Jeddah-Saudi Arabia: 09 September, 2013 – Schneider Electric, the global specialist in energy management, is set to display its established expertise in Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) at the upcoming IDC Saudi Arabia CIO Summit 2013.

Organized under the patronage of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, Saudi Arabia, the event will run from 17 - 18 September at the Intercontinental Jeddah. Themed 'Seize the Moment: Transform, Innovate, and Collaborate', the event promises thought provoking and actionable insights into the functioning of the CIOs in the Saudi market through a combination of presentations and case studies.

As platinum partners to the event, Schneider Electric will extend its support to the summit with its representative speaker Syed Akhtar, Sales Director for Software MEA, highlighting the challenges involved in implementing DCIM. Akhtar will additionally focus on the issues of waste elimination, increasing the quality of documentation and ensuring compliance, as well as the advantages of deploying DCIM.

Hesham ABO EL-REJAL, Vice President, IT Business, Schneider Electric Saudi Arabia, said: “An event such as the IDC CIO Summit provides an ideal platform to all the CIOs in the country to come together and brainstorm ideas and strategies for the collective development of the communications and information sector. As participants and partners for the third consecutive year, we are looking forward to highlighting Schneider's creative solutions such as the DCIM technology to help improve industry operations.”

At the event, Schneider Electric will also showcase StruxureWare Data Center Operation v7.2 launched earlier in 2013. It is the DCIM's software that identifies underutilized and comatose servers to enable the optimization of IT equipment within the data center. Updates to the operation platform include the addition of IT Power Control, powered by Intel Data Center Manager (DCM), and the inclusion of the Cisco UCS Manager Plug-in.

StruxureWare Data Center Operation v7.2 helps customers optimize the IT layer of the data center by focusing on actual IT power consumption. The platform also provides an instant report on top power consumers, presenting data center managers with a list of servers that are likely options for upgrades, load sharing or retirement. This is in addition to the report on underutilized and non-utilized servers.

According to IDC, the Saudi IT market, which is largest in the Middle East totaled US$7.1 billion in 2012, and is expected to surpass US$12.4 billion by 2016.
Business growth led IT infrastructure build out, an increased focus on technology-led efficiencies and improving usage maturity continue to drive IT spending in MEA. The market is currently estimated to be US$76 billion and is expected to surpass US$105 billion by 2017.

The demand for cloud services in MEA continue to increase, as organizations realize the business agility and cost optimization benefits of cloud. However, security, control, and usability constrain widespread adoption, especially in key Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia. Despite this, the Saudi cloud market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 49.7 per cent and the UAE 43.7 per cent during the period 2012-2016.

Schneider Electric has displayed significant progress in Saudi Arabia with a 33 per cent growth in workforce in 2012. With positive developments recorded in its current projects, the organization is working to put into operation the inauguration of its new facilities. The company implemented its first intelligent transportation system, SmartMobility Road Suite, in Riyadh last year, helping achieve a reduction in accidents and travel time, as well as fuel consumption.
Further details on IDC Saudi Arabia CIO Summit 2013 and Schneider Electric's involvement and participation are available on: http://idc-cema.com/eng/events/53531-saudi-arabia-cio-summit-2013.