UK IT Pros Survey: Network Complexity

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IT Pros Survey: United Kingdom

A look at network complexity, its drivers, needed skillset,and levels of concern among IT professionals in the UK

Conducted by C White Consulting May/June 2013

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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)

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Demographics: breakdown of survey respondents

156 IT practitioners, managers and directors in the United Kingdom from public- and private-sectorsmall, mid-size and enterprise companies participated in a May/June 2013 online survey

11%6%

14%

10%6%8%

13%

32%

Company Size(number of em-

ployees) 25-49 FTEs50-99 FTEs100-249 FTEs250-499 FTEs500-999 FTEs1000-1499 FTEs1500-4999 FTEs5000+ FTEs

34%

25%

13%

13%

16%

IT Pro’s Role

Practitioner

Manager

Director

IT Consultant

Other IT-related

38%57%

5%

Public/Private Sector Split

Public Sector

Private Sector

It's Complicated

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Drivers that ImpactNetwork Complexity

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Compute virtualisation

Smarter equipment and/or more complex equipment

Video conferencing/telepresence

Software Defined Networks (SDN)/virtual networks

Vendor proliferation

1 2 3 4 5

3.07

2.98

2.71

2.61

2.61

Technology Drivers

A1: Please rank which of the following technologies increase network complexity the most for the networks that you manage from “most impactful to network complexity” to “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 indicated that compute virtualisation, followed by smarter equipment/more complex equipment (for example, you used to need 3 pieces of equipment to do what a single piece of equipment can do

today) are the top two technology drivers increasing network complexity today.

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Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)

Mobility

Distributed workforce and/or telecommuters/work-from-home

Public cloud or Software as a Service (SaaS)

Video distribution and/or video conferencing

Private cloud

Voice/Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

4.78

4.63

4.57

3.96

3.90

3.71

3.66

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 from “most impactful to network complexity” to “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]


#1

#2

IT professionals surveyed indicated that Bring Your Own Device (BYOD), mobility 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

2.23

1.77

1.47

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 from “most impactful to network complexity” to “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]


#1

IT professionals surveyed indicated 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

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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

Over 80% of IT professionals said network complexity has either somewhat affected or greatly affectedtheir role/responsibilities within the last 3-5 years.

30%

51%

19%

1%

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

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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]


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;

however, IT pros are split (little agreement among them) as to whether or not they are concerned regarding 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

4.94

5.53

5.85

(1 (“do not agree at all”) 10 (“agree completely”))

Do NC drivers hinder an IT Pro’s success given his/her existing skillset?

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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]


Most IT professionals agree (moderately so) that their company is prepared for growing network complexity challenges, yet slightly less IT pros agree 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

6.02

6.42


How confident are IT pros that their companies are prepared for growing network complexity challenges?

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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]


Over 60% 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. Train IT staff was the number one response across all company sizes

(small, mid-size and enterprise). Almost half of IT respondents felt that their company needed to better prioritise existing IT resources, and the same number felt their company needed to add network management

tools/software in order to be as prepared as possible for growing network complexity.

Train IT staff

Better prioritise existing IT resources

Add network management tools/SW

Increase IT budget

Increase IT staff

Other

0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

62.2%

46.8%

46.2%

41.7%

25.6%

7.7%

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?

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Addressing Gaps in an IT Pro’s Network Complexity Skillset

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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-third 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 closely by information security and network engineering. Sliced by company size, over half of all IT pros in companies with 100-249 employees

felt understanding of the business was the single most important skillset needed today.

Understanding of the businessInformation security

Network engineeringCompute virtualisation

Cloud or SaaSMobile applications and device management

Project managementServer management

Other

0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

32.1%18.6%

13.5%9.6%9.6%

5.8%5.1%

3.2%2.6%

The single most important skillset needed today by IT prosto combat the challenges of network complexity:

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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]


Less than 10% of IT professionals solidly agree that their higher education sufficiently prepared them for their current IT role. Nearly one-third of respondents somewhat agree that their higher education sufficiently

prepared them, while another one-third of IT professionals are relatively undecided. And the remaining 25% 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

4.19


Did higher education sufficiently prepare IT prosfor their current IT roles?

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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]


Cloud/Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) surpasses understanding of the business (today’s single most important skillset) 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 remains in the top 3, and

mobile applications/device management jumps up the skillset radar as well.

Cloud or SaaSUnderstanding of the business

Information securityMobile applications and device management

Compute virtualisationProject managementNetwork engineering

OtherServer management

0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

22.1%21.4%

18.8%14.3%

6.5%6.5%5.8%

2.6%1.9%

The single most important skillset needed in 5 years by IT prosto combat the future challenges of network complexity:

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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]


Over 55% of IT professionals would obtain training in order to gain necessary skills/certifications for combating network complexity. Over half would increase their experience/expertise organically, and 45% would participate

in peer-to-peer learning such as forums and best practices.

Obtain training

Increase experience/expertise organically

Participate in peer-to-peer learning (such as forums, best practices)

Participate in vendor learning

Turn to online influencers/resources

Obtain certification

Participate in distance learning

Gain an/another university degree (undergraduate or graduate-level)

Other

0% 25% 50% 75% 100%

56.8%

50.3%

45.2%

43.9%

31.6%

28.4%

27.7%

3.9%

2.6%

Resources used for obtainingany additional skills/certifications needed

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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]


One-fourth of IT professionals consider budget constraints a barrier to training, and slightly less (24%) consider finding the time to train a barrier; however 22% 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%

25.5%

23.6%

22.3%

15.9%

6.4%

5.7%

0.6%

Barriers (if any) to network management training

Sampling of Noteworthy Open-Ended Responses

Budget: “lack of budget”, “… IT training courses are expensive”

Time to Train: “time [availability] – always dealing with pressing issues”, “time [as] training around doing the job is very difficult”

Approval Process: “[lack of] senior management understanding”, “convincing approvers that is has relevance …”, “it’s a long process to get approval for training”

Training Content: “finding relevant courses”, “identifying the right level of training”, “knowing it [will be] relevant and [a good] value for money”, “courses that are not vendor-oriented”

Travel Restriction/Ban: “finding training courses run locally”

Other: “politics”

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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]


IT professionals moderately agree that gaining approval to participate in training is a relatively painless process. Slightly more IT pros are in agreement that most/all of their training for skills/certification takes place during work

hours (rather than before/after hours). However, the process to schedule a time to train on their own or with a third party is slightly more painful than painless.

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

5.42

4.80

5.60


The Continuing Education Process

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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]


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 do agree (moderately so) that graduates should have a “generalist” IT skillset 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


Today’s Educational Standards and Tomorrow’s IT Professionals