Virtualization Takes Hold in the Midmarket
An online survey reveals that midsize companies are deploying virtualization technologies at a rapid rate, opening up opportunities for solution providers.
By Cara Oxendine
The virtualization business is booming in the midmarket. An online King Research study of 500 hands-on IT professionals, managers, and executives reveals that midsize companies have taken a serious look at virtualization, presenting another opportunity for solution providers.
“Medium enterprises are embracing virtualized technologies and adopting them at a rapid pace, realizing immediate benefits,” says Diane Hagglund, King Research senior analyst and author of the study. The numbers are impressive: 85 percent of respondents have deployed or plan to deploy virtualization technologies; 64 percent are focused specifically on application virtualization, making it the fastest growing virtualization segment.
The majority of respondents also reported that they have seen numerous benefits from virtualization, with 86 percent indicating it has had a positive impact on them personally-almost half said they can do more with their budgets; 82 percent cited a reduction in hardware requirements as virtualization’s primary benefit. Other benefits include reduced space requirements, cost savings, and greater technical flexibility.
Results also revealed that there is a need for tools to manage a mix of virtual and physical systems, with 71 percent of respondents who have deployed application virtualization saying they prefer a single, integrated product for such tasks. Hagglund says she knows why: “Key to the success of virtual technologies will be to limit complexity and to manage these virtual environments in an easy and efficient manner.”
The survey, which also looked at market trends and barriers to deployment, was sponsored by KACE, a provider of IT automation appliances in Mountain View, Calif.
CARA OXENDINE is part of the ChannelPro-SMB editorial team.
