Spending priorities shift from security to consolidation, virtualization: survey

Networking Technology Update This newsletter is sponsored by FireEye Perspectives Editorial Webcast: What You Don't Know About Crimeware Can Cost You Cybercrime is on the rise AND getting more nefarious. Script kiddies kept us busy with their pesky hacks, but the name of the game today is profit, meaning attacks are targeted and more dangerous. This webcast looks at how the game is changing and what it means for corporate IT shops. Networking Technology Update, 05/23/07 Spending priorities shift from security to consolidation, virtualization: survey By Denise Dubie IT executives in the next 12 months will be focusing their budget dollars on projects such as server consolidation and network upgrades, as previously high priorities such as security, risk management and compliance fall off their Top 10 lists. Get more out of your IT dollar Business Services Management lets you get more out of your IT investments by aligning business goals and your core infrastructure. Network World Editor-in-Chief John Dix and IDC Research Manager Stephen Elliot examine BSM's benefits and how enterprises are starting to take advantage of this strategy. Attend now! Goldman Sachs this week released its most recent survey of 100 IT managers, and it shows that while budgets remain flat and spending moderately steady, the technologies IT buyers are investing in most heavily have changed. For instance, IT initiatives such as server consolidation and server virtualization jumped from the middle of the pack to the first and third spots, respectively. More than 40% of respondents listed consolidation as a high priority for the next year, and just under 40% said virtualization is more directly on their radar. The financial services firm predicted the shift when server unit sales stalled last year. "The big move upward coincides with an increasing number of comments from CIOs about the deployment of virtualization in production and test environments and the recent dislocation between industry-standard server unit and revenue growth," the report reads. But that doesn't mean all equipment makers will see a loss. "We expect blade growth to remain strong relative to stand-alone or rack-mounted servers, highlighted by HP's c-Class offerings, which grew by 45% in the January quarter," the firm says, adding that HP beat out its primary competitor IBM in that market. For more on this story, please click here.

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Contact the author: Network World Senior Editor Denise Dubie can be reached at ddubie@nww.com This newsletter is sponsored by FireEye Perspectives Editorial Webcast: What You Don't Know About Crimeware Can Cost You Cybercrime is on the rise AND getting more nefarious. Script kiddies kept us busy with their pesky hacks, but the name of the game today is profit, meaning attacks are targeted and more dangerous. This webcast looks at how the game is changing and what it means for corporate IT shops. BONUS FEATURE IT PRODUCT RESEARCH AT YOUR FINGERTIPS Get detailed information on thousands of products, conduct side-by-side comparisons and read product test and review results with Network World’s IT Buyer’s Guides. Find the best solution faster than ever with over 100 distinct categories across the security, storage, management, wireless, infrastructure and convergence markets. Click here for details. PRINT SUBSCRIPTIONS AVAILABLE You've got the technology snapshot of your choice delivered to your inbox each day. Extend your knowledge with a print subscription to the Network World newsweekly, Apply here today. International subscribers, click here. SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES To subscribe or unsubscribe to any Network World newsletter, change your e-mail address or contact us, click here. This message was sent to: networking.world@gmail.com. Please use this address when modifying your subscription. Advertising information: Write to Associate Publisher Online Susan Cardoza Network World, Inc., 118 Turnpike Road, Southborough, MA 01772 Copyright Network World, Inc., 2007