Legacy infrastructure creating sustainability nightmare for 63% of IT leaders

Almost two-thirds (63%) of IT leaders say their organisation’s legacy infrastructure is causing them a huge sustainability nightmare according to new research from Daisy Corporate Services (Daisy). At a time when sustainability is under the microscope, the survey of 250 senior IT decision makers reveals that legacy hardware currently contributes to more than a third (37%) of organisations’ overall power consumption.

Almost nine in ten IT leaders (86%) say that sustainability and energy efficiency is important to their operations, with 84% stating that their organisation has IT efficiency targets in place. However, only half (51%) of those surveyed are “very confident” they can meet these targets.

“Sustainability is a vital component of any modern business, and IT departments have a growing role in helping the wider organisation achieve green targets. But legacy technology is a cause for concern amongst IT teams, with ageing equipment still contributing to a significantly to power consumption,” comments Andy Bevan, Head of Propositions and Strategy Consulting at Daisy. “Organisations can benefit from the sustainability features of their cloud providers but are being held back by the challenges of migrating their legacy hardware. Here is where modern hybrid cloud platforms can help bridge the gap between on-site infrastructure and cloud to deliver performance and sustainability benefits.”

IT budgets remain under scrutiny

In addition to creating sustainability challenges, legacy technology also remains a significant cost centre. IT leaders admit that almost a third (29%) of their budgets are still being used to support, maintain, and manage inefficient legacy hardware.

At the same time, many IT leaders are being asked to reevaluate their IT spending. More than two-thirds (69%) of survey respondents describe the pressure to reduce IT capital expenditure as “significant.”

As a result, IT leaders are weighing up approaches optimise costs. Of those surveyed, 86% believe moving to a consumption-based IT infrastructure model will benefit their organisations, with increased flexibility driving lower costs. In addition, 82% of IT decision makers think the use of AIOps (Artificial Intelligence for Operations) will enhance their operations in the future.

“Over the last few years, it has been a tough operating environment for many organisations. Driving efficiencies is a big part of businesses’ survival strategies today, which is having a huge impact on IT teams,” adds Bevan. “At a time when IT leaders are under pressure to reduce capital expenditure many organisations are still incurring significant maintenance and support costs on their legacy hardware. By moving to the cloud and a consumption-based pricing model, organisations can reduce ongoing costs and increase flexibility by paying for what they use. For cost-constrained IT departments this should be their nirvana.”