BYOx threatens to disrupt the IT landscape

One in four survey respondents indicated that BYOx is the emerging technology most likely to cause disruption, in terms of its impact on the business and the time and energy IT professionals dedicate to solving related issues. The results also reveal that IT professionals are playing an increasingly valuable role in the strategic decisions that lead to the implementation of such emerging technologies, with 97 per cent of those surveyed being relied upon to extend their responsibilities and make informed business decisions.

"The days of IT's limited impact on business are long gone, replaced by the modern era of almost complete reliance on technology, especially the emerging technologies that threaten to disrupt the status quo," said Lawrence Garvin, Head Geek, SolarWinds. "The shifting expectations from employees, who want to use consumer devices and applications in the workplace, are leaving an indelible mark on business processes. As a result, more businesses recognise that IT holds an important key to success, particularly when it comes to the implementation of disruptive technologies. Likewise, IT professionals can no longer be content to stay within their traditional role. Instead, they must be prepared to take on new levels of responsibility within strategic business initiatives."

Fielded in November 2013, the survey yielded responses from 214 IT practitioners, managers and directors in the UK from small, mid-size and enterprise companies.

Survey Findings:
The evolution of technology means that IT professionals must adapt their skill-sets and levels of responsibility in order to cope with the demands of emerging and disruptive technologies.
· One in four of those surveyed suggested that BYOx is the emerging technology that is most disruptive to business
· Mobility, cloud computing, data analytics and compliance round up the top five emerging technologies
· Over 50 per cent of respondent suggest that cloud/SaaS and information security are the top IT skill-sets that will be in high demand over the next three to five years, followed by mobile apps and device management
Foremost among the results of this evolution, modern IT professionals are now expected and must be prepared to help their companies make informed, strategic business decisions with regard to emerging technologies.
· 97 per cent of all IT pros are confident that they can provide the guidance and expertise necessary to help their company make informed decisions with regards to emerging technologies
· While 97 percent of survey-takers said they feel at least somewhat confident in their ability to provide such advice, only one-third of those are completely confident in doing so
· To feel more empowered to provide strategic advice, slightly more than half of respondents said they need more training in their area(s) of responsibility, and nearly 40 percent said they need a better understanding of their company's overall business
Technology's rise in importance as a core business component may have only been outpaced by the complexity it created. This increasing infrastructure complexity has affected the role of nearly all IT professionals.
· Over half (53%) of all IT departments now manage virtualisation, mobility, compliance, data analytics, SDN/virtual networks, BYOx, cloud computing and self-service automation
· 40 per cent of respondents said increasing complexity has greatly affected their responsibilities over the past three to five years, and an additional 49 per cent said it has somewhat affected their role