Gartner has identified 14 alternative delivery models that will completely transform the IT market in the next five years. IT leaders must examine these models, or business units may implement these solutions without them.

At the highest level, alternative delivery models are approaches to acquire, package and deliver IT in nontraditional ways. 

“Traditional practices of technology life cycle ownership, where the organisation buys, configures, manages, optimises and retires technology for its own use, are being questioned as to their efficiency and effectiveness, so alternative delivery models for technology and services are emerging,” said Mark Margevicius, research vice president at Gartner. “Alternative delivery and acquisition models include new channels for acquisition, use and payment. In some organisations, alternative models involve only users and business units, bypassing the IT function.”

“Market excitement over Web platforms, software as a service (SaaS) and other IT utility services will only intensify, and this will increase business buyers' appetite for these new options and services. During the next five years, a broad set of new and alternative IT delivery models — already used by aggressive Type A organisations — will become mainstream.”

The 14 alternative delivery models include: business process utilities (BPUs); infrastructure utilities (IUs); storage as a service; grid computing; communications as a service (CaaS); utility computing; capacity on demand; remote management services; SaaS; Web platforms; community source; software streaming; software-based “appliances” (SBAs); and user-owned devices.