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

1. 1
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

2. 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. 3
Demographics: breakdown of survey respondents
156 IT practitioners, managers and directors in the United Kingdom from public- and private-sector
small, 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 employees)
25-49 FTEs
50-99 FTEs
100-249 FTEs
250-499 FTEs
500-999 FTEs
1000-1499 FTEs
1500-4999 FTEs
5000+ 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

4. 4
Drivers that Impact
Network Complexity

5. 5
3.07
2.98
2.71
2.61
2.61
1 2 3 4 5
Compute virtualisation
Smarter equipment and/or
more complex equipment
Video
conferencing/telepresence
Software Defined Networks
(SDN)/virtual networks
Vendor proliferation
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.

6. 6
4.78
4.63
4.57
3.96
3.90
3.71
3.66
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Bring Your Own Device
(BYOD)
Mobility
Distributed workforce and/or
telecommuters/work-from-…
Public cloud or Software as a
Service (SaaS)
Video distribution and/or
video conferencing
Private cloud
Voice/Voice over Internet
Protocol (VoIP)
Drivers in IT Operations
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]
Top Drivers Impacting Network Complexity
#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. 7
2.23
1.77
1.47
1 2 3
Security (for example, denial
of service (DoS)
attacks, Adobe vulnerabilities)
Compliance (for
example, Payment Card
Industry-Data Security
Standard (PCI-…
Auditing (for example, IT
audits due to PCI-DSS, EU
Data Protection
Directive, HIPAA and other…
Drivers in
Business 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]
Top Drivers Impacting Network Complexity
#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.

8. 8
IT Pro’s Level of Concern regarding
His/Her Network Complexity Skillset

9. 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
Over 80% of IT professionals said network complexity has either somewhat affected or greatly affected
their role/responsibilities within the last 3-5 years.
30%
51%
19%
1%
Impact of Network Complexity on IT Role
in 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. 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;
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.
4.94
5.53
5.85
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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 (“do not agree at all”)  10 (“agree completely”))
Do NC drivers hinder an IT Pro’s success given his/her existing skillset?

11. 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
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.
6.02
6.42
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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 (“do not agree at all”)  10 (“agree completely”))
How confident are IT pros that their companies are prepared for
growing network complexity challenges?

12. 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 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.
62.2%
46.8%
46.2%
41.7%
25.6%
7.7%
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
Train IT staff
Better prioritise existing IT resources
Add network management tools/SW
Increase IT budget
Increase IT staff
Other
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. 13
Addressing Gaps in an IT Pro’s
Network Complexity Skillset

14. 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-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.
32.1%
18.6%
13.5%
9.6%
9.6%
5.8%
5.1%
3.2%
2.6%
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
Understanding of the business
Information security
Network engineering
Compute virtualisation
Cloud or SaaS
Mobile applications and device management
Project management
Server management
Other
The single most important skillset needed today by IT pros
to combat the challenges of network complexity:

15. 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
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.
4.19
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
My higher education (university degree(s)
and/or vocational training) sufficiently
prepared me for my current IT role.
(1 (“do not agree at all”)  10 (“agree completely”))
Did higher education sufficiently prepare IT pros
for their current IT roles?

16. 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
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.
22.1%
21.4%
18.8%
14.3%
6.5%
6.5%
5.8%
2.6%
1.9%
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
Cloud or SaaS
Understanding of the business
Information security
Mobile applications and device management
Compute virtualisation
Project management
Network engineering
Other
Server management
The single most important skillset needed in 5 years by IT pros
to combat the future challenges of network complexity:

17. 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 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.
56.8%
50.3%
45.2%
43.9%
31.6%
28.4%
27.7%
3.9%
2.6%
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
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
Resources used for obtaining
any additional skills/certifications needed

18. 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
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.
25.5%
23.6%
22.3%
15.9%
6.4%
5.7%
0.6%
0% 25% 50% 75% 100%
Budget
Time to train
No barriers
Approval process
Training content
Other
Travel restriction/ban
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”

19. 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 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.
5.42
4.80
5.60
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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 (“do not agree at all”)  10 (“agree completely”))
The Continuing Education Process

20. 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 do agree
(moderately so) that graduates should have a “generalist” IT skillset rather than a “specialist” IT skillset.
4.27
4.75
6.16
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
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 (“do not agree at all”)  10 (“agree completely”))
Today’s Educational Standards and Tomorrow’s IT Professionals