TheInfoPro

Archive for October, 2009

TheInfoPro has been following the evolution of cloud computing throughout all of our infrastructure sectors. Among the organizations that we speak to, the most frequently asked question (and typically the first question we get asked) is “what is cloud computing?” Now, for some, this may seem like an odd question to be asking since cloud computing has been discussed for a few years. But, actually, it is a natural question to ask and does have significant importance, because more often than not, your definition of cloud depends on your point of view. Many of the vendors have different definitions of cloud computing (not coincidentally matching up with their current offerings) while end users have their own definitions. But, at the end of the day, it is not about definitions as much as it is about solving business problems and meeting business objectives. That is where the rubber meets the road.
 
In general, though the number of organizations currently using or investigating cloud computing is still small, it is continually growing. In addition, most of the organizations we speak to are interested in the internal cloud computing model rather than the external model.

One of the interesting areas to look at is the emergence of cloud computing within server organizations. We have identified several key trends in comparing our August data with our previous research published in the spring:

• Cloud computing interest is growing – 43% of organizations are now investigating cloud computing. This is significantly higher than in the previous study, completed in spring.
• The gap between internal and external models is closing – While internal models are still favored (53%), there is a substantial number of organizations looking at both models (34%).
• Dedicated servers still dominate, but multitenancy acceptance is increasing – The number of organizations comfortable with large multitenant platforms nearly doubled, increasing from 15% to 29%. 

Cloud computing is a multifaceted technology and business model, and in the coming months I will be digging deeper into its evolution.

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24 October 2009 | Barrons | Original Article

Cover Story – A look at the tastiest takeover targets as the tech-sector feeding frenzy shifts into high gear. Ten names to drool over. …

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19 October 2009 – As SNW nears 500 participants from its heyday of 2000 in attendance,  vendors have been less enthusiastic to sponsor the event. This has the surprising and positive effect of making it a more intimate and end-user friendly event.  On the expo floor there were the big booths of IBM, NetApp, F5 Networks and HDS but less presence from EMC, Cisco and Brocade than in years past.  There were several interesting startups including Avere with their two staged SSD/HDD storage appliance and AutoVirt for data movement.
 
The end user presentations had a consistent theme of virtualization, as one would have expected, but the plans for more ambitious block virtualization and file virtualization were signs of change from our Wave 12 research (completed last April) where block and file virtualization started to slow among new customer deployments.  We are completing our Wave 13 study this week and I expect to see renewed interest in block virtualization appliances, particularly, those with SSD embedded capabilities.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Participating in TheInfoPro’s Studies

 

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Who is TheInfoPro?	Vendor Affiliations / Sponsorships
Areas of Study	Cost to Participate
Benefits of Participation	Report Delivery
Interview Process	Sharing Research Reports
Data Collected	Schedule an Interview
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Who is TheInfoPro?

TheInfoPro is the only fact-based and spin-free independent research network, and is a leading supplier of market intelligence for the Information Technology (IT) industry. Through a peer network of over 1,800 of the world’s largest buyers and users of IT – including Citigroup, FedEx, McGraw-Hill, MasterCard, Pfizer, Vodafone, PepsiCo, JPMorgan Chase, and Harvard University – TIP delivers detailed budget, vendor performance, and technology roadmap data. Known as the “voice of the customer,” TIP helps IT professionals, technology providers, and institutional investors make sound decisions on technologies, vendor relationships, and investments.

 

What areas of IT Infrastructure does TheInfoPro Study?

TheInfoPro conducts research on five key areas of the IT infrastructure:  

*Jump to Sector(s) of interest:  Information Security : Networking : Outsourcing : Storage : Servers 

Information Security

Key technologies covered include:  Network Access Control (NAC), Security Information Event Management (SIEM), Vulnerability / Risk Management, Outbound Content Compliance / Data Loss Prevention, and Data Encryption.

Key vendors covered include:  3Com, ArcSight, Avaya, Blue Coat, CA, Check Point, Cisco, EMC, Enterasys, Google, IBM/ ISS, Juniper, LogLogic, McAfee, Microsoft, Novell, Oracle, PGP, Qualys, RSA, Sophos, Sun, Symantec, Verdasys, VeriSign, Vontu, and Websense.

  

Networking

Key technologies covered include:

Outsourcing:  Infrastructure Management Services

Key outsourced technologies covered include: Desktop Configuration Management, Laptop / Desktop License Management, Asset Management and Help Desk, WAN Routers, Core Layer Switching, Bandwidth Optimization Products / WAFS, VoIP Services, UNIX, Linux and Mainframe OS Providers, Server Management / Provisioning, Virtualized Servers, Firewalls Management / Administration, and Web Security (I/O Compliance / Web Filtering.

Key outsourcing providers covered include: 3i Infotech, Accenture, AT&T, Bharti, Capgemini, Cisco, CSC, EDS, HCL, HP, IBM, Infosys, Microland, Mindtree, Oracle, Perot Systems, Satyam, Sify, Symantec, Tata Consulting, Unisys and Wipro.

 

Storage

Key technologies covered include:  Deduplication, Email Archiving, Application / Database Archiving, Structured Data Classification / Categorization, Disk-to-Disk (for backup to disk targets), Virtual Tape Library (VTL) for Open Systems, Unstructured Data Classification / Categorization, Tape Encryption, Persistent / Long-term Archiving, E-Discovery and Indexing.

Key vendors covered include: Brocade, CA, Cisco, CommVault, Dell, EMC, EqualLogic, FalconStor, HDS, HP, IBM, Isilon, Juniper, Microsoft, NEC, Pillar Data Systems, QLogic, Quantum, Riverbed, Seagate, SpectraLogic, Sun, and Symantec.

 

Servers

Key technologies covered include:  Virtualization, Server Provisioning / Configuration Management, Discovery and Inventory Management, Application Monitoring / Management, Patch Management, Standalone Servers (4-socket, 2-socket, RISC,), 4 Gbps Fibre Channel (HBA), Blade Servers, 10 Gbps Ethernet for Server Networking / Access, Embedded FC Switch, Mainframe and Large Stations, and Cloud Computing.

Key vendors covered include:  3PAR, AMD, Brocade, Cisco, Compellent

Dell, EMC, Emulex, HDS, HP, IBM, Juniper, Intel, Linux, Microsoft, NetApp, Netezza, QLogig, Red Hat, Riverbed, Sun, VMware.

 

What are the benefits of participating in the study?

As an anonymous participant in one of TheInfoPro’s studies, you will receive published findings that will provide you with an excellent market overview and that you can leverage for internal learning, technology benchmarking, organization and strategy benchmarking, and vendor selection / negotiation.  In addition, to show you our appreciation for taking the time to participate, we will provide you with a $75 American Express gift card or the option to have $75 donated to a charity of your choice for first time study participants; and $100 American Express gift card or the option to have $100 donated to a charity of your choice for those who have participated in a sector’s study more than once.

 

How are the interviews conducted?

TheInfoPro’s studies are conducted via a two-part interview.   The first part is done online through a short questionnaire which provides our research associates and managing directors of research with a high-level overview of where you stand, in terms of technology implementations.  The second part of the interview is conducted via a one-on-one telephone conversation or an in-person interview; it delves deeper into your responses from the online portion of the interview and touches upon more complex areas. 

 

What kind of data is collected for the Research Reports?

The main data points collected throughout the interview process include:

• Industry profile information about top priorities, pain points and projects, budgets, exciting vendors, and timely topics.  

 

• Technology roadmap data, which details key technologies in use and under consideration, adoption / rollout timeframes; vendors currently in use and those being considered.

 

• Vendor performance data, which provides insight into overall vendor performance vs. peers, vendor performance among Fortune 1000 vs. Midsize Enterprise customers, vendor performance in different product / technology areas, and individual vendor spending, vulnerability, and ratings.

 

How can I ensure that my responses remain confidential?

We understand and respect the fact that many organizations have strict policies surrounding participation in market research studies.  Because of this, TheInfoPro will sign a bi-lateral confidentiality agreement which states that we recognize that each Study Participant may not wish to have his or her individual responses attributed to him, her, or his or her employer.  Therefore, unless otherwise agreed, we shall keep the Study Responses we receive from the Study Participant confidential, and such Study Responses will be used by TheInfoPro solely for the purpose of including said Study Responses in an aggregated form. 

 

In addition, we are happy to sign any nondisclosure agreements required by your organization.  We sincerely respect your privacy and we are willing to work with you in a variety of ways to make you comfortable and secure participating in our studies.  

 

 

If you promise anonymity, why do I see names of companies referenced?

We offer all participants / participating organizations the option to remain anonymous.  Many organizations have chosen to allow their participation in TheInfoPro’s studies to be public information, and we have received written permission from them allowing us to include their names in our public correspondence.

 

 

Are TheInfoPro’s studies affiliated with or sponsored by IT vendors?

No, TheInfoPro’s studies are not affiliated with or sponsored by IT Vendors.  We pride ourselves on our commitment to remain completely vendor-neutral in all of the research we conduct.   Though we cover hundreds of vendors and their products, our research remains unbiased and is never influenced by a vendors’ subscription to our services.  The spirit and underlying foundation of our research is to portray the cumulative insights of IT professionals on markets, vendors, and the vendors’ products – the true voice of the technology customer, your peers.

 

In fact, because our research is completely free of bias and spin, IT vendors often use our research intelligence as a “report card,” letting them know how they are truly doing in the market space and exactly what their customers think about their products and performance.

 

How much does it cost to participate in a study? 

There is no monetary cost to participate in TheInfoPro’s studies.  All we ask is that you commit an hour of your time to provide insights into where your organization stands in terms of your particular sector of interest.  

When will I get the report?

Studies in each of our sectors are conducted on an ongoing basis.  Each round of a study takes approximately three months to complete.  Reports are published approximately two weeks following the close date of the round of the study. 

 

Can I share the reports with other people?

The research results that you receive from participation in one of our studies may be shared internally within your organization only.  The results are confidential and not for public dissemination unless you receive written permission from TheInfoPro

 

How do I schedule an interview?

You can schedule an interview in one of three ways:

Online, by going here

Emailing our Member Services team at memberservices@theinfopro.net

Calling our Member Services team at 212.672.0010 

How do I refer a colleague who may be interested in participating in one of TheInfoPro’s studies?

If you have a colleague who is interested in participating in one of our studies, you can refer them by contacting our Member Services team via email at memberservices@theinfopro.net or via phone at 212.672.0010

 

For each qualified colleague that you refer, you will receive a $25 American Express Gift Card or $25 donated to a charity of your choice, once the referred colleague fully completes the interview.

 

Whom should I contact for additional information?

For additional information about participating in one of our studies, please contact our Member Services team via email at memberservices@theinfopro.net or via phone at 212.672.0010

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By: Jeffrey Burt
09 October 2009 | eWEEK | Original Article

Oracle CEO Larry Ellison reportedly told shareholders that Oracle is not interested in buying networking vendor …

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