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Technology Trends 2010/2011 July, 2010 The use of IT in business is rapidly evolving, with new technologies and IT initiatives shifting in popularity from year to year. But which technologies justify investment? This study is assists IT executives in planning for use of new technologies in light of the adoption and economic experiences of those that have already implemented them. Technologies covered include application consolidation; CRM; data center consolidation; desktop virtualization; enterprise social networking; ERP; governance, risk management, and compliance (GRC) systems; help desk self-support systems; infrastructure cloud computing; legacy system renewal; Windows 7; mobile applications; open source business apps; predictive analytics; RFID; software as a service (SaaS); 10G ethernet; unified communications, and video conferencing. Read the full report description for more information. (73 pp., 61 figs.) [Full Report Description and Sample Pages] Database Administration (DBA) Outsourcing Trends July, 2010 Database administration (DBA) outsourcing is an often-overlooked strategy for controlling costs related to the maintenance and support of databases. This study examines the percentage of organizations outsourcing database administration (frequency), the average amount of work outsourced (level), and the change in the amount of work being outsourced (trend). We also present the cost experience, which provides insight into the risk IT organizations take in turning to outside service providers. This statistic measures the percentage of organizations that find database administration outsourcing costs more, the same, or less than expected. We also show how these trends differ by organization size and sector and examine the role played by offshore service providers.(19 pp., 13 figs.) [Research Byte] IT Spending and Staffing Benchmarks 2010/2011: Full Study June, 2010 Our 2010/2011 IT Spending and Staffing Benchmarks study provides a comprehensive view of the current state of IT budgeting and staffing levels for business and governmental organizations in the U.S. and Canada, based on our 21st annual survey. This article allows purchase of all 25 chapters at a significant discount off the individual chapter price. (1,215 pp., 792 figs.) [Full Study Description, Chapter Pricing] VoIP Adoption, ROI, and TCO Trends May, 2010 Investment in Voice over IP (VoIP) is widespread and growing, although some organizations are having difficulty precisely estimating their total cost-of-ownership. This study examines VoIP adoption trends, providing data on how many organizations have the technology in place, how many are in the process of implementing it, and how many are expanding implementations. To give additional insight, we look at the economic experience of those that have adopted the technology. We examine return on investment (ROI) experience in terms of the percentage of organizations that report positive and break-even ROI within a two-year period. We also balance the potential ROI against the risks, measured in terms of the percentage of organizations that exceed budgets for total cost of ownership (TCO). (16 pp., 10 figs.) [Research Byte] Four Essential Steps Toward Outsourcing IT Functions May, 2010 The maturation of outsourcing, globalization, an abundance of offshore providers, and the improving economy are creating more opportunities for organizations of all sizes, but especially for small and midsize businesses, to leverage outside service providers. This report outlines the essential steps required to establish the requirements, select a service provider, and negotiate a deal. (11 pp., 2 figs.) [Research Byte] Malicious Insider Threats May, 2010 This special report, based on our survey of IT security professionals and executives worldwide, analyzes malicious insider threats to businesses. Basic categories of malicious threats include accessing confidential information without authorization, disclosing confidential information, executing fraudulent transactions, and sabotage of the organization’s systems, network, or data. For each of these four categories of threat, we present data concerning the perceived seriousness of the threat and actual incidents and risks of each type. We then analyze the popularity of various methods for preventing, countering, and detecting incidents of malicious insider activity. (47 pp., 27 figs.) [Extended Description] [Research Byte] Database Administration (DBA) Staffing Ratios April, 2010 Organizations are placing ever-increasing demands on the role of the database administrator (DBA). This study will help IT managers determine whether they are keeping pace with the industry by comparing their database administration staffing against industry benchmarks. We assess two basic metrics: database administrators as a percentage of the IT staff and terabytes of storage per DBA. We provide these benchmarks for the composite sample, by organization, and by sector. This report also highlights the three-year trend in the staffing of the DBA function and the influence of outsourcing on DBA staffing ratios. (20 pp., 10 figs.) [Research Byte] Desktop Support Outsourcing Trends and Cost Experience April, 2010 Outsourcing of desktop support is a popular strategy for controlling costs related to PC hardware, software, and maintenance. This study examines the percentage of organizations outsourcing desktop support (frequency), the average amount of work outsourced (level), and the change in the amount of work being outsourced (trend). We also present the cost experience, which provides insight into the risk IT organizations take in turning to outside service providers. This statistic measures the percentage of organizations that find outsourcing desktop support costs more, the same, or less than expected. We also show how these trends differ by organization size and sector and examine the surprisingly substantial role played by offshore outsourcing. (19 pp., 13 figs.) [Research Byte] IFRS Requirements for Calculating the Economic Useful Life of IT Equipment April, 2010 Computer Economics is offering for sale this partner publication by DMC Valuations Group. This special report identifies the major categories of IT equipment and determines normal decline rates over the Economic Useful Life (EUL) of the assets to assist in complying with the requirments of the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). Categories include desktop computers; laptop, notebook and tablet computers; servers (low-end to midrange, high-end, and mainframe); printers (desktop and high volume); network communications (low-end hubs and routers, appliances, and high-end); disk subsystems; tape subsystems; UPS systems (low-end and high-end systems); and copiers (multifunction low-end and high-end with printers and scanners). (38 pp, 16 figs.) IT Staffing Ratios 2010: Benchmarking Metrics and Analysis for 15 Key IT Functions March, 2010 This special publication bundles the entire collection of our reports on IT staffing ratios. The IT functions covered include IT management, project management, documentation and training, help desk, desktop support, business analysts, server support, network administration, applications development, ERP support, database administration, data warehouse/business intelligence, IT quality assurance, IT security, and web/e-commerce. This special collection is a valuable source of information for IT executives interested in benchmarking their staffing levels with those of similar organizations. (218 pp., 125 figs.) [Full Report Description and Free Sample] Application Development and Maintenance Staffing Ratios March, 2010 Application development and maintenance personnel make up the single largest job category in the IT organization today. However, these application programmers and system analysts appear to be declining as a percentage of the total IT staff. This study will help IT managers determine whether their organizations are keeping pace with the industry by comparing their application staffing against industry benchmarks. We assess two basic metrics: application personnel as a percentage of the IT staff, and the number of users per application staff member. We provide benchmarks for the composite sample, by organization, and by sector. We also report on the three-year trend in the staffing of this function and the influence of outsourcing on staffing ratios. (19 pp., 10 figs.) [Research Byte] Desktop Virtualization Adoption, ROI, and TCO March, 2010 Is the time right for investing in desktop virtualization? This report examines desktop virtualization adoption trends, providing data on how many organizations have the technology in place, how many are in the process of implementing it, and how many are expanding implementations. We also look at the economic experience of those that have adopted virtualized desktops. We examine the percentage of organizations that report positive and break-even ROI within a two-year period. We also balance the potential ROI against the risks, measured in terms of the percentage of organizations that exceed budgets for total cost of ownership (TCO). (15 pp., 6 figs.) [Research Byte] Current Trends in the Use of IT Contract Workers February, 2010 Managing a contract IT workforce is made easier by staffing agencies and vendor management systems, but IT managers must first determine the proper balance between full-time IT employees and temporary help. In this study, we examine the typical use of contract workers as a percentage of the IT staff by organization size and sector. We also examine the four-year trend between 2006 and 2009 to discover how this ratio has changed in light of the economic recession. Further, we examine how the aggressive use of temporary employees relates to staff growth and turnover. The report concludes with our view on current and future trends in contract labor use. (12 pp., 7 figs.) [Research Byte] Application Maintenance Outsourcing Trends February, 2010 Outsourcing of application maintenance is a popular strategy for controlling costs and freeing resources to reinvest in new systems. This study examines the percentage of organizations outsourcing application maintenance (frequency), the average amount of work outsourced (level), and the change in the amount of work being outsourced (trend). We also present the cost experience, which provides insight into the risk IT organizations take in turning to outside service providers. This statistic measures the percentage of organizations that find outsourcing costs more, the same, or less than expected. We also show how these trends differ by organization size and sector and examine the substantial role that offshore outsourcing plays in this market. (11 figs., 17 pp.) [Research Byte] 2010 IT Salary Report February, 2010 The Computer Economics 2010 IT Salary Report provides total compensation ranges for 70 specific IT job positions in 73 U.S. metropolitan areas, which IT managers can use to determine appropriate compensation for similar-sized organizations in their geographic area. Compensation levels are provided for small organizations (with less than $350 million in annual revenue) and for midsize/large organizations (greater than $350 million in annual revenue) at the 25th percentile, median, and 75th percentile. The introductory chapter also includes an analysis of the impact of current economic conditions on IT pay raises by major job category, IT staffing levels, turnover rates, training budgets, and incentive pay. (159 pp., 76 figs.) [Full Description of This Report] [Research Byte] Social Media Adoption Trends January, 2010 Social media effectively shifts the one-to-many model of traditional publishing and broadcasting to a many-to-many model that fosters and sustains dialogue. Today many IT managers are asking: What does this mean for the enterprise? This study examines how many companies are leveraging social media and what their experiences have been thus far. We provide data on adoption trends, ROI experience, and TCO experience. We also disclose how organization size and sector influence adoption and economic experience with social networking. We conclude with our viewpoint on the potential benefits of enterprise social media. (14 pp., 8 figs.) [Research Byte] Application Development Outsourcing Status and Trends January, 2010 Application development outsourcing declined sharply over the past year, although the economy, rather than disappointment with service providers, was the primary culprit. As organizations renew capital spending, IT managers will again be faced with the decisions on whether to hire or outsource. This report will help IT managers understand how many organizations outsource application development, how much of the workload is typically outsourced, the percentage of organizations suffering cost overruns, the percentage turning to offshore service providers for application development, and the trend in offshore outsourcing. (16 pp., 11 figs.) [Research Byte] Outlook for IT Spending and Staffing in 2010 December, 2009 After a year of budget cuts, layoffs, and delayed projects, IT executives can look forward to 2010 as a period of stabilization and rebuilding. Our latest annual fourth-quarter survey shows that median IT budgets will rise slightly in the coming year and that nearly half of all IT organizations are launching new projects. This report assesses the spending and staffing actions IT managers are currently taking, how severely they cut IT spending and staffing over the past year, and what they are including in their budget plans for the year ahead. Our outlook report provides 2010 forecasts for IT operational spending, IT capital spending, and IT hiring by organization size.(26 pp., 25 figs.) [Research Byte and List of Figures] Network Support Staffing Ratios December, 2009 This study will help IT managers determine whether their organizations are keeping pace with improvements in network management by allowing them to compare their network support headcount against industry benchmarks. We provide three basic metrics: network support staff as a percentage of the IT staff, the number of personal computers (PCs) per network support staff member, and number of network devices per network staff member. Benchmarks are given for the composite sample, by sector, and by organization size. We also adjust for the impact of outsourcing and examine the influence of network complexity on support staffing. (13 pp., 10 figs.) [Research Byte] Storage Virtualization Adoption Trend and Economic Experience November, 2009 Organizations are having a highly positive economic experience with storage virtualization, nearly as positive as with server virtualization. Nevertheless, adoption rates are moderate and nearly one-third of organizations are still at the researching stage. This study first examines adoption trends, providing information on how many organizations have storage virtualization in place, how many are in the process of implementing it, and how many are expanding existing implementations. We also look at the economic experience of those that have adopted virtualized storage. We examine ROI as the percentage of organizations that achieve positive or break-even ROI within a two-year period. We also balance the potential ROI against the risks, measured in terms of the percentage that exceed budgets for total cost of ownership. (14 pp., 9 figs.) [Research Byte] IT Help Desk Management Series November, 2009 In this special publication, we bundle six of our most popular reports that deal with various aspects of help desk (service desk) management. Reports include analysis of the best metrics for measuring help desk efficiency, help desk staffing ratios, help desk outsourcing trends, investment trends for service desk software and self-support tools, and help desk salary benchmarks. The price of this special bundle is discounted 50% from the cost of these six reports if purchased separately. (85 pp., 43 figs.) [Full Report Description] Staffing Ratios for Data Warehouse and BI Functions November, 2009 Data warehouses are growing in size, scope, and complexity as they serve increasing numbers of demanding users. For businesses today, properly scaling data warehouse and business intelligence (BI) applications while controlling support costs looms as a key challenge. This study, based on a survey of more than 200 IT organizations, provides benchmarks for staffing the data warehouse, data architect, data analyst, and BI functions. We provide the ratio of data warehouse/BI staff to total IT staff for the composite sample and by organization size. We also provide median staffing ratios by business sector and discuss how to ensure these functions are adequately supported. (11 pp., 6 figs.) [Research Byte] Staffing Ratios for Desktop Support October, 2009 Desktop computers require support to maintain high levels of user productivity, and the need for mobility, security, and connectivity increase these support requirements. This study provides data on typical desktop support staffing ratios. First we look at desktop support staffing as a percentage of the total IT staff. We show how it has changed over time and how it varies by organization size. We then examine the ratio of PCs to desktop support headcount, broken down for small, midsize, and large organizations. We also consider whether industry sector influences these ratios and whether having many remote locations impacts staffing needs. We conclude with strategies for reducing PC technical support costs. (14 pp., 9 figs.) [Research Byte] Help Desk Outsourcing Activity, Trends, and Cost Experience October, 2009 Help desk outsourcing is poised for growth, despite the bad reputation that offshoring of call centers has received in recent years. This study examines current help desk outsourcing activity. We report on the three-year trend in the percentage of organizations outsourcing the help desk (frequency) and average percentage of work outsourced (level). Next we examine outsourcing activity by organization size, reporting on frequency, level, change in amount of work outsourced (current trend), and actual cost vs. expectations (cost experience). Concerning offshore outsourcing, we report on the frequency and trend in the use of offshore service providers. Finally, we consider how outsourcing frequency varies by sector. (17 pp., 12 figs.) [Research Byte] Staffing Ratios for the Business Analyst Function October, 2009 The role of the business analyst is among the most important in the IT organization, serving as a bridge between the IT group and the users it serves. Therefore, understanding the proper level of staffing for this position is crucial. This article analyzes the statistics from a survey of nearly 200 CIOs and senior IT managers conducted by Computer Economics. Staffing ratios for the business analyst function are provided in terms of the total IT headcount, application development headcount, and user headcount. The effects of organization size and outsourcing status on these metrics are also documented. (12 pp., 9 figs.) [Research Byte] IT Outsourcing Statistics 2009/2010 September, 2009 This major study reports current levels of outsourcing for 11 IT functions: data center operations, help desk, desktop support, application development, application maintenance, database administration, website/e-commerce systems, data network operations, voice network operations, disaster recovery services, and IT security. For each function, we report the percentage of organizations that outsource the function (frequency), the average percentage of work outsourced (level), the change in level of outsourcing over the past year (trend), and the ability of organizations to accurately predict the cost of outsourcing (cost experience). Offshore outsourcing trends are also reported. (66 pp., 53 figs.) [Full Report Description] Adoption Rising for Service Desk Self-Support Tools September, 2009 Service desk (help desk) managers are under pressure to cut budgets. Although outsourcing is a viable approach to reducing service desk costs, a more strategic approach is to deploy self-support tools to allow users to service their own routine needs, reserving the use of help desk personnel for activities that more truly require their intervention. In this study, we examine trends in the adoption of these self-support tools. We look at adoption trends for the composite sample, by organization size, and by industry sector. We also assess the ROI experience of firms that have adopted these technologies, as well as the risk as measured by the percentage of organizations that exceed budgeted amounts for total cost of ownership. (10 pp., 6 figs.) [Executive Summary] Help Desk Staffing Ratios August, 2009 Because the help desk (or service desk) comprises a sizable portion of the IT staff, it is a target for cost reduction, outsourcing, and efficiency gains through improved processes and automation tools. As such, periodically determining appropriate help desk staffing levels for an organization is a useful exercise. This study provides benchmarks for help desk staffing. Key metrics include number of users and number of PCs per help desk staff member. We provide both metrics for the composite sample and by organization size and sector. We also examine help desk staff as a percentage of the IT staff, the trend in help desk personnel over time, and the impact of outsourcing on help desk employee headcount. We conclude with recommendations on optimizing help desk staffing levels. (13 pp, 9 figs.) [Executive Summary] Technology Trends and IT Management Best Practices 2009/2010 August, 2009 This study is designed to assist organizations in planning for use of new technologies in light of the adoption and economic experiences of those that have already implemented them. It also gives the IT executive insight into how widely IT management best practices are put to use by other organizations. Technologies covered include ERP, CRM, Business Intelligence, SOA, server virtualization, storage virtualization, desktop virtualization, SaaS, cloud computing, VoIP, unified communications, social networking, and green IT, along with 10 IT management best practices. Read the full report description for more information. (71 pp., 54 figs.) [Full Report Description] Green IT Taking Root Despite Uncertain Payback August, 2009 The term green IT most frequently refers to initiatives to reduce IT energy consumption but can also entail recycling, proper disposal of toxic materials, and even telecommuting. Although the adoption of green IT is on a sharp upward curve, the economic rationale for these investments is unclear. This study first looks at adoption trends, which provide insight into how many organizations have green IT initiatives, how many are in the process of implementation, and how quickly such environmentally-friendly investments are likely to increase over the next year. We then examine the economic experience of those that already have made such investments by examining the percentage of organizations that report positive and break-even ROI within a two-year period and the percentage that exceed budgets for total cost of ownership. (9 pp., 7 figs.) [Executive Summary] Staffing Ratios for IT Quality Assurance and Testing July, 2009 The skills of a capable IT quality assurance group are essential to improving IT processes in general and application development processes in particular. Yet, the appropriate level of QA staffing is often difficult to determine. This study provides benchmarks for staffing the QA function within the IT organization. We provide the ratio of QA staff to total IT for the composite sample and by organization size. We also examine the ratio of application developers to QA staff, the four-year trend in QA staffing, and the influence of outsourcing on QA staffing. (14 pp., 8 figs.) [Executive Summary] Service Desk Software Prime Focus for IT Investment July, 2009 Tools for automating the IT service desk (help desk) are part of a mature market. Still, as IT budgets are tightened, demand for help-desk services continues to escalate and the bottom-line benefits of automated, efficiency-enhancing tools have become increasingly attractive. In this study, we examine adoption trends and current investment activity for service desk software by organization size and industry sector. We also discuss types of service desk software and provide our assessment on key factors IT organizations should consider when investing in service desk automation tools. (9 pp., 5 figs.) [Executive Summary] IT Spending and Staffing Benchmarks 2009/2010: Full Study June, 2009 Our 2009/2010 IT Spending and Staffing Benchmarks study provides a comprehensive view of the current state of IT budgeting and staffing levels for business and governmental organizations in North America. This article allows purchase of all 21 chapters at a significant discount off the individual chapter price. (1,053 pp., 576 figs.) Update: Includes Outlook for IT Spending and Staffing in 2010. [Full Study Description and Chapter Pricing] IT Staffing Ratios, 2009: Benchmarking Metrics and Analysis for 15 Key IT Functions May, 2009 This special publication bundles the entire collection of our reports on IT staffing ratios. The IT functions covered include IT management, project management, documentation and training, help desk, desktop support, business analysts, server support, network administration, applications development, ERP support, database administration, data warehouse/business intelligence, IT quality assurance, IT security, and web/e-commerce. This special collection is a valuable source of information for IT executives interested in benchmarking their staffing levels with those of similar organizations. (212 pp., 121 figs.) [Full Report Description and Free Sample] Insider Misuse of Computing Resources March, 2009 This special report, based on our survey of IT security professionals and executives worldwide, analyzes the threat of insider misuse of computing resources--that is, any violation of an organization's policies regarding acceptable use. Examples include unauthorized file copying; downloading of software, music, or other media; P2P file-sharing; rogue remote access programs, modems, and wireless access points; misuse of business or personal email; instant messaging; blogging and posting to message boards; and personal web surfing. For each of these types of insider misuse, we present data concerning the perceived seriousness of the threat, typical organizational policies or lack thereof, frequency of violations against company policy, analysis of preventive and detective actions taken by organizations to deter the misuse, and typical levels of enforcement. (77 pp., 75 figs.) [Extended Description] [Executive Summary] 2009 IT Salary Report February, 2009 The Computer Economics 2009 IT Salary Report provides current salary ranges for 70 specific IT job positions in 73 U.S. metropolitan areas. Salary ranges are further broken down by organizational size for each job position within each metropolitan area. (Small organizations are those with annual revenues less than $350 million and fewer than 50 IT staff members. Midsize/large are those with least $350 million in revenue and 50 IT staff members). To provide typical salary ranges, all salary data is provided at the 25th percentile, median, and 75th percentile. (157 pp., 76 figs.) [Full Description of This Report] [Executive Summary] |
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DBA Outsourcing Not Widely Embraced but May Become Strategic VoIP Adoption Surpasses Half-Way Point SMBs That Outsource Spend 6% of IT Budget on Service Providers Malicious Insider Threats Greater than Most IT Executives Think Number of Firms Outsourcing Desktop Support Declines Apps Development, Maintenance Staff Shrinks Desktop Virtualization Interest High, Adoption Low IT Workers Getting 1.8% Pay Bump |
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