Survey Finds Data Center Automation Software Reduces Escalating
Costs and Challenges Associated with Personnel Resources
Released
on: April 29, 2008, 6:22 pm
Press
Release Author: Sbrown/Stratavia
Industry:
Software
Press
Release Summary: Study Reveals Organizations Struggle with Skilled
Worker Shortages, Turnover and Errors from Manual Intervention
Press
Release Body: LAS VEGAS – April 29, 2008 – At
TechWeb’s Software 2008, Stratavia™,
the leading provider of data center automation software for Fortune
1000 organizations, today announced the results of a study it
sponsored, conducted by research firm, Enterprise Management
Associates. The survey revealed insights from 169 IT
professionals from organizations with over $100 million in annual
revenues. The research results indicate the biggest single cost
factor in enterprise data centers is staffing expenses, as companies
experience skills shortages, difficulties attracting and retaining
staff, high error rates from manual intervention and language
issues when outsourcing offshore. Findings include:
•
The biggest single cost factor in enterprise data centers is staffing
costs. Over 35% of respondents believe that this is the largest
single cost in operating and managing their data center –
more than hardware (26%), more than software (22%), and five times
as much as a current ‘hot’ issue, energy costs (7%).
•
Low skills, poor processes and lack of documentation, account
for a significant volume of all errors. Over 90% of enterprises
believe that their IT administrators need more skills today than
both 5 and 10 years ago, highlighting the challenge in keeping
up with the rapid pace of technology change. But, almost two-thirds
(60%) of these enterprises are better able to document, establish,
follow, and/or enforce best practices, when using automation tools.
•
The vast majority of enterprises (77%) report that data center
operations staff spend most of their time on routine operations,
maintenance, and common break-fix tasks. Only 23% of enterprises
have their operations staff working on delivering new IT strategies
and systems to add business value.
•
75% of enterprises believe that outsourcing data center operations
to non-English-speaking countries increases the rate of human
or manual error.
•
Turnover remains a critical issue for organizations but nearly
three-quarters (73%) of enterprises find that these automated
tools allow their staff to be more productive, reducing the pressure
to replace staff when they move on. Over two-thirds (68%) of enterprises
responded that they find it difficult to attract and/or retain
skilled IT staff to manage their data centers. They are also facing
an aging workforce that will result in a labor shortage of 35
million workers by 2030, yet only 37% of enterprises have hiring
plans that include specific accommodation for this impending retirement
of senior IT staff (i.e., the ‘baby boomer exodus’).(1)
Most enterprises (59%) see their skilled people leaving their
organization within 5 years, and over a quarter (27%) see their
skilled people leaving within 3 years.
“At
first glance, the findings present broken models of managing data
center operations; yet these challenges can easily be overcome
with automation tools,” said Andi Mann, research
director, Enterprise Management Associates.
”Automated data center operations and management tools
reduce the impact of resource shortages, the cost of data center
operations, the skills required and the volume, scope and impact
of errors.”
Stratavia’s
CEO, Thor Culverhouse, will elaborate on the survey findings
during his speaking engagement at Software 2008 in the
Innovation Showcase Theater today, Tuesday, April 29
at 12:30 pm. He will speak alongside 14 Innovation Software
Showcase Winners at the event. Now part of Interop
Las Vegas, TechWeb’s Software 2008 will be held
at April 29-30, 2008 at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center
in Las Vegas.
Survey
Methodology
In March 2008, EMA conducted primary research into the top human
issues in the operation and management of large enterprise data
centers. In all, 169 qualified respondents from organizations
with over $100 million in annual revenues participated in a Web-based
survey. Over a third (36%) had annual revenues of over $1 billion.
Almost three quarters (72%) had over 2,500 employees in total,
over half (59%) had more than 5,000 employees, and over quarter
(29%) had over 20,000 employees. Respondents were primarily high-level
IT staff – 24% were CIOs or CTOs, 12% were IT Vice Presidents,
30% were IT Directors, and 23% were IT Managers (or equivalents).
A full methodology is available upon request.
About
Stratavia
Stratavia is a leading provider of Data
Center Automation software. Stratavia's flagship platform,
Data Palette, automates complex, error-prone, manually intensive
yet repetitive IT automation
and database
administration tasks, while providing predictive analytics
to detect and resolve issues before they can impact operations.
Fortune 1000 companies rely on Data Palette to
define, build and orchestrate standard operating procedures, and
report on mission-critical applications and IT operations. Founded
in 2001, Stratavia is headquartered in Denver, Colorado and is
privately held and venture funded by Adams Street Partners, Asset
Management Company and Vista Ventures. For more information go
to www.stratavia.com.
About
Enterprise Management Associates
Founded in 1996, ENTERPRISE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATES®
(EMA™) is a leading industry analyst and consulting
firm dedicated to the IT management market. The firm provides
IT vendors and enterprise IT professionals with objective insight
into the real-world business value of long-established and emerging
technologies, ranging from security, storage and IT Service Management
(ITSM) to the Configuration Management Database (CMDB), virtualization
and service-oriented architecture (SOA). Even with its rapid growth,
EMA has never lost sight of the client, and continues
to offer personalized support and convenient access to its analysts.
For more information on the firm’s extensive library of
IT management research, free online IT Management Solutions Center
and IT consulting offerings, visit www.enterprisemanagement.com.
(1) Issues: Older Workers, United States Senate Committee of Aging
Web
Site: http://www.stratavia.com
Contact
Details: Michael Puterbaugh
Stratavia, Inc.
Tel: 303-991-4844
strataviapr@stratavia.com
2025
