A Framework for IT as a Utility

The IT Utility Model has created a new market for the delivery of IT, one that is not yet standardised or regulated let alone commoditised or traded. This paper takes a cross sectional look at the key players and their specific pricing policies aligned to the delivery of IT as a utility. The research seeks to explain the different pricing policies that are deployed in the market place today and the influences that affect these policies. This paper outlines the foundations in the development of an IT Utility Framework based on the underlying principles and environment in which a traditional utility functions are applied to the delivery of IT as a utility. The framework provides the underlying mechanisms in which IT services could be priced and traded on Global Exchange Market. The initial framework has been evaluated through contact with key stakeholders in the field; this forms the basis for further research that could advance the framework for delivering IT as a utility.