Study: Symantec Finds Mid-Sized Firms Eyeing Cloud 
The sweet spot for cloud computing and virtualization in 2010 is likely to be mid-sized firms, with between 2,000 and 10,000 employees, according to a just-released study by Symantec. The report notes three major reasons why mid-sized enterprises will “lead the way” when it comes to evaluating and/or adopting cloud or other virtualization technologies.
The sweet spot for cloud computing and virtualization in 2010 is likely to be mid-sized firms, with between 2,000 and 10,000 employees, according to a just-released study by Symantec.
Symantec’s 2010 State of the Data Center Survey noted three (3) major reasons why mid-sized enterprises will “lead the way” when it comes to evaluating and/or adopting cloud or other virtualization technologies:
Open-minded and Speedy Decision-making: Mid-sized firms are likely to be more willing, aggressive and speedy in their assessment of cloud options
People-Driven: Mid-sized firms will put more value on staffing and training than SMBs or the largest companies.
Technology Needs: Mid-sized firms will likely need solutions that can integrate, monitor, manage a solution across multiple platforms.
One Symantec executive summarized the study’s finding this way:
The complexities faced by mid-sized enterprises can be “compounded by adopting new initiatives,” said Deepak Mohan, senior vice president of Symantec’s Information Management Group in a statement released with the survey. “Standardizing on cross-platform solutions that can manage new technologies and automate processes will drive immediate cost reduction [for mid-sized firms] and make their jobs easier in the long run.”
The study surveyed 1,780 data center managers across 26 countries in November 2009. Among other notable findings from Symantec’s 2010 State of the Data Center Survey are:
- Some 80% enterprise managers said they were considering virtual-machine technologies in 2010.
- Increased complexity and too many applications were the top data concerns of data center managers.
- Security, backup, recovery, and continuous data protection—all ranked higher than virtualization.
- Half of all enterprises said they are “somewhat understaffed” or “extremely understaffed,” and may remain so as finding qualified applicants and securing funding to hire staff remain problematic.
- Managers admit data centers are getting “more complex” and “harder to manage.”
- Data Center managers are looking for heterogeneous data center solutions.
- Managers want to improve disaster recovery testing by evaluating and deploying non-disruptive options, including cloud and virtualization.
- Looking for a platform to unify physical and virtual machine protection.
A copy of Symantec’s 2010 State of the Data Center Survey is available at no charge.
