HP will showcase new tools this week at its annual HP Software Forum user conference in Miami, which are designed to help IT managers plan for future projects, manage assets, discover applications and collect network device configuration data.

HP OpenView DecisionCenter is a new software application that will conjoin HP''s IT service management tools with business analytics engines. DecisionCenter will help network managers better allocate staff, software and infrastructure resources.

The company has been incorporating business process intelligence into its IT management software suite for a couple of years now. According to market observers, DecisionCenter will now help network managers efficiently use IT resources while keeping the priorities of the business in mind.

According to market observers part of the ''manage IT as a business trend'' is also about improving IT''s ability to allocate staff, in addition to computing resources, according to business priorities. So far, they say, while there has been lots of demand about resource allocation, not much movement has been seen on staff allocation.

They point out that DecisionCenter''s analytical capabilities are a natural progression for helpdesk managers.