Cloud computing has brought on new approaches to software and services. It is also accelerating a change in the fundamental structure of business applications. As real-time analytics can be embedded into almost every system, virtually every area of the enterprise is not only capable of using social media, web-based communications and even mobile services as a direct way of collaborate with customers-it also allows them to analyze in real-time what the customer needs and when they need it.

In this presentation, IDC will discuss how companies can leverage these new services and technologies in ways that connect them more directly to their customers.

Unified Communications and Collaboration, or "UC&C" has been a buzz-word for almost half a decade but it has so far proven too costly for many companies to consider. With cloud-based service models, the prospect of steep up-front implementation costs has changed. Cloud-based delivery models now puts the collaborative benefits of Unified Communications & Collaboration within reach of even the smallest of companies. This presentation will highlight how UC&C can help companies of all sizes increase productivity with cloud-based collaboration tools.

There is no doubt that social media and networking have spilled over from the consumer space to the enterprise space. The use of 'public' social media services such and Facebook have inherent risks however, and many companies therefore opt for internal, and more controlled social environments and collaboration services instead. But these platforms can reach beyond the enterprise. In fact, they can provide a powerful and effective platform for reaching out and collaborating closely with your partners and key customers.

Mobile device have been used to extend and mobilize the enterprise for a long time. But with the advent of cloud computing and new, powerful devices like tablets and smartphones, mobile devices have now become true extensions of all systems and functions within the enterprise. This presentation will discuss the new possibilities of mobile devices.

Mobile applications have hit the mainstream with the iPhone, Nokia's Ovi and the Google Android platform. But mobile applications go well beyond the consumer space and are becoming increasingly relevant for businesses as smartphones and tables may evolve into the preferred access platforms for mobile workers. With mobile apps, these devices become more than just consumers of data but are also evolving into programming and development platforms within the enterprise. This presentation will provide insights into how mobile apps are changing the face of business IT.

Pervasive business intelligence can go a long way to help companies get the most out of the information they have and generate internally and with their customers. But imagine if a company could harness relevant information from the Internet and somehow use that information to effectively reach relevant users? Web analytics can help you do just that. This presentation will explore the promise and potential of web analytics and how it can be used to find and reach out to new and existing customers alike.

Business analytics used to be a stand-alone tool that only the savvier of companies really knew how to use. Today however, real-time analytics can be embedded into almost every system. Virtually every area of the enterprise is not only capable of using social media, web-based communications and even mobile services as a direct way of collaborate with customers-it also allows them to analyze in real-time what the customer needs and when they need it.

The prospect of cloud-based collaboration and partnerships with customers is exiting to any company, but any complex approach that involves the use of technology inherently holds the risk of breaking down or at least not working as envisioned. And if the service is not well-managed and delivered end-to-end, then the customer experience will suffer-and this could do more harm than good to the relationship. This presentation will shed light on how these cloud-based solutions can be managed so that they can live up to their full potential.

Many cloud services have an element of "one size fits all" to them since the same service is typically offered to all customers. Standard cloud services may offer some degree of customization but perhaps not to the degree offered by your existing applications. Many companies would also prefer to retain the ability to manage these applications in order to have full control of the valuable data these applications can generate. The cloud environment, and even the public cloud environment, offers you that option via Platforms-as-a-Service (PaaS). PaaS offers software and application developers the ability to develop cloud versions of their existing solutions. They may even offer the end-user the ability to port some of their existing applications onto a cloud environment or to pick-and-choose from the best applications available in the market and mash them together in the cloud. This presentation will highlight how PaaS enables you to use and 'design your own' best-of-breed applications or to manage your own applications while still taking advantage of the flexibility and power of a cloud environment.

Security issues affect any IT system or solution-but when these solutions are designed to reach out and include third parties, the implications of a security breach become vast. This presentation will examine the security implications of customer-centric cloud solutions and discuss how identities can be managed in a secure way.