Hybrid Habits - Hybrid IT research measuring attitudes and behaviours among IT decision-makers globally

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H Y B R I D H A B I T S

M E A S U R I N G H Y B R I D I T A T T I T U D E S A N D B E H A V I O U R A M O N G

I T D E C I S I O N - M A K E R S G L O B A L L Y

JUNE 2016

T H E H Y B R I D H I V E

http://www.thehybridhive.com

http://www.thehybridhive.com/research/hybrid-habits/

HYBRID HIVE | HYBRID HABITS 2

I N T R O D U C T I O N

The corporate IT landscape is evolving more quickly than any of us could have imagined.

While reliability and cost efficiency are still

important, traits such as adaptability and agility

are becoming increasingly critical to survival in

the disruptive and fast-moving modern

business environment.

But how are large corporates – with their

existing IT infrastructure and processes –

managing to achieve that balance?

According to our latest report, Hybrid Habits, in

which we surveyed 1,050 IT decision-makers

(ITDMs) from across the globe, the answer is

Hybrid IT.

Two-fifths of respondents already have a

Hybrid IT environment in place, while a further

51% are open to it. Companies are spending

almost a third of their total IT budgets on

cloud, with 14% spending more than half on

this technology.

These figures tell a simple but significant story:

we are in the middle of a Hybrid revolution.

The rise of Hybrid itself will likely not come as a

shock to many ITDMs. This report is therefore

focussed on why this approach is fast

becoming the norm, along with the

implications for organisations that choose to

adopt it and also for those that don’t.

Our research suggests that those in the latter

camp are at risk of being left behind by early

adopters.

And that’s the key point here: reaping the

benefits of Hybrid IT – from faster and better

adaptability to transforming company culture –

is not just about survival. It’s about opening

opportunities and staying ahead of the

competition when the demand for innovation is

increasing.

1,050 IT decision-makers (ITDMs) surveyed

7 countries around the world

40% of respondents already have a Hybrid IT environment in place

http://www.thehybridhive.com/


A H Y B R I D F U T U R E I S I N E V I T A B L E

Perhaps the most significant finding from this

survey is the general consensus that, despite the

sceptics, Hybrid is going to play a significant part

in the future of corporate IT.

The vast majority (73%) of ITDMs expect the

proportion of their budget dedicated to cloud to

increase in the next three years, while only a tiny

minority (5%) expect it to decline.

But our survey revealed something deeper than

a simple desire to increase investment in Hybrid

IT. What we discovered is a shift in attitude, from

ITDMs considering the Hybrid environment as

one potential option, to them seeing it as a

business-critical part of their future

infrastructure.

Four-fifths (79%) of ITDMs told us they believe it

is inevitable that the future of corporate IT

infrastructure is Hybrid, while 81% agree they

will have to deploy a Hybrid IT environment to

achieve company objectives.

This kind of language – ‘inevitable’, ‘achieve

company objectives’ – moves us away from

something that is simply about cost-saving,

flexibility, or agility, and towards an approach

that is increasingly seen as imperative to

company success by the majority of senior IT

leaders.

As businesses switch from traditional to digital channels, their expenditure on cloud is increasing. This has a ‘drag’ effect, where the wider organisation is pulling the IT department with it towards cloud adoption. As a result we’ll soon see more IT departments accelerating along this route.”

Mark Phillips, Head of Hybrid IT, Fujitsu EMEIA



If the future of Hybrid is indeed inevitable as

our survey respondents suggest, the question

for ITDMs now is not whether they need to

invest in the Hybrid environment, but rather

when, how, and to what extent.

Those that strive to get it right now –

particularly those who begin to build the

Hybrid environment with wider company

objectives in mind – will inevitably benefit from

a competitive edge over those who are

perhaps slower to take up the approach.

As we’ll explore in the next section of this

report, the long-term impacts of Hybrid

implementation include a heightened ability to

innovate and increased speed to market. The

idea of competitors enjoying those benefits

while others are not could be a worrying

prospect indeed to ITDMs in the latter camp.

73% expect the proportion of their budget dedicated to cloud to increase in the next three years

79% believe it is inevitable that the future of corporate IT infrastructure is Hybrid

81% agree they will have to deploy a Hybrid IT environment to achieve company objectives



D O N ’ T I G N O R E T H E L O N G - T E R M B E N E F I T S

Looking at the above figures, there can be no

doubt that Hybrid is not only here to stay, but on

the verge of becoming essential for business

progression.

The question remains, however, as to why

adoption of this approach is so quickly on the

rise.

This is where we’ve seen some really interesting

findings that perhaps reflect general changes

we’ve seen in the business world in recent years.

Cost reduction, for example, is a huge motivator

for Hybrid IT adoption. In our survey it came out

top, with 57% of respondents citing it as a main

driver. This is hardly surprising at a time when

cost-reduction is high on the agenda for many

businesses.

Flexibility and agility, too, are traits that many

modern companies are keen to possess, as they

help them to adapt to new technologies and

rapidly changing consumer behaviour. It seems

fitting, then, that both these traits would score

highly. Half (51%) of respondents pinpointed them

as key reasons to adopt a Hybrid IT environment.

These findings also seem to tie in with what our

ITDM respondents find most attractive about the

Hybrid IT environment.

ITDMs should indeed be focused on areas such as cost reduction and improved agility, but equally, if they want to get the best out of Hybrid IT investment, they must not lose sight of the longer-term positive impact it could have on their business.”

Andrew Brabban, Head of Hybrid IT, Fujitsu



But all of this tells another, potentially worrying,

story: when it comes to Hybrid IT adoption,

ITDMs seem to be focussing mostly on short-

term gains such as cost-saving, rather than

more long-term, transformational benefits.

Yes, Hybrid IT can have a very positive short-

term impact, but it is important that those

considering Hybrid adoption don’t lose sight of

the many potential long-term advantages in the

process.

The ability to innovate, for example, is more

important than ever as globalisation and

digitalisation make many industries increasingly

crowded and competitive. Yet less than half

(45%) of respondents cite this as a main driver

for Hybrid IT adoption.

Whilst ITDMs are expecting to spend more on cloud, they also expect a return on investment that will benefit the entire business. 70% of respondents in Brocade’s own survey of global ITDMs believed their organisation could decrease costs, by 10% on average, if its IT department had the opportunity to be more flexible in its approach and use of technology. Bottom line: if the IT department could spend less time ‘keeping the lights on’ maintaining legacy systems, then more time could be focussed on innovations for their network, and using it as a platform that could really transform the business.”

Marcus Jewell, vice president EMEA at Brocade

Greater flexibility came out top at 60%, with

improved efficiency and lower costs coming in

at 50% and 44% respectively.

These are all benefits that a Hybrid IT

environment can bring, and it’s positive to see

that ITDMs are aware of them. 37% agree increased speed to market is a benefit of a Hybrid IT model

57% cite cost reduction as the main driver of their Hybrid IT adoption



Other long-term benefits such as increased

speed to market (37%) and the need to digitise

(22%) also score relatively low. Again, this

seems surprising given how widely lauded

these areas are in the business world.

It’s also interesting to compare these results to

what global executives are saying, according to

another survey we covered in a blog post last

year, in which respondents – made up of 250

business execs from across the world –

expected to see faster ‘go-to-market’ times as a

result of Hybrid implementation.

ACTION POINT: Identify where digitisation could

drive business growth, then strengthen support for

Hybrid IT in those areas. This will help deliver those

long-term benefits.

IT is a department primarily driven by cost-reduction rather than enhancing the top line. But the more forward-looking CIOs understand the need to do both. It’s OK for cloud expenditure to increase if it’s driving revenue in the process.”




S E C U R I T Y C O N C E R N S R E M A I N T H E B I G G E S T B A R R I E R

The security aspect of cloud computing – and

indeed data sharing and storage in general –

has been a hot topic in recent years, with

plenty of press coverage that hasn’t always

painted things in the most reassuring light.

It therefore stands to reason that ITDMs, too,

would have a certain degree of hesitation

around the technology, particularly given what

could be at stake. More than two-fifths (43%) of

them, in fact, see strengthening security

generally as a top priority over the next three

years.

Security is clearly and understandably going to

be front of mind for this demographic, and our

research seems to reflect this. Half (49%)

of ITDMs see reduced security as the top risk

associated with Hybrid IT, and half again (48%)

say that securing their business from outside

attacks is their greatest concern when it comes

to Hybrid adoption.

From a business perspective, security is not only a barrier to implementing a new IT solution like hybrid IT, it is also a barrier to digital transformation and building a competitive advantage. For many businesses with legacy systems, the maintenance of data security and privacy is consuming so much time that opportunities to innovate and transform are being missed.”

Marcus Jewell, vice president EMEA at Brocade

49% see reduced security as the top risk associated with Hybrid IT



Concerns around security appeared in other

parts of our survey, too. A third (32%) of

respondents say security is the biggest barrier

preventing their organisation from successfully

implementing a Hybrid IT environment.

Ultimately the security issue comes down to

risk vs. reward, and there are a number of steps

ITDMs can take to reduce those risks.

The key to Hybrid security, then, is balance. On

the one hand, you want to put up enough layers

of defence to ensure your data isn’t

compromised.

Changing to a Hybrid approach is like going from a single solution to 20 solutions from 20 different vendors, and the way you view and measure those solutions differs from one to the next. The level of complexity is huge, which naturally causes security concerns. However, orchestration solutions can help manage that complexity by linking everything together and providing a single view of everything that’s happening.”


But on the other hand, you don’t want to make

things so restrictive that you hinder positive

outcomes such as increased agility or ease of

collaboration.

As we mentioned in a Hybrid Hive blog post on

the subject published last year, security in the

Hybrid environment should be seen as a

business enabler – not a blocker.

The irony is that people say security is the number one concern with Hybrid IT, but when you look at their budgets it isn’t the number one thing they’ve spend their money on. Part of the security issue stems from the way IT organisations are stovepiped into multiple camps. You’ve got the security team, the network team, the infrastructure team, and rather than working together they’re all competing for resources.”

Mark Chellis, Global Alliance Marketing Director, Vmware



This may seem like something of a catch-22

situation – you need your network to be fully

secure, but equally you don’t want to restrict

information. But it all comes down to balance

– the needs of the wider business vs. the level

of security a particular data set requires.

Also bear in mind that there is no such thing as

a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to

effective Hybrid IT security. Everything should

be tailored to the specific needs of the business

within which it operates.

ACTION POINT: Stop viewing security from a

single-perimeter perspective. Instead, consider

how software can help isolate and distribute

risk across your network.

Read Seven hybrid it data security risks (and

how to overcome them) for more tips.

People think of security as north/south traffic – building a single wall to prevent people breaking in. The problem with that setup is if somebody does breach that wall they have anything they want at their fingertips. A better approach is a software-defined network (SDN), through which you can create individual software firewalls to isolate sections of your network and therefore limit any potential damage.”

Mark Chellis, Global Alliance Marketing Director, Vmware



M I N D T H E K N O W L E D G E G A P

What we’ve seen in this report is largely

positive. ITDMs are coming around to the

benefits a Hybrid environment can bring, and

are increasingly seeing it as essential to the

future infrastructure of their business.

This upturn in Hybrid IT means we’ll naturally

see ‘best practice’ evolving over time, and the

methods surrounding orchestration,

transformation and delivery will be demystified

to the point where Hybrid may become

standard across the corporate world.

But we’re not there yet.

This research also reveals another potential

barrier to cloud adoption: a significant gap in

knowledge that could be holding ITDMs back.

More than a third (37%) of those we surveyed

admit they don’t know what a ‘good’ Hybrid IT

model looks like, while only 33% say they do.

There are two worrying aspects to these

numbers:

Firstly, if there are more ITDMs who do not

understand what ‘good’ looks like compared to

those that do, there is a risk the approach won’t

be implemented in a way that best reflects

business needs. This could potentially be costly

and damaging in the long run.

Nothing brings a process to life and gives people more confidence than someone having done it already, whether that knowledge is communicated through networking or opinion pieces or learning from other sectors.”




There are several resources out there that can

help ITDMs learn what ‘good’ looks like, such

as four steps to a successful Hybrid cloud

strategy, but ultimately it comes down to

whether the motivation is there to do so. As

Hybrid adoption continues to rise, however,

this latter point will likely become less of a

potential barrier.

The second concern is that if ITDMs are

unfamiliar with the benefits of Hybrid IT but

concerned about risks such as security, they

will be hesitant to take on the approach and

therefore could miss out on the benefits of

early adoption (increased competitiveness, for

example).

Hybrid IT is in itself a journey of discovery. You start off with a particular goal in mind, but along the way you realise what you actually need is fundamentally different to what you thought at the beginning. I can’t think of a single example where the solution we implemented was the same as the idea we started out with.”


72% say they are ‘doing well’ at deploying a Hybrid IT model

62% need more help to understand Hybrid IT and its implications

37% don’t know what a ‘good’ Hybrid IT model looks like

There is no consistency in the way ITDMs define Hybrid. As providers we need to educate organisations to help them define and implement this approach.”

Darren Moseby, Global Systems Integrator Architect, NetApp



Despite nearly three-quarters (72%) of those we

surveyed saying they are ‘doing well’ at

deploying a Hybrid IT model, almost two-thirds

(62%) say they need more help to understand

Hybrid IT and its implications.

This fear of the unknown could be a significant

barrier to Hybrid adoption, yet it is so easily

solved by education. It will be the job of Hybrid

providers and ITDMs alike to ensure they meet

in the middle to close that knowledge gap.

ACTION POINT: Further reading to boost your Hybrid knowledge:

Getting your Hybrid strategy right

How to avoid a Hybrid implementation headache

Five steps for business transformation

The overall message in these findings is a positive one: many ITDMs are already reaping the benefits of the Hybrid approach, while the vast majority see it as the inevitable future of corporate IT.

But there is still some way to go before we reach that point – when we can truly say businesses across the globe are making the most of all the opportunities Hybrid can provide.

A knowledge gap clearly exists, which puts us at a kind of crossroads: will we let that gap persist, failing to properly capitalise on the

potential value of Hybrid in the long run, or will we work together as an industry to close it?

And even if we do, how will we overcome the growing security fears that could hold back Hybrid adoption? Will ITDMs be able to pull their focus off cost alone and make the business case for Hybrid as a long-term revenue-driver?

To join this debate – and to get regular insights from Hybrid IT experts at Fujitsu, VMware, NetApp, Intel and Brocade – make sure you visit the Hybrid Hive and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.

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Hybrid Habits - Hybrid IT research measuring attitudes and behaviours among IT decision-makers globally