Accenture handles resort's IT outsourcing

Accenture is providing Starwood Hotels & Resorts worldwide with its IT outsourcing services under a multi-year contract worth over $200 million, states Market Watch.

Under the terms of the contract, Accenture will handle both the end-to-end application and infrastructure management.

Application outsourcing services including development, testing, maintenance and running of the applications. Infrastructure outsourcing services include server and storage management, data centre management, end-user computing, network management, and service desk management.

Malaysia Airlines (MAS) has signed a five-year contract with Tata Consultancy Services for end-to-end IT infrastructure services, says The Star Online.

MAS says the partnership is part of its strategic IT outsourcing programme to transform the airline's IT operations, as part of its business transformation plan to deliver seamless internal customer experience.

TCS will undertake IT infrastructure management of MAS' data centres, IT networks and IT security, as well as setting up an ITIL V3 compliant service management organisation.

Consultancy firm Ovum says the uncertainty during the recession saw a reduction in outsourcing deals, but that outsourcing is to increase this year, writes BCS.

Patrick O'Brien, senior analyst at Ovum, says: “Outsourcing will always predominantly be about cutting costs - it's nearly always predominantly the case that cost cutting is the key catalyst for such a decision.”

A report published by Ovum reveals firms are set to increase IT budgets in 2010, the first time this has been expected since the start of the economic downturn. It touts that at least one-third of IT decision makers expect to increase their budgets in 2010.