AFCOM Broadens Data Center World With Focus on Strategy

dcw-reception

At the Spring Data Center World Conference, the 1,000-plus delegates got a chance to network with one another at the Mandalay Bay conference center in Las Vegas. (Photo: Josh Ater)

AFCOM says it is working with industry leaders to expand the focus of the upcoming Data Center World conference in Orlando, with sessions focusing on long-term strategic planning as well as day-to-day operations.

“This broadened focus on strategy allows Data Center World to provide the high-level educational tools needed for today’s Data Center Manager to effectively plan and manage the complex data center ecosystem,” said Tom Roberts, President of AFCOM and Chairman of Data Center World. “The emphasis on aligning the data center with business strategy will better equip our attendees with the tools required to effectively create and implement long-term strategy, a strategy that ultimately helps them be more effective each and every day.”

Data Center World Fall is scheduled for Sept. 29 to Oct. 2 in Orlando, and will target data center executives and decision makers with new sessions on topics covering data center business models, staffing and development plans, risk assessment, finance for the data center manager, energy productivity, thermal management, and IT and facilities organizational convergence.

New Track: Data Center Trends

A brand new track on Data Center Trends will also be added to the conference covering Colocation, Data Center Automation, Big Data, Lease vs. Own, Real Estate, Software-Defined Data Centers, Cloud and Hybrids, and Sourcing and Negotiating.

Helping direct the improved conference direction are members of AFCOM’s Data Center Institute, a "think tank" comprised of experienced data center managers, industry leaders and solution providers who examine issues and trends affecting data center operations. The group’s charter is to provide thought leadership and direction for the industry about data center related maters.

“The topics that AFCOM has identified are important not only on a day-to-day level for data center managers, but also for executives and decision makers looking ahead to the rapidly changing landscape of the data center industry,” said Rick Sawyer, an executive at Hewlett-Packer and Data Center Institute board member. “Given the explosive growth this industry is seeing, it is important for an association such as AFCOM to reflect those changes in its well-attended conferences."

Signing up before July 26 earns a $200 discount. For more information on the conference or to register, go to the Data Center World web site. Information is also available via the conference's feeds on Twitter (@datacenterworld) and Facebook.

Data Center World is produced by AFCOM, the leading association supporting the educational and professional development needs of data center professionals. Established in 1980, AFCOM currently includes 3,500 data centers professionals and 40 chapters worldwide, and provides networking opportunities and education through its bi-annual Data Center World Conferences, magazines, regional chapters and industry alliances.