This survey of IT professionals at public sector agencies found that:
1) Nearly all respondents said increasing network complexity has affected their job responsibilities in the last 3-5 years.
2) Compute virtualization and cloud computing had the largest impacts and are seen as most important for remaining competitive.
3) Only about 30% of respondents are confident in providing guidance on strategic technology decisions due to complexity.
4) Most want more training to provide better guidance on emerging technologies.
1. 1
New IT Public Sector Survey
A look at how the new IT offerings are increasing the complexity of agency IT departments
Conducted by C White Consulting
2. 2
Study Overview: areas of discussion
» How has network complexity affected IT roles?
» Which new IT service offerings are being managed
in-house versus using a managed service provider?
» Which IT role will need to adapt the most to
evolving technology?
» What is the most important technology for agencies
to invest in today to remain competitive?
3. 3
The effects of increased network complexity in IT roles
Q: How much has increased infrastructure complexity changed your IT
role/responsibilities within the last 3-5 years?
94 percent of respondents felt that increasing complexity has at least somewhat, if not greatly, affected their
role over the past three to five years.
4. 4
Most impactful technology
Q: Which technological advancement had the most significant impact on your
agency within the last 3-5 years?
Compute virtualization had the most significant impact on agencies within the last 3-5 years.
5. 5
Confidence in providing guidance on business decisions regarding IT
Q: With emerging technologies creating greater infrastructure complexity, the
role of the IT professional has become even more sophisticated. How confident
are you that you could provide the guidance and expertise necessary to help
your agency make informed, strategic business decisions with regard to
emerging technologies?
70.3 percent of respondents are only somewhat confident or not confident at all that they could provide
guidance and expertise necessary to help with strategic agency decision regarding emerging technology due
to the increasing complexity of IT solutions.
6. 6
Frequency of contributed guidance on strategic decisions regarding IT
Q: How often are you given the opportunity to provide the guidance and
expertise necessary to help your agency make informed, strategic business
decisions with regard to emerging technologies?
66 percent of respondents are asked to at least occasionally provide guidance on strategic agency decisions
regarding emerging technologies.
7. 7
Needs to increase confidence in decision making
Q: What else would you need to feel empowered within your organization to
provide the guidance and expertise necessary to help your agency make
informed, strategic decisions regarding emerging technologies?
The majority of respondents cite more training as what they would need to feel empowered within their
organization to provide the guidance and expertise necessary to help make informed, strategic decisions
regarding emerging technologies.
8. 8
Most disruptive technologies
Q: Which of the following evolving technologies is the most disruptive to your
organization (in terms of having the most significant impact on operations as
well as IT time/energy spent)?
BYOx tops the list of evolving technologies that are most disruptive to the organization.
9. 9
Q: In order to remain competitive for the NEXT 3-5 years, what is the most
important technology, IT service, or operation for your agency to invest in
today?
Cloud computing is ranked as the most important technology, IT service, or operation for an agency to invest
in today to remain competitive for the next 3-5 years.
Most important technology to remain competitive
10. 10
How new technologies and services are being managed
Q:IT professionals are increasingly asked to take on additional responsibilities
as new technologies, IT service offerings, and operations requirements
emerge. As a result of this increased infrastructure complexity, which
statement below best applies to each of the following technologies?
Over half of agency IT departments now manage cloud computing, virtualization, BYOx, mobility, self-service
automation, SDN, data analytics, and compliance.
13.3
18.9
23.1
31.5
8.4
4.9 Our IT department has
managed for over 3 years.
Our IT department has
managed for less than 1 year.
Our IT department has
managed for 1-3 years.
N/A - our company does not
currently use this technology.
Another department (outside
of IT) manages.
A managed service provider
(MSP) manages for us.
Cloud Computing
42.0
11.9
30.8
8.4
3.5
3.5 Our IT department has
managed for over 3 years.
Our IT department has
managed for less than 1 year.
Our IT department has
managed for 1-3 years.
N/A - our company does not
currently use this technology.
Another department (outside
of IT) manages.
A managed service provider
(MSP) manages for us.
Compute Virtualization
11. 11
How new technologies and services are being managed
Q:IT professionals are increasingly asked to take on additional responsibilities
as new technologies, IT service offerings, and operations requirements
emerge. As a result of this increased infrastructure complexity, which
statement below best applies to each of the following technologies?
Over half of agency IT departments now manage cloud computing, virtualization, BYOx, mobility, self-service
automation, SDN, data analytics, and compliance.
20.3
21.0
30.8
23.1
3.5
1.4
Our IT department has
managed for over 3 years.
Our IT department has
managed for less than 1 year.
Our IT department has
managed for 1-3 years.
N/A - our company does not
currently use this technology.
Another department (outside
of IT) manages.
A managed service provider
(MSP) manages for us.
Bring your own ____
41.3
30.1
14.7
7.7
2.8
3.5 Our IT department has
managed for over 3 years.
Our IT department has
managed for 1-3 years.
Our IT department has
managed for less than 1 year.
N/A - our company does not
currently use this technology.
A managed service provider
(MSP) manages for us.
Another department (outside
of IT) manages.
Mobility
12. 12
How new technologies and services are being managed
Q:IT professionals are increasingly asked to take on additional responsibilities
as new technologies, IT service offerings, and operations requirements
emerge. As a result of this increased infrastructure complexity, which
statement below best applies to each of the following technologies?
Over half of agency IT departments now manage cloud computing, virtualization, BYOx, mobility, self-service
automation, SDN, data analytics, and compliance.
15.5
26.8
23.9
19.7
2.1 12.0
Our IT department has
managed for less than 1 year.
Our IT department has
managed for over 3 years.
N/A - our company does not
currently use this technology.
Our IT department has
managed for 1-3 years.
A managed service provider
(MSP) manages for us.
Another department (outside
of IT) manages.
Compliance
19.0
12.0
39.4
24.6
4.2
0.7
Our IT department has
managed for less than 1 year.
Our IT department has
managed for over 3 years.
N/A - our company does not
currently use this technology.
Our IT department has
managed for 1-3 years.
Another department (outside
of IT) manages.
A managed service provider
(MSP) manages for us.
Self-service Automation
13. 13
How new technologies and services are being managed
Q:IT professionals are increasingly asked to take on additional responsibilities
as new technologies, IT service offerings, and operations requirements
emerge. As a result of this increased infrastructure complexity, which
statement below best applies to each of the following technologies?
Over half of agency IT departments now manage cloud computing, virtualization, BYOx, mobility, self-service
automation, SDN, data analytics, and compliance.
19.0
23.2
21.1
19.7
2.8
14.1
Our IT department has
managed for less than 1 year.
Our IT department has
managed for over 3 years.
N/A - our company does not
currently use this technology.
Our IT department has
managed for 1-3 years.
A managed service provider
(MSP) manages for us.
Another department (outside
of IT) manages.
Data Analytics
13.4
18.3
36.6
21.1
4.2
6.3
Our IT department has
managed for less than 1 year.
Our IT department has
managed for over 3 years.
N/A - our company does not
currently use this technology.
Our IT department has
managed for 1-3 years.
A managed service provider
(MSP) manages for us.
Another department (outside
of IT) manages.
Software Defined Networking
14. 14
Server Management 38.5%
Virtualization 37.8%
Cloud or Software as a Service 34.5%
Mobile Applications / Device Management 27.7%
Business Analytics 24.3%
Data Center 22.3%
Technical Support 20.3%
Information Security 18.2%
Network Engineering 16.9%
Database Administration 15.5%
Project Management 11.5%
Programming / Development 10.1%
Other 4.7%
148 responses
*respondents chose more than one answer
Future of automation
Q: Which IT skill(s) will become automated within the next 3-5 years?
Respondents chose Server Management, Virtualization and Cloud or Software as a Service as the top thee IT
skills that will become automated in the next 3-5 years.
15. 15
15
Information Security 50.0%
Cloud or Software as a Service 45.9%
Virtualization 44.6%
Mobile Applications / Device Management 33.1%
Network Engineering 30.4%
Business Analytics 30.4%
Technical Support 27.0%
Project Management 23.0%
Programming / Development 21.6%
Data Center 17.6%
Database Administration 14.9%
Server Management 14.2%
Other 0.7%
148 responses
*respondents chose more than one answer
Q: Which IT skill(s) will be in higher demand within the next 3-5 years?
Half of respondents ranked Information Security as the IT skill that will be in higher demand within the next
3-5 years.
Most in-demand IT skill
17. 17
About the Survey/Respondents
17
Which of the following best describes your general role within the organization?
Manager 23.0%
Administrator 15.5%
Director 12.8%
Specialist for IT 12.8%
Engineer 12.2%
Project Manager 9.5%
Analyst 8.1%
Other 4.1%
Consultant 2.0%
148 responses
18. 18
Thank you for viewing our
survey results
Please visit www.solarwinds.com for more information