1. IT Pros Survey: Germany
A look at the evolving role of IT, its drivers, needed skillsets,
and how IT pros view their roles within this “new IT” environment
Conducted by C White Consulting
November 2013
1

2. Study Overview: areas of discussion
» What are the top emerging technologies impacting/evolving
the role of IT?
» How much has increased infrastructure complexity changed
an IT pro’s roles/responsibilities within the past 3-5 years,
and how will it change the role into the next 3-5 years?
» Are IT pros both prepared and empowered to provide a
higher level of business value given these identified
emerging technologies and their definition of the “new IT”?
For the purposes of this study, “infrastructure complexity” is defined as the continuously growing,
increasingly complicated nature of the infrastructure 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 compliance)
2

3. Demographics: breakdown of survey respondents
Company Size
(number of employees)
8%
7%
35%
10%
9%
11%
14%
25-49 FTEs
50-99 FTEs
100-249 FTEs
250-499 FTEs
500-999 FTEs
1000-1499 FTEs
1500-4999 FTEs
5000+ FTEs
IT Pro’s Role
9%
Practitioner
11%
45%
6%
Manager
Director
20%
IT Consultant
15%
Other IT-related
152 IT practitioners, managers and directors in Germany from small, mid-size and enterprise companies
participated in a November 2013 online survey
3

4. Top Emerging Technologies
Evolving the Role of IT Pro
4

5. Top Emerging Technologies Evolving the Role of IT
Technology Advancement with Most Significant Business Impact in Last 3-5 Years
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
35%
21%
Mobility
17%
11%
8%
Cloud computing
8%
Data analytics
3%
27%
25%
60%
70%
40%
30%
Compute virtualisation (server or desktop)
50%
61%
#1
#2
80%
90%
100%
Overall
Small Bus
Mid-Size Bus
19%
27%
Enterprise
16%
7%
4%
5%
3%
4%
Compliance
Bring Your Own ___ (BYOx) (ie BYOD, BYOA, BYOT)
0%
3%
3%
5%
Self-service automation
0%
3%
3%
4%
Other
1%
3%
0%
1%
SDN/virtual networks
1%
3%
0%
0%
Forty percent of all IT pros surveyed indicate that compute virtualisation (server or desktop) is the technology
advancement that had the most significant impact on their business within the last 3-5 years, followed by
mobility and cloud computing. By business size, enterprise business IT pros indicate that cloud computing
(rather than mobility) follows compute virtualisation, while small business IT pros (qualitatively) place data
analytics above cloud computing.
Which technological advancement had the most significant impact on your
company within the last 3-5 years? [choose only one, provided “other” fill in
blank option as well]
5

6. Top Emerging Technologies Evolving the Role of IT
Emerging Technology That Is Most Disruptive to Business
0%
10%
20%
29%
Bring Your Own ___ (BYOx) (ie BYOD, BYOA, BYOT)
22%
Compliance
16%
14%
Mobility
16%
17%
13%
22%
29%
24%
40%
35%
39%
50%
#1
#2
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Overall
Small Bus
Mid-Size Bus
Enterprise
8%
8%
6%
9%
Data analytics
3%
Cloud computing
Compute virtualisation (server or desktop)
30%
0%
7%
6%
10%
7%
8%
14%
7%
8%
6%
8%
Self-service automation
Other
2%
3%
0%
3%
SDN/virtual networks
1%
3%
0%
0%
Nearly 30% of all IT pros surveyed indicate that Bring Your Own ___ (BYOx) – such as device (BYOD) or
application (BYOA) – is the emerging technology that is most disruptive to business (in terms of having the
most significant impact on business operations as well as IT time/energy spent). Compliance, mobility, and
data analytics follow BYOx. By business size, compliance moves to #1 for enterprise IT pros, and (qualitatively)
mobility jumps slightly above compliance on both the small business and mid-size business IT pros lists.
Which of the following emerging technologies is the most disruptive to your
business (in terms of having the most significant impact on business operations
as well as IT time/energy spent)? [choose only one, provided “other” fill in
6
blank option as well]

7. Top Emerging Technologies Evolving the Role of IT
Technology Investment Needed Today to Remain Competitive in Next 3-5 Years
0%
10%
14%
17%
Data analytics
14%
Compute virtualisation (server or desktop)
9%
3%
Self-service automation
8%
6%
3%
3%
Bring Your Own ___ (BYOx) (ie BYOD, BYOA, BYOT)
Other
40%
50%
#1
23%
29%
31%
10%
Cloud computing
Compliance
30%
21%
Mobility
SDN/virtual networks
20%
17%
19%
18%
35%
#2
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Overall
Small Bus
Mid-Size Bus
Enterprise
12%
16%
14%
12%
6%
9%
6%
8%
8%
0%
4%
5%
3%
4%
3%
3%
1%
8%
Almost one-fourth of all IT pros surveyed indicate that data analytics is the most important technology for their
business to invest in today in order to remain competitive for the next 3-5 years. Another 21% of all IT pros
surveyed indicate mobility is that technology, while 17% said cloud computing. By business size, enterprise IT
pros rank cloud computing above mobility, and (qualitatively) both small business and mid-size business IT
pros feel more strongly about mobility than data analytics as far as the most important technology for their
business
to invest in today to remain competitive.
In order to remain competitive for the NEXT 3-5 years, what is the most
important technology, IT service, or business operation for your company to
invest in today? [choose only one, provided “other” fill in blank option as well]
7

8. Infrastructure Complexity
& Its Impact on IT Pros
8

9. Infrastructure Complexity & Its Impact on IT Pros
Impact of Infrastructure Complexity on IT Role
in Last 3-5 Years (Overall)
1%
8% 3%
38%
51%
7%
It has greatly affected my
role/responsibilities
It has somewhat affected
my role/responsibilities
42%
Small Business IT Pros
50%
It has not affected my
role/responsibilities
Do not know
Mid-Size Business IT Pros
6% 0%
47%
47%
Enterprise IT Pros
7% 0%
35%
57%
Over 90% of IT professionals said infrastructure complexity has either somewhat affected or greatly affected
their role/responsibilities within the last 3-5 years. And as business size increases, so does the percentage of IT
pros who feel that that infrastructure complexity has “greatly affected” their role/responsibilities.
Based on the definition of “infrastructure complexity” above, how much has
increased infrastructure complexity changed your IT role/responsibilities within
the last 3-5 years? [choose only one]
9

10. Infrastructure Complexity & Its Impact on IT Pros
Length of Time Technologies Have Been Managed by IT
0%
Compute virtualisation (server or desktop)
Mobility
Compliance
10%
20%
Cloud computing
19%
11%
11%
100%
IT has managed <1yr
Managed in dept other than IT
29%
16%
16%
15%
7%
Managed by MSP
43%
13%
15%
11%
4%
5%
3%
3%
90%
24%
Do not use
36%
24%
20%
17%
42%
9%
Bring Your Own ___ (BYOx) (ie BYOD, BYOA, BYOT)
80%
IT has managed 1-3yrs
11%
12%
SDN/virtual networks
33%
25%
5%
2%
70%
IT has managed >3yrs
7%
3%
60%
60%
26%
20%
Self-service automation
50%
69%
6%
4%
Data analytics
40%
21%
3%
0%
3%
4%
3%
3%
3%
30%
17%
32%
38%
Nearly half (47%) of all IT departments surveyed are currently managing ALL listed technologies. Compute
virtualisation and mobility have been managed by IT the longest, with 60% or more of IT departments having
managed each technology for over 3 years. Compliance and data analytics are each managed by an internal
department other than IT within 11% of all companies surveyed, and cloud computing is managed by a
managed service provider (MSP) within 11% of all companies surveyed as well.
IT professionals are increasingly asked to take on additional responsibilities as
new technologies, IT service offerings, and business operations requirements
emerge. As a result of this increased infrastructure complexity, which
statement below best applies to each of the following technologies? [choose
10
one response per row, provided “other” fill in the blank option as well]

11. Infrastructure Complexity & Its Impact on IT Pros
IT Skills Becoming Automated within Next 3-5 Years
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
Virtualisation
36%
14%
14%
Database administration
Business analytics
Technical support
Project management
90%
100%
#1
65%
62%
#2
Overall
Small Bus
45%
Mid-Size Bus
38%
39%
Enterprise
47%
27%
30%
28%
26%
Network engineering
Other
80%
52%
19%
Data center
70%
54%
38%
24%
22%
Cloud or SaaS
60%
51%
43%
41%
33% 38%
Mobile apps/device management
Programming/Development
46%
39%
Server management
Information security
50%
6%
20%
26%
16%19%
11%
17%
15%
14%
14%
16%
12%
14%
14%
3%
3%
3%
4%
3% 5%
0% 3%
2%
3%
3%
1%
Over half of all IT pros surveyed indicate that both virtualisation and server management are the top IT
skillsets that will become automated within the next 3-5 years, followed by mobile apps/device management.
Over 97% of IT pros agree that neither programming/dev nor project management will become automated
within that same time period. By business size, cloud/SaaS jumps over mobile apps/device management into
the #3 spot for enterprise IT pros, and (qualitatively) mid-size business IT pros also include data center (in
additional to virtualisation) as the most likely IT skillset to become automated within the next 3-5 years.
Which IT skills will become automated within the next 3-5 years? [choose all
that apply, provided “other” fill in blank option as well]
11

12. Infrastructure Complexity & Its Impact on IT Pros
IT Skills in Higher Demand within Next 3-5 Years
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
65%
65%
64%
65%
Information security
46%
Mobile apps/device management
30%
Cloud or SaaS
42%
38%
39%
Business analytics
57%
58%
56%
64%
80%
#1
#2
53%
100%
Overall
Small Bus
75%
46%
90%
Mid-Size Bus
Enterprise
36%
35%
35% 39%
34%
33% 38%
32%
Virtualisation
Project management
14%
Network engineering
Programming/Development
6%
21%
21%
17%
18%
28%
27%
14%
14%
13% 17%
13%
8% 11%
17%
13%
11% 14%
13%
11%
19%
17%
5%
Technical support
Data center
Database administration
Server management
Other
70%
1%
0%
0%
1%
Nearly two-thirds of all IT pros surveyed indicate that information security is the top IT skillset that will be in
higher demand within the next 3-5 years, followed by mobile apps/device management and cloud/SaaS. At
least 86% of IT pros agree that technical support, data center, database administration, and server
management will not be in any higher demand over the next 3-5 years. By business size, enterprise IT pros
consider a cloud/SaaS skillset to be in higher demand than any other IT skillset within the next 3-5 years.
Which IT skills will be in higher demand within the next 3-5 years? [choose all
that apply, provided “other” fill in blank option as well]
12

13. Infrastructure Complexity & Its Impact on IT Pros
IT Role Needing to Adapt The Most within Next 3-5 Years
0%
10%
20%
30%
32%
Information security
13%
Applications
Data center
Network
Systems
Firewall
Database administration
Repair
Other
0%
0%
9%
11%
12%
9%
11%
13%
8%
12%
6%
8%
6%
3%
11%
4%
3%
3%
3%
3%
2%
37%
37%
38%
#2
17%
18%
17%
17%
Privacy
Server
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
#1
Overall
Small Bus
24%
Mid-Size Bus
Enterprise
4%
2%
0%
3%
3%
1%
0%
3%
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
Almost 40% of all IT pros surveyed indicate that information security is the IT role that will need to adapt the
most to evolving technology within the next 3-5 years. A distant second overall is the privacy role, where 17%
of all IT pros feel this role will need to adapt the most. By business size (qualitatively), one-fourth of small
business IT pros feel that the applications role (rather than privacy) follows information security.
Which IT role will need to adapt the most to evolving technology within the next
3-5 years? [choose only one, provided “other” fill in blank option as well]
13

14. IT Pro Preparation & Empowerment
for the “New IT” Environment
14

15. IT Pro Preparation & Empowerment for the “New IT”
IT Pro Confidence in Providing Guidance for
Strategic Business Decisions (Overall)
2%1%
Small Business IT Pros
0% 0%
49%
51%
I am completely confident
Mid-Size Business IT Pros
3% 3%
I am somewhat confident
43%
44%
54%
I am not confident at all
Do not know
50%
Enterprise IT Pros
2%
0%
37%
61%
While 97% of all IT pros are some degree of confident that they could provide the guidance and expertise
necessary to help their company make informed, strategic business decisions with regard to emerging
technologies, just over half are completely confident in that same endeavor. By business size (qualitatively),
mid-size business IT pros appear to have lower levels of confidence compared to their counterparts.
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
company make informed, strategic business decisions with regard to emerging
technologies? (for example, provide a business case (business value/impact)
15
for a new IT idea/project within your area of responsibility)? [choose only one]

16. IT Pro Preparation & Empowerment for the “New IT”
Opportunity for IT Pro to Provide Guidance
for Strategic Business Decisions (Overall)
Small Business IT Pros
8% 0%
32%
1%
59%
10%
All the Time
Mid-Size Business IT Pros
8% 0%
41%
Occassionally
47%
44%
Rarely
49%
Never
Enterprise IT Pros
11%
1%
42%
46%
Almost every IT pro (99%) is given the opportunity to provide the guidance and expertise necessary to help
their company make informed, strategic business decisions with regard to emerging technologies; however, the
majority (59%) only have the opportunity to do so “occasionally” or “rarely”.
How often are you given the opportunity to provide the guidance and expertise
necessary to help your company make informed, strategic business decisions
with regard to emerging technologies? (for example, provide a business case
(business value/impact) for a new IT idea/project within your area of
responsibility)? [choose only one]
16

17. IT Pro Preparation & Empowerment for the “New IT”
Additional Skills Needed by IT Pros in order to Feel More Empowered
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
45%
57%
I would need more training in my area(s) of responsibility
70%
#1
44%
39%
36%
32%
31%
39%
I do not need anything else - I am confident I could do so today
80%
90%
100%
Overall
Small Bus
Mid-Size Bus
#2
Enterprise
32%
19%
I would need a better understanding of the business
I would need something else
33%
37%
7%
5%
3%
9%
Sampling of Noteworthy Open-Ended Responses for “Need
Something Else”
Earlier Engagement in Business Planning Process: “[better]
understanding of the complexity …”, “innovative thinking in corporate
governance”, “rational thinking …”
Greater Management Support: “someone must also listen to me”, “the
Manager really listening”
Just under half of all IT pros surveyed indicate that they would need more training in their area(s) of
responsibility in order to feel more empowered to provide the guidance and expertise necessary to help their
business make informed, strategic decisions regarding emerging technologies. Just over one-third of all IT pros
feel they need nothing else to feel empowered to do so, while just under one-third of all IT pros would need a
better understanding of the business. As business size increases, the percentage of IT pros needing a better
understanding of the business increases as well. And for every small business IT pro that needs a better
understanding of the business, three small business IT pros need more training.
What else would you need to feel empowered within your organization to
provide the guidance and expertise necessary to help your business make
informed, strategic decisions regarding emerging technologies? [choose all
17
that apply, provided “other” fill in blank option as well]

18. IT Pro Preparation & Empowerment for the “New IT”
How IT Pros Define the “New IT” Environment
0%
10%
20%
20%
18%
17%
22%
Adopting cloud/SaaS + virtual networks/SDN
Accessing info from any device, anywhere, anytime
Term means nothing/buzzword
Never heard of term
Broader partnership/better relationship with business
End user-driven, self-service automation
Increased agility/adaptability to innovation
Adopting cloud/SaaS + mobility
30%
11%
11%
18%
8%
10%
9%
11%
11%
9%
3%
11%
11%
8%
6%
3%
12%
8%
0%
9%
11%
4%
9%
3%
3%
3%
0%
6%
4%
#1
#2
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
Overall
Small Bus
Mid-Size Bus
Enterprise
Sampling of Noteworthy Open-Ended Responses
Adopting cloud/SaaS + virtual networks/SDN: “IT as a service provider in the
company”, “heterogeneous combination of SDN, virtualisation, and cloud
computing”, “IT as a service”, “the new cloud-based and virtual technologies based on
the users and mobile devices, taking into account the prevailing safety standards and
policies to be made available”, “the end-to-end virtualisation of hardware and
software, and the associated change of it from the product to the service”, “redefinition of the tradition IT landscape – more virtualisation/cloud
(IaaS, PaaS, SaaS)”, “service-oriented IT”
Accessing info from any device, anywhere, anytime: “everything open to
all, more and more users allowed”, data access from everywhere and with any
device:, “global availability of information”, “I want to do whatever I need to do with
whatever device I have”, “IT from the electrical outlet – just plug it in and it works”
Broader partnership/better relationship with business: “IT that generates
One-fifth of all IT pros define the “New IT”
environment as adopting cloud/SaaS AND virtual
networks/SDN, while another 11% consider “New IT”
as accessing information from any device,
anywhere at any time.
The “New IT” is a concept that is increasingly being discussed within the IT
industry, yet no standardized definition exists today. How would you
18
define the “new IT”? [fill in blank]
value for business and society”, “alignment of IT to the „new‟ needs”, “business-critical
IT”, “IT as a business enabler”, “IT must fully support the business model”, “DevOps is
a step in this direction: an integrative approach between different business and IT
departments”, “new IT manages not only requested IT systems but he himself is a
driving innovative force for business opportunities/new business models”, “… driven by
business needs …”, “increased consideration of business-relevant trends and processes
which are subject to our customers („outside looking in‟)”