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IT Pros Survey: Germany
A look at network complexity, its drivers, needed skillset,and levels of concern among IT professionals in Germany
Conducted by C White Consulting May/June 2013
2
Study Overview: areas of discussion
» What are the top drivers impacting network complexity?
» How concerned are IT pros about their ability to be successful in regard to network complexity given their existing skillset?
» How should any gaps in an IT pro’s network complexity skillset be addressed both now and in the future?
For the purposes of this study, “network complexity” is defined as the continuously growing, increasingly complicated nature of the network due to new technologies (such as SDN, virtualisation, etc.) as well as the ever-increasing responsibilities placed on IT professionals from an IT operations
perspective (by supporting new service offerings such as cloud, mobility, etc.) and business operations perspective (such as security or compliance)
3
Demographics: breakdown of survey respondents
112 IT practitioners, managers and directors in Germany from public- and private-sectorsmall, mid-size and enterprise companies participated in a May/June 2013 online survey
14%3%
14%
14%17%4%
8%
28%
Company Size(number of em-
ployees) 25-49 FTEs50-99 FTEs100-249 FTEs250-499 FTEs500-999 FTEs1000-1499 FTEs1500-4999 FTEs5000+ FTEs
37%
13%23%
17%
10%
IT Pro’s Role
Practitioner
Manager
Director
IT Consultant
Other IT-related 19%
78%
3%Public/Private Sector Split
Public Sector
Private Sector
It's Complicated
4
Drivers that ImpactNetwork Complexity
5
Compute virtualisation
Smarter equipment and/or more complex equipment
Software Defined Networks (SDN)/virtual networks
Video conferencing/telepresence
Vendor proliferation
1 2 3 4 5
3.54
3.15
3.1
2.54
1.88
Technology Drivers
A1: Please rank which of the following technologies increase network complexity the most for the networks that you manage with “1” meaning “most impactful to network complexity” and “5” meaning “least impactful to network complexity”, using each number only once: [provided “other” fill-in blank option and “N/A-do not use/manage” option as well]
Top Drivers Impacting Network Complexity
#1
#2
IT professionals surveyed indicate that compute virtualisation, followed by smarter/more complex equipment (such as you used to need 3 pieces of equipment to do what a single piece of equipment can do today) and
software defined networks (SDN)/virtual networks are the top three technology drivers increasing network complexity today.
#3
6
Mobility
Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)
Distributed workforce and/or telecommuters/work-from-home
Private cloud
Voice/Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
Public cloud or Software as a Service (SaaS)
Video distribution and/or video conferencing
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
5.13
4.48
4.36
4.04
3.67
3.57
3.32
Drivers in IT Opera-tions
A2: IT professionals are increasingly asked to take on additional responsibilities as new IT service offerings emerge. Please rank which of the following areas increase network complexity the most for the networks that you manage with “1” meaning “most impactful to network complexity” and “7” meaning “least impactful to network complexity”, using each number only once: [provided “other” fill-in blank option and “N/A-do not use/manage” option as well]
Top Drivers Impacting Network Complexity
#1
#2
IT professionals surveyed indicate that mobility, Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), and distributed workforce/telecommuters/work-from-home are the top three areas within IT Operations
impacting network complexity today.
#3
7
Security (for example, denial of service (DoS) attacks, Adobe vulnerabilities)
Compliance (for example, Payment Card Industry-Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS), European Union (EU) Data Protection Directive)
Auditing (for example, IT audits due to PCI-DSS, EU Data Protection Directive, HIPAA and other compliance requirements)
1 2 3
2.37
1.83
1.66
Drivers inBusiness Operations
A3: IT professionals are increasingly asked to take on additional responsibilities as new business operations requirements emerge. Please rank which of the following areas increase network complexity the most for the networks that you manage with “1” meaning “most impactful to network complexity” and “3” meaning “least impactful to network complexity”, using each number only once: [provided “other” fill-in blank option and “N/A-do not use/manage” option as well]
Top Drivers Impacting Network Complexity
#1
IT professionals surveyed indicate that security (for example, denial of service (DoS) attacks, Adobe vulnerabilities) is the top Business Operations driver increasing network complexity today.
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IT Pro’s Level of Concern regarding His/Her Network Complexity Skillset
9
A3: Based on the definition of “network complexity” above, how much has increased network complexity changed your IT role/responsibilities within the last 3-5 years? [choose one: “it has greatly affected my role/responsibilities”, “it has somewhat affected …”, “it has not affected …”, “do not know”]
Level of Concern: IT Pro’s Network Complexity Skillset
Nearly 85% of IT professionals said network complexity has either somewhat affected or greatly affectedtheir role/responsibilities within the last 3-5 years.
34%
50%
13%
2%
Impact of Network Complexity on IT Rolein Last 3-5 Years
It has greatly affected my role/responsibilities
It has somewhat affected my role/responsibilities
It has not affected my role/responsibilities
Do not know
10
A4(b,c,e): How much do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements? (please provide the degree to which you agree or disagree with each statement by selecting from 1 (“do not agree at all”) to 10 (“agree completely”): [provided “N/A” as well]
Level of Concern: IT Pro’s Network Complexity Skillset
IT professionals agree (moderately so) that their existing skillset has fully prepared them to deploy all the IT network management solution(s) necessary to manage their company’s current complexity challenges. And little agreement exists among IT pros regarding how concerned they are about their ability to succeed given
ever-increasing responsibilities that directly impact network complexity.
With my existing skillset, I am concerned about my ability to succeed given the new technologies (such as smarter equipment) and ever-increasing IT operations (such as cloud) and business operations (such as compliance) responsibilities I've been given, a
With my existing skillset, I am fully prepared to deploy all the IT network management solution(s) necessary to manage our current network complexity challenges.
IT professionals should have a "generalist" IT skillset (such as network) rather than a "specialist" IT skillset (such as server/application).
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
4.41
6.36
5.69
(1 (“do not agree at all”) 10 (“agree completely”))
Do NC drivers hinder an IT Pro’s success given his/her existing skillset?
11
A4(a,d): How much do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements? (please provide the degree to which you agree or disagree with each statement by selecting from 1 (“do not agree at all”) to 10 (“agree completely”): [provided “N/A” as well]
Level of Concern: IT Pro’s Network Complexity Skillset
IT professionals solidly agree that their company is prepared for growing network complexity challenges, yet IT pros agree slightly less (moderate agreement) that they have already invested in all of the IT network
management solution(s) necessary to address current network complexity challenges.
My company has already invested in all of the IT network management solution(s) necessary to address our current network complexity challenges.
My company is prepared for our growing network complexity challenges.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
6.33
7.05
(1 (“do not agree at all”) 10 (“agree completely”))
How confident are IT pros that their companies are prepared for growing network complexity challenges?
12
A9: What else does your company still need to do/obtain in order to be as prepared as possible for growing network complexity? (please choose all that apply) [provided “other” fill-in-the-blank response as well]
Level of Concern: IT Pro’s Network Complexity Skillset
Over 80% of IT professionals feel that their company still needs to train IT staff in order to be as prepared as possible for growing network complexity. Almost half (48%) feel that their company needs to add network
management tools/software, and 40% feel their company needs to better prioritise existing IT resources in order to be as prepared as possible for growing network complexity.
Train IT staff
Add network management tools/SW
Better prioritize existing IT resources
Increase IT budget
Increase IT staff
Other
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
80.4%
48.2%
40.2%
32.1%
21.4%
5.4%
What else does an IT pro’s company still need to do/obtain in order to be as prepared as possible for growing network complexity?
13
Addressing Gaps in an IT Pro’s Network Complexity Skillset
14
A10: What is the single most important skill/skillset needed TODAY by IT professionals to combat the challenges of network complexity? (please choose only one) [provided “other” fill-in-the-blank response as well]
Addressing Gaps: IT Pro’s Network Complexity Skillset
Nearly one-fourth of all IT professionals feel that understanding of the business is the single most important skillset needed today to combat the challenges of network complexity, followed by information security.
Understanding of the businessInformation security
Cloud or SaaSCompute virtualisation
Network engineeringProject management
Mobile applications and device managementServer management
Other
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
24.1%17.0%
13.4%13.4%13.4%
10.7%5.4%
1.8%0.9%
The single most important skillset needed today by IT prosto combat the challenges of network complexity:
15
A5(a): How much do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements? (please provide the degree to which you agree or disagree with each statement by selecting from 1 (“do not agree at all”) to 10 (“agree completely”): [provided “N/A” as well]
Addressing Gaps: IT Pro’s Network Complexity Skillset
One-fifth (19%) of IT professionals solidly agree that their higher education sufficiently prepared them for their current IT role. Another 38% of respondents somewhat agree that their higher education sufficiently prepared them, while 30% of IT professionals are relatively undecided. And the remaining 13% believe that their higher
education did NOT sufficiently prepare them for their current IT role.
My higher education (university degree(s) and/or vocational training) sufficiently prepared me for my current IT role.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
5.01
(1 (“do not agree at all”) 10 (“agree completely”))
Did higher education sufficiently prepare IT prosfor their current IT roles?
16
A11: What will be the single most important skill/skillset needed IN FIVE YEARS by IT professionals to combat the challenges of network complexity? (please choose only one) [provided “other” fill-in-the-blank response as well]
Addressing Gaps: IT Pro’s Network Complexity Skillset
Understanding of the business (today’s single most important skillset) remains in the top spot when IT pros look 5 years into the future to determine what will be the single most important skillset needed to combat the future
challenges of network complexity. Information security and cloud/Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) also remain in the top three when IT pros look 5 years into the future.
Understanding of the businessInformation security
Cloud or SaaSCompute virtualisation
Project managementNetwork engineering
Mobile applications and device managementOther
Server management
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
32.1%19.6%
14.3%11.6%
7.1%7.1%
5.4%1.8%0.9%
The single most important skillset needed in 5 years by IT prosto combat the future challenges of network complexity:
17
A7: If you did not already possess the single most important skill needed TODAY to combat the challenges of network complexity, how would you realistically go about obtaining it? (please choose all that apply) [provided “other” fill-in-the-blank response as well]
Addressing Gaps: IT Pro’s Network Complexity Skillset
Over 65% of IT professionals would obtain training in order to gain necessary skills/certifications for combating network complexity. And 54% of IT pros would turn to online influencers/resources, while just over half (51%)
would participate in vendor learning.
Obtain training
Turn to online influencers/resources
Participate in vendor learning
Increase experience/expertise organically
Participate in peer-to-peer learning (such as forums, best practices)
Obtain certification
Participate in distance learning
Gain an/another university degree (undergraduate or graduate-level)
Other
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
65.2%
53.6%
50.9%
37.5%
30.4%
28.6%
21.4%
8.0%
3.6%
Resources used for obtainingany additional skills/certifications needed
18
U4: What (if any) barriers have you encountered while trying to obtain network management training (please think about the entire process – from gaining approval to be trained through trying to complete the actual training)? [open-ended/fill-in-the-blank]
Addressing Gaps: IT Pro’s Network Complexity Skillset
Nearly one-fourth of IT professionals (24%) consider budget constraints the biggest barrier to training, and another one-fifth (20%) consider time to train a barrier; however 18% of IT pros do not feel they have any barriers to training.
Budget
Time to train
No barriers
Approval process
Training content
Other
Travel restriction/ban
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
24.3%
19.6%
17.8%
14.0%
11.2%
10.3%
2.8%
Barriers (if any) to network management training
Sampling of Noteworthy Open-Ended Responses
Budget: “no budget planned”, “[no] available budget”, “cost”, “external training courses are expensive and time consuming”, “the costs of such training”
Time to Train: “scheduling”, “availability”, “time management”
Approval Process: “concrete value assessment for the company is required”, “obtaining approval requires a great deal of persuasion”
Training Content: “appropriate courses for our specific requirements”, “lack of quality [content]”, “… cannot always find suitable training for the skill level required …”, “no breadth of options for new topics such as SDN”
Travel Restriction/Ban: “course location”, “distance to providers”
19
A6(a,b,c): How much do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements? (please provide the degree to which you agree or disagree with each statement by selecting from 1 (“do not agree at all”) to 10 (“agree completely”): [provided “N/A” as well]
Addressing Gaps: IT Pro’s Network Complexity Skillset
IT professionals moderately agree that gaining approval to participate in training is a relatively painless process. Slightly less IT pros are in agreement that most/all of their training for skills/certification takes place during work
hours, and even less IT pros are in agreement that scheduling a time for training (on their own or with a third party) is a relatively painless process.
Gaining approval for me to participate in training (ie vendor learning, distance learning, certifications, onsite training, offsite training) is a relatively painless process within my company.
Scheduling a time for me to train (ie vendor training, distance learning, certifications, onsite training, offsite training) on my own or with a third party is a relatively painless process.
I undertake most/all of my training for needed skills/certification during work hours.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
6.15
5.22
5.96
(1 (“do not agree at all”) 10 (“agree completely”))
The Continuing Education Process
20
A5(b,c,d): How much do you agree or disagree with each of the following statements? (please provide the degree to which you agree or disagree with each statement by selecting from 1 (“do not agree at all”) to 10 (“agree completely”): [provided “N/A” as well]
Addressing Gaps: IT Pro’s Network Complexity Skillset
IT professionals show little agreement on whether today’s higher education is sufficiently preparing the next generation of IT pros to meet tomorrow’s technology demands or that the amount of training required for
graduates entering the IT workforce sufficiently prepares them for entry-level positions. However, IT pros are in agreement (moderately so) that graduates should have a “generalist” rather than a “specialist” IT skillset.
Today's higher education (university degree(s) and/or vocational training) is sufficiently preparing the next generation of IT professionals to meet tomorrow's technology demands.
The amount of training required for university graduates and vocational graduates entering the IT workforce sufficently prepares them for entry-level positions.
University and vocational graduates should have a "generalist" IT skillset (such as network) rather than a "specialist" IT skillset (such as server/application).
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
4.27
4.75
6.16
(1 (“do not agree at all”) 10 (“agree completely”))
Today’s Educational Standards and Tomorrow’s IT Professionals