Data Center survey from Forbes Insights and Vertiv reveals lack of preparedness

A new report from Forbes Insights and Vertiv - "The Modern Data Center: How IT is Adapting to New Technologies and Hyperconnectivity" highlights just 29% of data center decision-makers say their current facilities are meeting their needs, and just 6% say their data centers are updated ahead of their needs.

The challenges facing organizations suggest that most organizations
are unprepared for the near future. The way that executives and engineers view the capabilities of their data centers also indicates a lack of readiness.

The survey results indicate a troubling lack of planning and preparation for today’s evolving data ecosystem. A closer examination of the results reveals a stark contrast between executives and engineers: 11% of executives say their data centers are updated ahead of current needs while just 1% of engineers say the same.

Martin Olsen, vice president of Global Edge Systems for Vertiv, said: "As today’s data center evolves to incorporate enterprise, cloud and edge resources, thorough planning and foresight is needed to meet organizational computing requirements and business objectives."

“It is clear, however, that many organizations are lagging on that front. With that in mind, we anticipate considerable investment and activity among businesses trying to catch up and get ahead of the changes.”

What upgrades are needed?

Almost half of respondents overall say security is most in need of upgrade, a view shared by the C-suite (48%) and engineers (41%).
Bandwidth/speed (43%), the very heart of the challenge and opportunity, is also a top area in need of upgrade. In this area, engineers express more concern over the situation: Half (48%) believe that their data centers are not ready for the future; the C-suite is a bit more confident (39%).

Upgrading the data center and working with vendors and partners who offer solutions focused on the edge is a priority.