GartnerGroup Identifies the "Zero Latency Enterprise" Strategy

As One of the Most Important Computing Trends of the Next Five = Years (original) (raw)

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Press Contacts:
Carol Wallace, GartnerGroup
203-316-3749

Cindy Morgan-Olson or Josh Lefkowitz
TSI (for GartnerGroup)
212-696-2000 or colson@tsipr.com

GartnerGroup Identifies the "Zero Latency = Enterprise" Strategy As One of the Most Important Computing Trends of the Next Five = Years
-- Research to be Presented at GartnerGroup's Symposium/ITxpo = 98 --

STAMFORD, CT, Sept. 9, 1998 - New research from Gartner Group, Inc. = (NASDAQ: GART) identifies Zero Latency as a technical and managerial = breakthrough that GartnerGroup calls one of the most important = computing trends of the next five years. Zero Latency systems will be = reviewed in depth at GartnerGroup's Symposium/Itxpo 98, scheduled for = October 12-16 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.=20

Zero Latency is a term coined by GartnerGroup to describe computer = systems that are connected together over a network in new, more = sophisticated ways that enable them to exchange information more = quickly than in the past. This accelerates certain business processes = and results in streamlined, time-sensitive operations, reduced costs, = and increased sales and customer satisfaction. It's applicable where = the value of information depends on its timeliness and where multiple = departments or multiple companies work together on the same business = process.=20

In addition, a Zero Latency compliant company can react more quickly to = many types of events, such as signing a new business deal, accepting a = customer's order, encountering weather delays in the shipment of goods, = changes in the price of a financial instrument, equipment breakdowns, = disruptions in a manufacturing process, or fast-unfolding new business = opportunities.=20

Real-world applications of Zero Latency strategies are already being = utilized in such industries as transportation, financial services, = utilities and industries where supply-chain management is critical, but = the Zero Latency concept as a management tool is still in relative = infancy. With the vast improvements in corporate networks, and the = increased accessibility of desktop PCs, the use of Zero Latency = strategies will increase significantly, according to newly announced = GartnerGroup research. Leading-edge users such as 3COM, Bechtel, Daiwa = Securities, Delta Airlines and Descartes Systems Group, among others, = have already applied these principles across a wide range of = applications.=20

"Zero Latency marks a major change in the way a business runs -- it is = not simply an information technology issue," explains Roy Schulte, = GartnerGroup Vice President of application systems and middleware and = the architect of the Zero Latency research. "Not all business problems = can be solved by more current information. However, when the right hand = knows what the left hand is doing at every moment, the possible = efficiencies and opportunities for enhanced revenue and = better-customer service are enormous."=20

The term Zero Latency refers to any enterprise strategy that involves = both the identification of a business goal and the application of = technology resulting in instantaneous awareness and appropriate = response to events across the entire organization far beyond the IS = department. These strategies exploit the immediate exchange of = information across technical and organizational boundaries to achieve = business benefit. More than just a way of taking time out of a business = process, Zero Latency strategies determine ways to link the processes = that occur in different departments, different locations and event = different enterprises in faster, more closely knit ways.=20

The goal of a Zero Latency communication and software infrastructure is = to reduce information "float" or the time between when data is captured = in one place and when it becomes available and usable ("actionable") in = another place in the system. Zero Latency strategies have emerged more = predominantly at this time because the combination of technologies that = enables them has only recently become widely available.=20

About GartnerGroup Symposium/ITxpo 98
GartnerGroup will unveil additional research and more details on = these issues at its Symposium/ITxpo 98 conference scheduled for October = 12-16 at the Dolphin Hotel in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. At this year's = Symposium, GartnerGroup will announce a new Risk Assessment methodology = for non IT business dependency risks and IT risk assessments, new = information and strategies for embedded systems, and a more detailed = projection of what we can expect to happen in Year 2000.=20

The U.S. GartnerGroup Symposium features more than 215 strategic = technology sessions lead by GartnerGroup analysts organized into 37 = tracks on issues ranging from Year 2000 to supply chain management and = information security. Keynote presentations will feature no-holds = barred interviews of some of the IT industry's leading executives by = GartnerGroup analysts. Scheduled keynote presenters included AT&T's C. = Michael Armstrong; Cisco System's John Chambers; Microsoft's Bill = Gates; Oracle's Larry Ellison, and others.=20

For further information on attending the GartnerGroup Symposium/ITxpo = 98, or to register for the conference, accredited members of the press = may contact Cindy Morgan-Olson (colson@tsipr.com) or Josh = Lefkowitz (jlefkowitz@tsipr.com) at = Technology Solutions at 212-696-2000. Detailed information on the = Symposium is also available on the Web at http://www.Gartner.com/events.=20

About GartnerGroup As the world's leading independent authority on information = technology (IT), GartnerGroup provides clients with a wide range of = products and services in the areas of IT advisory services, = measurement, research, decision support, analysis and consulting. = Founded in 1979, with headquarters in Stamford, Conn., GartnerGroup is = at the center of a global community of more than 11,000 client = organizations served by analysts in 80 locations worldwide. = GartnerGroup's unique capabilities and resources help bring clarity to = the direction of the world's hottest and most volatile industry.