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Disaster Recovery Outsourcing Trends and Customer ExperienceApril, 2018Because information technology plays a significant role in the support and function of nearly all business operations, it is essential that IT organizations be able to quickly restore services after a disaster or any disruption. This report analyzes the percentage of organizations outsourcing disaster recovery capabilities (frequency), the scope of work outsourced (level), and the change in the amount of work being outsourced (trend). We also present success rates for the cost and service experience and show how these trends differ by organization size and sector. We discuss the elements that every disaster recovery plan should contain as well. (18 pp., 9 fig.) [Research Byte] Business Continuity Planning Adoption and Best PracticesApril, 2018A comprehensive business continuity plan is one that ensures that the business itself will survive in the event of a disruption, with key business functions re-established. Nevertheless, far too few business leaders understand the importance of this exercise. In this report, we define what a business continuity plan should contain and look at adoption trends by organization size and sector. We also discuss the steps that IT leaders should take to create and maintain a business continuity plan. (16 pp., 6 fig.) [Research Byte] Vendor Discount Report (Apr. 2018)April, 2018Market intelligence on current discounting practices for business equipment can be difficult to obtain. As a result, buyers do not know whether a better deal can be negotiated. This updated report, based on our knowledge of recent deals, provides buyers with guidance concerning current discount structures on a variety of equipment. Categories include IT equipment (desktops, laptops, network equipment, printers, servers, and storage), office equipment (copiers, mail equipment), forklifts, medical equipment, test equipment, and miscellaneous equipment. Major vendors include IBM, HP, Dell, Apple, and others. Includes a downloadable PDF workbook of more than 300 deals used in the report to calculate average discounts and soft cost statistics (14 pp., 21 figs.). Network Support Staffing RatiosMarch, 2018The importance of computer networks cannot be overstated in this digital age. Yet remarkably, network support staff levels dropped in recent years and show no signs of rebounding. This report will help IT managers determine whether their organization is keeping pace with improvements in network management by comparing their network support staffing ratios against industry benchmarks. We provide four benchmarks: network support staff as a percentage of the IT staff, network support staff as a percentage of the Network and Communications Group, network devices per network support staff member, and users per network support staff member. We provide benchmarks by organization size and sector. (20 pp., 15 fig) [Research Byte] Post-Implementation Audits Adoption and Best PracticesMarch, 2018Implementing a new software system can be a risky endeavor. The project team might rightly celebrate after the implementation is complete, but it should be just the start of another phase of the system development life cycle: the post-implementation stage. A post-implementation audit should be conducted to determine what benefits have been achieved, what lessons can be learned, and what corrective actions should be taken to ensure maximum success with the new system. In this report, we look at adoption trends for post-implementation audits by organization size and sector. We also discuss best practices in conducting post-implementation audits. (15 pp., 6 fig.) [Research Byte] Long-Term Trends in IT Spending and the Impact of the CloudMarch, 2018Corporate IT spending varies from year to year as the economy expands and contracts: these are the cyclical trends. But over longer periods, IT spending also changes based on shifts in technology: these are secular trends. What are the secular trends that are currently affecting IT spending, especially those brought about by greatest recent shift in technology: cloud computing? This report examines the 11-year trend in spending for application software, IT personnel, data centers, networking, and other categories, and how cloud computing is changing that mix. We also look at trends in software-as-a-service spending and the efficiencies gained by cloud computing. We conclude with advice to IT leaders for managing the shift to the cloud. (15 pp., 7 fig.) [Research Byte] Help Desk Staffing RatiosMarch, 2018The help desk not only plays a key role in maintaining user productivity, it also serves as the day-to-day face of the IT organization. This report provides staffing benchmarks for this important function. We look at the trend in help desk staffing over a five-year period and provide four benchmarks by organization size and sector: help desk staff as a percentage of the IT staff, users per help desk staff member, applications per help desk staff member, and first-call resolution rate. We also provide benchmarks for a combined help desk and desktop support staff. We conclude with recommendations on optimizing help desk staffing levels. (23 pp., 11 fig.) [Research Byte] Accounting for Software: Understanding CAPEX and OPEXMarch, 2018For IT managers, understanding the rules around accounting for software costs can be a confusing subject. This report provides a primer on the difference between capital expenditures (CAPEX) and operational expenditures (OPEX) and how they relate to accounting for software costs. We also outline how these principles vary according to the application development method that is used, whether a traditional waterfall approach or a newer process, such as agile development. Finally, we highlight the factors that drive business leaders to favor CAPEX or OPEX in accounting for software. (11 pp., 1 fig.) [Research Byte] Application Maintenance Outsourcing Trends and Customer ExperienceFebruary, 2018As the application portfolio of an enterprise grows, the need to maintain those systems increases and can become a burden on the IT organization. In response, many organizations see outsourcing as an attractive option, although the number of organizations using these services has declined. In this report, we analyze 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 assess the customer experience by showing how many IT organizations successfully lower costs by outsourcing this function. (18 pp, 8 fig.) [Research Byte] Technology Trends 2018February, 2018This major study provides insight into the customer experience and adoption rates for 14 technologies that are top-of-mind for many companies. The study also delves into satisfaction of the customer experience and the specific types of solutions under consideration. With this information business leaders are in a better position to assess the potential risks and rewards of each of these technologies. They also can gain insight into just how aggressively competitors and peers are making these investments. (101 pp., 102 figs.) [Full Description and Sample Pages] [Research Byte] Worldwide IT Spending and Staffing Outlook for 2018January, 2018IT leaders all over the world have a positive outlook for the global economy, but despite that confidence, IT budgets are growing only modestly. For the first time, our annual Worldwide IT Spending and Staffing Outlook report provides data on both the global and U.S./Canadian trends for IT spending in the coming year. This year, our Worldwide IT Spending and Staffing Outlook assesses IT operational and capital spending plans for 2018, priorities for IT spending and investment, and plans for hiring, outsourcing, and pay raises for IT organizations worldwide and in the U.S. and Canada. (32 pp., 24 fig.) [Research Byte] IT Salary Report 2018January, 2018The Computer Economics IT Salary Report 2018 provides total compensation for 75 IT job functions for more than 400 U.S. metro areas and 20 industry sectors. The executive summary also provides our forecast for pay raises and hiring in 2018 and includes job descriptions for each job function. The salary tables are provided as a downloadable Microsoft Excel workbook, with total salaries reported at the 10th, 25th, 50th (median), 75th, and 90th percentiles. (33 pp., 7 figs., plus salary tables) [Research Byte] [Full Description and Free Executive Summary] IT Management Best Practices 2017/2018September, 2017The best-run IT organizations not only focus their process improvement efforts on those of other departments, they also seek to optimize their own IT management processes internally. In this study, we examine the growth and maturity of 32 IT management practices which we have grouped into five major categories: IT governance practices, IT financial management practices, IT operational management practices, IT security and risk management practices, and software development practices. (186 pp., 168 figs.) [Full Report Description and Sample Pages] [Research Byte] IT Outsourcing Statistics 2017/2018August, 2017This major study profiles outsourcing activity for 10 IT functions: application development, application maintenance, data center operations, database administration, desktop support, disaster recovery services, help desk services, IT security, network operations, and web/e-commerce systems. For each IT function, we measure the frequency and level of outsourcing. We also look at the current plans of IT organizations to increase or decrease the amount of work they outsource. We examine the customer experience to assess whether organizations are successfully lowering costs or improving service through outsourcing. Finally, we show the outsourcing frequency by sector for each function. (105 pp., 89 fig.) Full Report Description [Research Byte] IT Spending and Staffing Benchmarks 2017/2018: Full StudyJune, 2017Our 2017/2018 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 28th annual survey. Detailed metrics are provided by organization size and by industry sector. This article allows purchase of all 28 chapters at a significant discount off the individual chapter price. Individual chapters are also available for purchase - click the Full Study Description below for details. (1,588 pp., 1,004 figs.) [Full Study Description and Individual Chapter Pricing] |
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Outsourcing of Disaster Recovery Continues Decline Business Continuity Planning Suffers Neglect Network Support Staffing Flat Despite Growing Demand Post-Implementation Audits Not Widely Practiced, Despite Benefits |
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