FRAMINGHAM, MA--(Marketwired - Jan 22, 2015) - IDG's Network World -- the premier technology media brand providing network strategy for the connected enterprise -- releases the findings of the 2015 Network World State of the Network study, providing a comprehensive view of technology adoption trends among the Network World audience (Click to Tweet). The research reveals functional shifts IT organizations are seeing as new technologies move on the radar, however many IT decision-makers (ITDMs) feel they are well positioned to take advantage of and adapt to this transformation. And the majority (55%) say their organization is also prepared for the changes that new technology will make possible.
Network ITs Evolving Role & New Technologies Influence
Delivering the next generation infrastructure requires Network IT to be flexible in how they operate in order to tackle new and diverse business demands (view video). The majority (80%) say that taking on roles outside of the traditional network function is important to future growth. The majority of ITDMs within enterprise organizations, defined as those working in organizations with more than 1,000 employees, already see a shift happening towards more collaborative teams. In addition to functional changes, the shifts influenced by new technologies will also enable organizations to pool resources and drive up utilization, while reducing siloed resources, say a majority of respondents (51%).
"As a result of the numerous emerging technologies taking hold in the market, we are seeing the role of Network IT expanding and evolving," said Brian Glynn, chief revenue officer of IDG Enterprise. "With the majority of organizations ready for this change and collaboration on the rise, solution providers have the opportunity to develop partnerships and be a resource for organizations by bringing in more holistic solutions that work across IT functions within new technology areas."
Technology Trends within the Enterprise
Internet of Things (IoT) initiatives are an area for tech opportunity, and also one that will drive increased spending. More than half (56%) of enterprise organizations are looking into the transformative IoT-related technologies, and of the organizations with plans for IoT, 26% expect it to drive additional spending. Software-Defined Networking (SDN)/Network Virtualization ranks highly among organizations' network and data center plans with 41% actively researching it and another 10% piloting initiatives around it. WiFi is another significant area being pursued in companies' productivity initiatives with 75% of enterprise organizations at some stage within the adoption process and 47% agreeing that 802.11ac gigabit WiFi is critical to their organizations' ability to keep up with wireless access demands. Network IT also indicates focus around the SMAC stack including cloud, mobile, and data/analytics. For example, enterprise spending on cloud is set to go up as 53% predict an increase in budget allocation to this area in the next 12 months.
Challenges Facing Enterprise Network IT
Security and privacy concerns are at the cornerstone for IT challenges in the coming year. Security and privacy concerns are up 47% over last year and surpass cost concerns to be the biggest obstacle to productivity. In terms of the network and data center, preventing data breaches has remained the top obstacle organizations are facing. External threats pose challenges to organizations security initiatives, in general. Organizations seem to recognize the pervasiveness of this issue as nearly half (47%) of organizations saying they will increase their security budgets.
To receive a PDF of the research or to schedule a meeting to review the full results, contact Sue Yanovitch, vice president, marketing, IDG Enterprise at syanovitch@idgenterprise.com.
Continue the Conversation
To take an in-depth look at the evolution of enterprise digitization and the IT stack while engaging with IT decision-makers, thought leaders and solution providers, attend or sponsor the IT Roadmap Conference & Expo taking place across seven cities in 2015.
To learn more about sponsoring IT Roadmap Conference & Expo contact Adam Dennison at adennison@idgenterprise.com.
About State of the Network
The Network World State of the Network study is conducted annually to pinpoint where IT executives and professionals are with initiatives within existing and emerging technologies that impact the network, as well as to help tech marketers inform their product development, marketing and messaging strategies for the coming year. The 2015 Network World State of the Network study was conducted among members of the Network World Tech Connections Panel and among visitors to NetworkWorld.com. Results are based on 240 respondents who indicated they have technology purchase influence at their organization.
About Network World
Network World is the premier provider of information, intelligence, and insight for network and IT decision-makers responsible for the digital nervous system of the connected enterprise: the network. With an editorial focus on delivering news, opinion and analytical tools for key decision-makers who architect, deploy and manage business solutions, Network World offers a unique and powerful combination of audiences and resources across digital (networkworld.com), events and strategic marketing solutions to meet marketers' objectives. Network World is published by IDG Enterprise, a subsidiary of International Data Group (IDG), the world's leading media, events, and research company. Company information is available at www.idgenterprise.com.
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