April Adams is a Research Director on the Data Center Infrastructure Software team of Gartner's Technology and Service Provider research organization. Her primary coverage areas are software asset management (SAM) tools and data center infrastructure management (DCIM) tools.
Ms. Adams helps IT infrastructure and operations (I&O) leaders understand how these SAM and DCIM tools work, the roles they play in running an efficient data center, what to look for in the SAM or DCIM tool itself and in the vendor that supplies it, and who the market players are.
Ms. Adams' research for technology and service providers includes fielding general marketing questions related to messaging, positioning, product launch, marketing collateral, marketing programs and marketing guarantee programs, all in an effort to help providers find ways to grow their business. Specifically, she helps SAM and DCIM tool providers:
Understand what is driving, and what is inhibiting, SAM and DCIM tool investment
Recognize who the purchase decision makers are and which budgets are funding these tool purchases
Translate user wants and needs data into actionable advice
Develop messaging, positioning and marketing programs that resonate with target users
Understand market trends
Gather competitive intelligence
Develop impactful go-to-market strategies
Ms. Adams has more than 25 years of experience in the computing industry. Prior to joining Gartner, she spent 10 years at NEC Technologies in a variety of positions with responsibilities including product marketing, RFQ analysis, cooperative advertising management, channel marketing, marketing communications and primary research. In addition, Ms. Adams spent four years as a freelance writer/analyst covering a variety of industry and business topics.
Technology & Service Providers:
Technology Product Marketing Leaders: CMO, Marketing Manager, Product Marketing Manager, Marketing Communications
Technology Strategic Planners: Strategy and Planning Directors, Market Intelligence, Competitive Intelligence
Technology Product Management Leaders: Product Manager, Portfolio Management
Technology Business Unit Leaders
CIOs
IT Leaders:
Heads of IT Infrastructure and Operations
Software Asset Managers or IT Asset Managers
Data Center Managers or Directors
CIOs
Facilities Managers
Ms. Adams has more than 25 years of experience in the computing industry. Prior to joining Gartner, she spent 10 years at NEC Technologies in a variety of positions with responsibilities including product marketing, RFQ analysis, cooperative advertising management, channel marketing, marketing communications and primary research. In addition, Ms. Adams spent four years as a freelance writer/analyst covering a variety of industry and business topics.
NEC Technologies
Product marketing, market development/cooperative advertising fund management
Writer/Analyst
Freelance
Positioning and Messaging
Marketing, Sales and Channel Effectiveness
Exploit Infrastructure Software Opportunities (retired)
Grow Agile Infrastructure Opportunities (retired)
IT Asset Management and Software Audit (retired)
M.B.A., Marketing, Bentley College
B.A., Communications, University of Massachusetts
1What functionality does a SAM tool provide and how can deploying one benefit my organization?
2What is driving organizations to invest in SAM tools and what are the key concerns that are inhibiting adoption?
3How should my company go about selecting and deploying a SAM tool?
4Who are the key SAM tool market players and how do they compete?
5What role should lead the overall SAM function (compared to what most commonly does) and who should be involved in any purchase decisions?