Q&A: Nimsoft CEO Chris O'Malley touts new 'supply chain of IT'

Outsourcing firms can help IT shops separate 'core' functions from 'chores'

By John Gallant, Computerworld | IT Management, CA Technologies, insider

December 13, 2011, 10:24 AM — Corporate functions from human resources to customer relationship management (CRM) have already been migrated to the cloud. But are you ready for systems monitoring and management in the cloud? More important, is management-as-a-service (MaaS) ready for your company?

As part of the IDG Enterprise CEO Interview Series, IDGE Chief Content Officer John Gallant spoke with Chris O'Malley, CEO of Nimsoft, a CA Technologies company that provides MaaS capabilities. (Note: This interview is paired to a talk with CA Technologies' CEO William McCracken found here . O'Malley, who ran CA's cloud management portfolio prior to the company's 2010 acquisition of Nimsoft, talked about how MaaS is better at handling the new "supply chain" of IT and the need for IT executives to do a better job of determining which current IT functions are "core" - important to the success of the business - and "chore." Those chore functions are ideal for outsourcing to companies like Nimsoft.

O'Malley also described why Nimsoft -- unlike other CA acquisitions -- has to operate independently from its parent, how companies make the transition to MaaS and why smart CIOs will try to change the "union" mentality in IT. O'Malley also explains why virtualizing human capital is the next frontier for IT. (Note: O'Malley is also a blogger for Computerworld.com ; you can find his latest entry here.)

Q: Let's start off by discussing Nimsoft's strategic positioning. What is the unique selling proposition for the company?

A: Basically, we wanted to get after a different customer set than [CA] would traditionally have gone after. If you look at CA, it's predominantly focused on old mainframe customers. It's reached beyond that to maybe the top 2,000 IT operations companies. But if we're going to grow, we have to get outside that customer base and become relevant to more newer-age companies, which tend to not grow up with big iron. They are using the cloud as a means of building the business. Groupon is a good example, or Netflix would be a good example.

John Gallant brings more than 28 years of editorial and technology experience to his role as Senior Vice President and Chief Content Officer of IDG Enterprise. In this role, Gallant works with the editorial leaders of IDGE’s CIO, CSO, Computerworld, InfoWorld, ITworld and Network World titles, setting content strategy and ensuring that the brands serve their respective audiences with the best online and print products and services in the industry. Gallant also helps drive IDG Enterprise's strategic efforts around social media. Gallant, one of Network World’s founders, was formerly CEO and editorial director for the company, where he guided content and business development for print and online, as well as Network World’s seminars and events programs. Gallant is highly visible in the marketplace and frequently speaks at industry conferences. In 2010, Gallant was inducted into min’s Magazine’s Editorial and Design Hall of Fame. He has been named by Technology Marketing magazine as one of the most influential people in computer journalism, and was cited as one of the “most visionary editors-in-chief” by Press Access. Gallant’s expertise in covering the technology industry has been tapped by top-tier television media outlets, including CNN, CNNfn, CNBC, NPR, and Bloomberg. He often hosts roundtable discussions on technology and other topics for a wide variety of organizations, including leading vendors, I.T. buyers and industry associations. Gallant also chairs the executive committee of the Boston College Technology Council and is on the board of Dream Big, a non-profit that helps underprivileged girls build confidence through sports.