Utility computing is an increasingly important architectural model that allows IT service oriented organizations and departments to make computing resources available to the end user on an as needed basis. The goal of utility computing is to maximize the efficient use of computing resources and minimize associated costs. Providing professionals with expert guidance on integrating utility computing within their organization, this timely, easy-to-understand resource offers a unified view of this service-provisioning model. Cutting through the marketing hype, the book clearly explains the rationale behind utility computing strategies from major vendors like IBM, HP, and SUN. Practitioners gain a thorough understanding of the technologies behind utility computing and discover how they can be implemented and adapted within today's SOO (service oriented organization) environment. This authoritative reference presents real-world case studies of vendors who have successfully implemented utility computing strategies and describes how utility computing transcends different industries.