"Minimising S/390 Software Charges and Hitachi’s Virtual Server Facility (VSF) "

Neil is Systems Product Marketing Manager for the North of England and Scotland. His background lies in a number of Software, Product and Marketing Support roles with both IBM and Hitachi Data Systems. He spent some time working in Hitachi Data Systems’ European Marketing organisation and continues to be the European specialist on S/390 Software Licensing and Charging.

Software continues to become an ever-increasing proportion of the annual IT spend. Understanding the various options available both from IBM and the Independent Software Vendors is therefore become a necessary skill in the IT budget managers toolbox. Neil will discuss S/390 Software Charging generally but also focussing on Hitachi’s unique feature on its latest Server product lines, Virtual Server Facility (VSF) and its potential role in managing IT costs.

"Understanding the different & licensing contract options "

Roy Hunt from the IBM Software Business has regularly presented to Industry Forums on the subject of how to manage S/390 software costs, advising companies on how they can keep one step ahead of the software salesman. It was Roy's presentation to UKCMG at Torquay in 1998, which kicked off the Computer Weekly "Stamp Out Stiffing" campaign. He has a wealth of experience in both IBM and ISV software terms and conditions.

"Leveraging on software costs and license terms"

Robin graduated with a M.Sc. in Electronic Computing from Leeds University (1965) and has followed a career primarily using the IBM 360, 370 and 390 architectures with large UK and US Companies (ICI, Texas Instruments, GEC & CGU). Prior to joining Isogon-International, he worked the last 27 years at CGU, a US$10 Billion major composite insurer where he was responsible for the mainframe hardware and infrastructure software. His responsibilities included managing the costs associated with a sizeable portfolio to ensure costs remained within forecast, and to ensure new products were acquired at favourable rates and under acceptable terms and conditions.

Robin has implemented his own SAM support systems and successfully used Software Asset Management techniques to renegotiate software license agreements, to contain and reduce software costs and to assist in invoice reconciliation. Here he will discuss ways to leverage optimal software costs and license terms and conditions for different environments.

"Techniques in structuring and negotiating Software Contracts"

Lindsay Healy is the head IT Lawyer in Legal & General, specialising in information technology and intellectual property law. He qualified as a solicitor in Ireland before practising in England and was previously working for a practice that specialised in company / commercial law and IT contracts and disputes.