Continuing its webcast series called CIO Real Talk, HP will host a three-speaker session Thursday that will focus on identifying key data center transformation strategies and explore the role of technology in business growth in the face of the current economic climate.

Staying true to the format established by last week's series kick-off session, Thursday's webcast - titled "Delivering a Next Generation Data Center" - will feature three top technology officers from organizations in three completely different lines of business, all partners with the host of the series.

James Coakley is president and CEO of McLean, Va.-based data center developer PowerLoft. The company's first data center is under development in its hometown. The plan is to provide about 100,000 square feet of raised floor, handling about 300 watts per square foot. HP Critical Facilities Services is one of PowerLoft's partners in designing the facility. Other partners are Clark Construction, VOA Architects and Fortress International Group.

Last week PowerLoft announced that it had secured the first client to lease a portion of the McLean data center.

The second panelist is Jim Thomas, director of IT operations at Pella Corp., a Pella, Iowa-based manufacturer of windows and doors for residential and commercial buildings. Pella currently deploys HP Integrity Superdome servers, HP Serviceguard clustering technology and HP-UX 11 i v2 operating system at its data centers using HP's Pay-per-use financing program.

The third technology chief to take part in Thursday's webcast is Rob Zelinka, director of IT for TTX Co. - a large Chicago, Ill.-based U.S. railcar provider and operator. TTX leases railcars to the largest U.S. and Canadian railway companies out of its fleet of about 200,000 units.

TXX partnered with HP to reduce its data center space by deploying HP ProLiant servers, VMware virtualization software and HP Insight Control Suite - a data center management software.

The live webcast will begin at 8 a.m. PDT/11 a.m. EDT. Click here to register for the live session. A recording of the session will be available at the same URL for about 90 days after the talk.

Related literature: Enterprise Data Center Design and Methodology