The 11th annual EDUCAUSE conference opened in Denver Nov. 4 with advice from best-selling author Jim Collins on how to take higher-education technology departments from good to great -- as well as lessons from Pepperdine University on how officials there saved nearly $18,000 with the help of virtualized computing.

When Thomas Hoover, Pepperdine's director of instructional technology, realized that replacing aging computers would cost $24,800--money that would strain the school's IT budget during tough fiscal times--he studied the costs of virtualization. Using equipment from NComputing, Hoover found that small devices that cost $70 apiece could trim the price of a computer upgrade to $7,100.

Collins, author of "Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap ... And Others Don't," said campus officials and IT administrators should avoid corporate approaches to success. He also said they should focus on hiring the right people and anticipating future challenges.

For more on Collins' advice to campus officials, click here.

To learn how Pepperdine saved nearly $18,000 through virtualized computing, click here.