CA’s Channel Index Shows Mobility and Cloud as Key Areas for Investment

According to the CA Technologies Channel Index 2013, IT budgets are now being changed by companies from routine maintenance towards innovative projects in which revenue-generating services are implemented.

Over 550 partners from around the world took part in the survey, and the findings show that 34 percent of time is spent assisting customers with innovation projects which support new revenue-generating services. Previously, it was thought that 80 percent of a company’s IT budget would be spent on maintenance and operations, with 20 percent left over for innovation purposes.

The research also highlighted that there are two key areas for IT investment, and these are mobility and cloud. Customers and employees have new and convenient means of accessing enterprise applications, due to enterprise mobility becoming more widespread. The IT environment is therefore becoming more comprehensive with new challenges which manage and keep the IT environment secure.

Eighty-four percent of CA Technologies partners are anticipating spending more on enterprise mobility in the next 12 months, according to the index, and almost everyone (94 percent) understands that the rapid adoption of mobility will result in opportunities that will support the expansion and progression of their business.

The second priority noted by partners for their customers’ IT investments is cloud computing. Sixty-nine percent of respondents expected an increase in spending on cloud computing in the next 12 months. This means that customers will have more agility to suit business needs, and enables innovation by creating new means of using and consuming technology. The cost model is also being altered, moving from fixed investments to more pay-per-use models. The private cloud, meanwhile, is at present the most popular deployment model (65 percent of partners have customers who utilize it), and growing quickly is the hybrid cloud; 34 percent currently use the latter, and 26 percent are preparing to use it over the next year.

Partners and customers of CA Technologies are innovating and altering their business models to meet customer demands, evolving into MSPs. The increased use of disruptive technologies can also be advantageous to partners, and the report shows that they are keeping up-to-date with market changes.

Sixty percent of partners have (started to) become full MSPs, and 26 percent understand that the MSP business model needs to be considered. This should allow the development of cloud-based service offerings which means that customers can meet business needs more flexibly and at lower costs. Innovative services are also being offered by 71 percent of partners, and these include services beyond basic IT. (CY)Link