Defending against the catastrophic loss of information (page 1 of 3)

In September, Symantec commissioned a survey that explored the data and information lifecycle management (DLM) issues, priorities, and plans of executives, IT specialists, and managers at enterprises worldwide. Participants in the survey identified critical initiatives that were planned, under way, or recently completed at their organizations, and rated the priority their organizations placed on DLM.

Among the key findings:

• Of the major IT initiatives under way at these companies, server standardization and consolidation initiatives were strongly represented.

• Nearly three-quarters of the participants rated DLM as a mission-critical or high priority.

• Participants identified defense against information loss and day-to-day information management as key DLM drivers, and expect their business initiatives to deliver improved efficiency and security as well as long-term cost savings.

• The decision to launch a DLM initiative and selection criteria for individual solutions are weighted strongly toward compatibility and ease of administration rather than advanced technology.

Critical IT initiatives

Responses to the survey revealed that multiple IT initiatives are the norm at these organizations. While 42% of participants reported a single initiative, 47% reported two or more. Server issues — in particular, consolidation and standardization on Intel-based platforms — dominated the list. Consolidation and standardization projects focused on hardware were more common than utility computing and Linux migration initiatives (the response options least often selected). About 30% of the participants reported initiatives to migrate to disk-based backup from tape or other technologies.

The survey revealed strong agreement on DLM issues. Defense against catastrophic loss of information was the strongest business driver of DLM initiatives, followed by day-to-day information management. Despite its extensive coverage in the industry press, legal and regulatory compliance tied for a distant third place.

Participants were also questioned about their short- and long-term expectations. In the short term, a majority of participants (82%) expected DLM to address such concerns as data protection, privacy, and security initiatives. Expectations regarding long-term significance were highest for data protection, privacy, and security (71%), followed by expectations of reduced costs (64%). In general, participants agreed with an investment model that addresses critical short-term needs but also reduces long-term costs.

Selection criteria and roadblocks

When selecting a DLM solution, most participants said they evaluate how it will work with their current hardware, software, and administrative resources before they consider financial criteria such as price and ROI.

Asked what key features they look for when evaluating DLM solutions, a majority of participants said operational considerations weigh far more heavily than technical excellence or even performance. Participants also said they screen DLM solutions carefully for management complexity, poor integration, high cost of ownership, and poor performance. Their responses suggest that IT professionals generally expect DLM solutions to have moved beyond technology "growing pains" and to operate as mature solutions.

Not surprisingly, competing priorities and scarce resources are the main barriers to adoption of a DLM solution, with technology issues and executive buy-in cited as minor concerns.