application environments
  • Server cost of acquisition and maintenance analysis