ITIC 2010 Editorial Calendar & Surveys

ITIC differentiates itself with independent, non-sponsored Web-based surveys. We conduct these surveys in partnership with Sunbelt Software on a wide range of hardware, software, networking and business-issues related technology topics.

Quickly executed surveys often capture critical opportunities in rapidly changing markets.

This is an exciting and challenging time for the high technology industry. There continue to be many emerging high growth technologies and changes in the status quo for some legacy technologies, all of which can present unique and difficult challenges for both the vendor and user community. Corporate IT departments are under cost constraints and tasked with accomplishing more with the same or fewer purchasing dollars. More than ever, strategists require tools that offer timely insight into changing market conditions.

Below is ITIC’s 2010 Editorial Calendar. It provides a detailed list of our upcoming research including a list of forthcoming survey topics which ITIC will conduct over the next two (2) quarters. We will continue to update this list with the dates and times when the surveys will go live and provide you with links to participate if you so choose. And please feel free to contact us and let us know if you have ideas for future survey topics.

Upcoming Survey Topics

January: 2010 -2011 Technology and Business Deployment Trends and Timetables

Description: This ITIC Report, based on survey data and first person customer interviews will provide a detailed overview of the challenges facing IT departments in 2010. These include: budget and staffing issues, deployment trends and migration issues and how IT departments are handling crucial issues such as security, storage and disaster recovery during the ongoing economic downturn. The Report will present the latest ITIC survey data (done in conjunction with Stratus Technologies and Sunbelt Software) based on a poll of 650 IT managers and C-level executives worldwide.

February: Database Deployment Trends & Issues

Description: This survey and report examines the crucial role of databases in today’s network environments. It will poll users on their preferred database vendor; satisfaction with price, performance, features, technical service and support and licensing policies of the major database vendors. It will also detail the reasons customers chose a particular database and vendor and delve into the top technical and business challenges confronting users as they strive to upgrade, manage and maintain their database environments and adapt them to new technology models like virtualization and cloud computing.

March/April: Server Hardware and Server OS Reliability Survey

Description: Reliability and uptime are absolutely essential; corporations of all sizes increasingly require 99.99% availability and greater. But which platforms actually deliver? This survey will poll businesses on the reliability, uptime and management issues involving amount of annual outages associated with the major server operating systems and server hardware platforms. The survey will poll customers on the frequency and number of Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 outages that occur on their core server OS and server hardware platforms. The results of this independent, non-vendor sponsored survey will provide businesses with the information they need to determine the TCO and ROI of their individual environments. The survey will also enable the server OS and server hardware vendors to see how their products rate among global users ranging from SMBs with as few as 25 people to the largest global enterprises with 100,000+ end users.

April/May: Virtualization Deployment Trends, Desktop and Server hardware:

Description: This ITIC survey and report will focus on the current and emerging virtualization technologies including server, desktop (VDI), application, storage and network virtualization. The survey and report will also focus on the crucial nature of virtualization management as well as key issues (pricing, technology challenges etc.) involving and impacting virtualization deployments including Cloud computing, virtualization management and virtualization management issues. The study will poll corporate customers on their primary virtualization vendor(s); ways in which they are utilizing virtualization; the impact (positive or negative) that virtualization has had on their business; quantifying the TCO and ROI of virtualization; the primary reasons customers are deploying or deferring a move to the technology; virtualization licensing issues and virtualization security issues. Vendors profiled in this report will include: VMware, Citrix, Microsoft, HP, IBM, Oracle (now incorporating Sun Microsystems and Virtual Iron) and Parallels.

June: Server and Application Deployment Trends and Issues

Description: This Report will present the findings of an ITIC/Sunbelt Software Web-based survey that polls users on desktop and server hardware and application related topics. Featured vendors will include: Dell, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Lenovo and Sun, As always, ITIC will supplement the Web-based responses with first person customer interviews. ITIC will also get vendor reaction to the survey results. The survey will cover:

  • Primary desktop and server hardware vendor(s)
  • Average life cycles of Windows, Linux, UNIX and Mac desktop and server hardware (including file/print servers; database servers; Email/messaging/collaboration servers and Web servers)
  • Percentage of hardware that a company replaces when it does a major upgrade
  • How much corporations spend on their mainstream line of business servers and desktops
  • Primary server configuration (e.g., two processors, four processors, eight processors, etc.)
  • Current and planned deployments for 32- and 64-bit environments
  • Current and planned deployments for mobile desktop hardware
  • Comparison of the reliability and uptime of the major server platforms including: IBM, HP, Dell et al.
  • Adoption rate of Netbooks and Tablets (including the Apple iPad)

July: Unified Communications, Email and collaboration

Description: This Report will utilize the latest ITIC independent survey data to provide an overview of the latest trends in unified communication, Email and collaboration platforms including and alternative platforms like Microsoft Exchange, Lotus Notes/Domino, Scalix, Zarafa and Zimbra. This Report will also deliver insight as to the issues spurring or impeding a move to a unified communications environment as well as user deployment trends and upgrade plans.

August/September: CIOs

Description: This Report will use the latest ITIC survey data to provide CIOs with a detailed snapshot of the business and technology issues that have the greatest impact on their companies. The Report will also incorporate customer case study profiles of up to six CIOs at mid-sized and enterprise organization from various vertical markets.

October: Licensing and Contract Negotiations

Description: Often overlooked, licensing and contract negotiations can have a long term advantageous or potentially damaging impact on your company’s bottom line and technology decisions. This ITIC report will provide a detailed overview of how licensing agreements impact the business decision to upgrade to a new technology platform or delay a migration. This Report will also examine and provide guidance on pivotal issues such as:

  • Is your firm in compliance with the terms and conditions of your current licensing contracts and what to do to address non-compliance?
  • How will new technologies like multi-core and multi-threading and virtualization impact your new licensing agreements?
  • In a tough economy, should your company re-negotiate the terms and conditions of its existing licensing contracts?
  • Can your organization afford to upgrade its current technology and licensing contracts?
  • Is it time to renew your current licensing agreement? If so, what to look for as your firm reviews the terms of the contract
  • Provide negotiating tips and advice on how to get the best deal for your company.

Organizations must have confidence in their vendors, their technology and their own ability to negotiate deals that are cost-effective, readily understandable, focused on their needs and flexible enough to meet and adapt to this rapidly changing and challenging business environment. This ITIC Report will also address the major trends that affect software use, including mobile and remote users, collaboration among various users, and Internet, intranet and extranet use.

November: Remote Workers and Mobility Trends

Description: Increasingly, “the office” is located wherever the end user employee happens to be: a home office, on the road, or connecting via PDAs, mobile and handheld devices from an airport, an automobile or kiosk. This ITIC Report will use the latest survey data to provide you with quantifiable usage statistics on remote, telecommuting and mobile users. It will also examine the Pros and Cons of mobility and ask crucial questions about whether or not these mobile and remote workers are delivering greater value and increased productivity to their respective firms. It will also take a look at the technical and management challenges facing companies as the rate of mobile and remote workers increases. It will also feature corporate case study examples.

December: ITIC 2011 Global IT and Technology Trends Forecast

Description: This Report will be based on ITIC survey results that poll IT administrators and C-level executives on a variety of forward looking business and technology issues for the 2011 – 2012 timeframe. Topics covered will include: IT staffing and budgets; application and network infrastructure upgrades; integration and interoperability between legacy environments and new Web 2.0 and remote and mobile technologies; hardware and software purchasing trends.

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Virtualization — specifically the TCO and ROI of application and desktop virtualization which are two of the hottest areas. All indications are that the current server virtualization market leaders Citrix, Microsoft, VMware et al. are well positioned as the early market leaders in application virtualization and desktop virtualization (by virtue of their own offerings as well as their respective partnerships with hardware OEMs, software vendors and service providers). This survey will include specific product comparison queries and ask corporations to rate the performance, reliability and scalability of products such as VMware’s Live Migration vs. Microsoft’s Hyper-V; compare and contrast the major virtualization desktop, application and management offerings from the major vendors like Citrix, Microsoft, Oracle, Parallels, Sun, VMware, Virtual Iron and others. It will also address management and licensing issues and trends.

Server OS and Server hardware Reliability survey — This survey will poll businesses on the reliability, uptime and management issues involving amount of annual outages associated with the major server operating systems and server hardware platforms. The survey will poll customers on the frequency and number of Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3 outages that occur on their core server OS and server hardware platforms. The results of this independent, non-vendor sponsored survey will provide businesses with the information they need to determine the TCO and ROI of their individual environments. The survey will also enable the server OS and server hardware vendors to see how their products rate among global users ranging from SMBs with as few as 25 people to the largest global enterprises with 100,000+ end users.

Desktop and Server OS and Office deployment trends and issues — This survey will also provide SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) to the tactical and long term strategic positioning of the Windows, Linux, UNIX and open source OS environments with respect to legacy technologies as well as emerging markets like cloud computing.* Licensing, Compliance and Genuine Software trends and issues. These three business issues are pivotal to corporate success with various technologies. Licensing issues are having a huge impact on emerging technologies like virtualization. This survey will provide a comprehensive overview of user deployment and purchasing of software licensing, maintenance and upgrade programs. It will also examine corporate customer satisfaction (or lack thereof) and understanding of these issues and how it impacts the TCO and ROI of their current and planned software infrastructure.

The rise of the Macintosh in the corporate enterprise. Mac hardware and OS usage is on the rise in the corporate environment and is at its highest level since the late 1980s. This survey will poll corporate IT managers and C-level executives on the issues that are propelling or impeding them to deploy Macs in their networks. It will ask customers to rate the performance, scalability, reliability, and security and management capabilities of the Mac. It will also ask businesses to assess the Pros and Cons of Mac virtualization, integration and interoperability with disparate OS environments such as Windows, Linux and open source.

 Survey Methodology

ITIC partners with Sunbelt Software to conduct secure independent Web-based surveys that contain multiple choice and essay questions. In order to ensure the highest degree of accuracy, we employ authentication and tracking mechanisms to ensure that no one tampers with the survey or votes more than once. We poll businesses across a wide range of vertical markets; respondents range from micro-SMBs with fewer than 25 employees up to the largest multinational enterprises with over 100,000 workers. Each Report also includes extensive first person customer interviews and where applicable, vendor and reseller interviews. The titles of the survey respondents include:

  • Network administrators
  • VPs of IT
  • Chief information officers (CIOs)
  • Chief technology officers (CTOs)
  • Chief executive officers (CEOs)

ITIC welcomes input and suggestion from its vendor and enterprise clients with respect to surveys, survey questions and topics for its Editorial Calendar. If there’s a particular topic or question in a specific survey that you’d like to see covered, please let us know and we will do our best to address it.

About Information Technology Intelligence Consulting (ITIC)

ITIC, founded in 2002, is a research and consulting firm in suburban Boston. It provides primary research on a wide variety of technology topics for vendors and enterprises. ITIC’s mission is to provide its clients with tactical, practical and actionable advice and to help its clients make sense of the technology and business events that influence and impact their infrastructures and IT budgets. ITIC can provide your firm with accurate, objective research on a wide variety of technology topics ranging from software, hardware, networking, virtualization and cloud computing to the services industries that support the technology, including outsourcing. ITIC’s mission is to help vendor and corporate clients make sense of the technology and business events that are impacting their infrastructures and their IT budgets.

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