The 1st edition of State of IT Monitoring, a research by Centreon and Vanson Bourne confirms the strategic importance of IT monitoring in corporate governance. This trend, which has accelerated since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, is there to stay, according to the 600 IT professionals who were surveyed in Europe and North America. Not only has IT monitoring (finally) become a strategic priority but it will remain so, and will also be at the forefront in terms of budgeting and recruitment. ITOps, get ready to be the toast of the town!
1. IT monitoring is a strategic priority made more acute by the current context
Here’s a familiar situation for anyone working in IT monitoring: A well-meaning guest at the cocktail party asks: “So what do you do for a living?”. Replying with: “I’m in IT monitoring” gets you some puzzled looks along with the words: “you’re in WHAAAT?”.
Well forget all of this!
The era of the behind-the-scenes ordinary hero is well and truly a thing of the past: IT monitoring is finally being recognized as a prime topic in organizations. Even though it still needs a few improvements to meet the new challenges of an ever-changing IT system, IT monitoring has become central in the governance of digital businesses.
89% of ITOps say IT monitoring is a high or top priority for their company.
As the figures show, IT monitoring is held in high esteem by organizations who consider it to be a high or top priority, with its importance set to continue growing in the future. The growing importance of IT monitoring is particularly present in North American organizations, implying they should soon be investing in solutions to strengthen the quality of their monitoring.
Admittedly, the COVID-19 pandemic is probably a factor influencing the prevalence of this trend. IT systems had to adjust to the steep demand curve for remote work capabilities and from the contactless economy, which highlighted the fundamental role of IT monitoring in guaranteeing the availability and security of IT systems in times of crisis.
2. IT monitoring will remain a priority at least until 2023
The digital transformation has led to the emergence of new business models based on IT and with a new paradigm: “No IT means no business”. And we all know that: “No monitoring means no IT.”
The growing awareness of the importance of IT monitoring is anything but a self-serving fad. Quite the contrary! The trend that is placing IT monitoring at the heart of IT governance is set to increase over the next 3 years. At least, this is what is highlighted by respondents to the 2020 State of IT Monitoring.
72% of ITOps believe that the importance of IT monitoring for their organization is set to evolve in the future by 2023.
Also, it should be noted that the growing importance of IT monitoring is particularly recognized in North America (81% in North America versus 63% in Europe), even though IT monitoring may not be as widespread as organizations would like it to be.
3. IT monitoring is a key budget priority, particularly in North America
IT budgets have increased in over half of organizations this year, probably due to the expansion of the digital workplace due to the COVID-19 pandemic. What corroborates the growing importance of IT services and monitoring is that IT monitoring budgets have increased in almost as many organizations
The COVID-19 pandemic and its many health and economic difficulties could have had a negative impact on IT monitoring budgets. But this is not the case, according to what organizations are reporting.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, IT monitoring budgets have increased in 50% of companies
The implementation of telework and the high level of IT availability required during the lockdown and post-lockdown throughout the world are probably not unrelated to this increase, but it confirms a trend which was already present at the start of the year.
IT monitoring therefore remains a key budget priority, particularly in North American organizations, where nearly 54% consider that optimizing IT monitoring and IT reporting is the top budget priority of the year.
4. IT monitoring is the field where businesses are recruiting the most
While budget priorities may have changed during the year, they show that organizations are strongly committed to implementing the digital workplace and to widely deploy telework, especially in Europe. It could explain why optimizing IT monitoring tools, which play a key part in the success of the digital workplace, remains as much a priority now as it did at the start of the year, above enhancing the customer experience, which is now less of a priority.
Naturally, many organizations show clear intentions to strengthen their I&O teams. The good news is that IT monitoring roles are the most likely to be augmented.
63% of organizations surveyed give priority to IT monitoring, compared with 49% to security and 36% to the networks.
5. Need more arguments?
Need more arguments to use during future family dinners to show how important your trade will be in the coming years?
Download our State of IT Monitoring now and read all the key figures on monitoring trends. Based on an international survey commissioned by Centreon, this study conducted by Vanson Bourne was carried out among 600 IT professionals in organizations over 500 employees, in the following countries: the United States, Canada, France, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, Spain.
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