Facing up to the IT Infrastructure Challenge

FACING UP TO THE IT INFRASTRUCTURE CHALLENGE HOW UK SMES CAN USE TECHNOLOGY TO GET AHEAD ENABLING BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY IS NOW MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER 60% OF UK SMES TAKING ADVANTAGE OF OUTSOURCED IT INFRASTRUCTURE UK SMES increasingly confident in adoption of latest IT technology - enabling faster response to employee demands and business growth. 1 in 10 SMES have a fully 70% of SMES expect an IT budget increase in 2014 SMES response to employees' IT demands cloud based infrastructure 63% 57% 43% Remote file Work from Shared access home drives SMES current IT provision 40% Worried 50% Regularly update IT Infrastructure 31% Not fit for purpose EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS ARE UK SMES REALLY LAGGING BEHIND IN THEIR IT PROVISION? STAYING AHEAD OF THE CURVE With technology moving behind the technology curve. In fact, research shows that most organisations are actually proactively embracing the latest technologies, performing regular updates and striving to stay ahead of the curve. rward at an eve increasing rate th are general concerns that SMES are lagging Update in-house IT infrastructure Flexible solutions SMES offer employees • Patch only 37 21 huddle • Regularly • If it breaks This proactive adoption of new technology and service provision is being backed by rising budgets. • Never • Cloud 70% expect an increase • Other 1 in 10 expect at least 10% increase Don't know Only 5% expect a cut TAKING CONTROL What's behind this positive outlook? Could it be because IT decision makers are taking more control of their IT provision rather than being dictated to by vendors and suppliers? SMES perception of the relationship with IT suppliers 45% 34% 18% 14% 13% 8% 3% Understand each other Work Solutions not Suppliers are Confused Just after Other closely fit for purpose unreliable by jargon our money More open attitude to new technologies 57% 7% Moved some IT All IT to the cloud to the cloud CONCERNS & CHALLENGES WHERE ARE THERE STILL IMPROVMENTS TO BE MADE? HOLDING BACK GROWTH Despite the generally positive outlook of UK SMES there are some concems regarding IT infrastructure and security. IT infrastructure concerns Biggest business concerns O O 0 0 O (Generating e no ugh orders I A ÀLeuced product development A ACdback by lack of innovation No support for business growth: A deq uate alient service ADDAA À Securing loans 9% 13% 30% 34% 24% 19% 13% CLOUD ADOPTION & ATTITUDES HOW ARE SMES APPROACHING CLOUD-BASED SERVICES? RAPID EXPANSION Despite the lingering security concerns related to cloud services there is great enthusiasm amongst SMES for the benefits cloud technology can deliver for their organisations. Biggest business concerns Cloud adoption status Istrongly agree Somewhat agree Somewhat disagree strongly disagree 27% Private solution 13%C 13%O 10%O Enquired but not in use yet Public solution Trialed but not fully in use Fully adopted Level playing field Hybrid solution Adoption is inevitable More Removes innovative complication No interest None of the above 5% O Not right for the business THE WAY AHEAD CHANGE IS CONSTANT TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT HOW NODE4 CAN HELP YOU Of course technology will never stand still. SMES must continue to work hard to keep pace with new technology and to reap further benefits. For SMES there are going to be some key questions to settle in the near future - particularly in finding the balance between in-house capabilities and the use of outsourced IT services. FACE YOUR IT CHALLENGES Call: 0845 123 2222 Email: [email protected] Full Report available from node4.co.uk/it-infrastructure-challenge The majority of SMES are clearly taking the IT infrastructure challenge head on and forging ahead with the latest technologies to deliver real value to their businesses. Dec 2013 | Research by Vision Critical NODE 17 Hatfields, 2nd Floor London, SEI 8DJ. UK +44 (0) 20 7633 2900 | www.visioncritical.com Does not meet busine ss demands SRUBIUap eahojdwa Security Reliability Maintenance costs difficulties Unable to control external services