Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Applications
    • Applications
    • Cybersecurity
    • Networking
    • Small Business

    Report: SMBs Moving Toward Enterprise-Level Data Protection

    By
    Nathan Eddy
    -
    February 11, 2009
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      Even though the economy is forcing many midmarket companies to cut costs and trim budgets, security–particularly data protection–is still a top priority.

      A survey by information technology research firm IDC reveals small to medium-size businesses (SMBs) are increasingly adopting technologies like replication or disk-to-disk-to-tape backup, previously seen only in enterprise datacenters. The report, Data Protection in United States SMBs: Opportunity and Analysis, analyzed SMB interests in, requirements, and purchasing behavior for data protection and also assesses the extent and nature of the U.S. SMB opportunity.

      The report also found SMBs use diverse methods of data protection and data protection is a big part of storage budgets among SMBs. However, the findings indicate small businesses (SBs) and medium businesses (MBs) have different reasons for selecting data protection solutions and differ regarding their future data protection methods. IDC conducted the U.S.-only web survey of nearly 500 end users, ranging in size from 10 to 999 employees, in the second quarter of 2008.
      “One thing we have found is that small and medium-sized companies generally use more than one data protection technology: only 18 percent of 181 SBs and 10 percent of 311 MBs stated using only one method of data protection,” said IDC’s research manager for storage systems Natalya Yezhkova. “Keep in mind that the survey was conducted before the economy meltdown. At that point, to some surprise, price was not mentioned as the most important factor in choosing a specific solution once a company has identified what technology it’s going to use.”
      Yezhkova said for SBs, the three most popular choices of data protection were backup to tape, backup to disk to tape, and local replication. For MBs, the situation was pretty much the same, except the rates of use for backup to tape, backup to disk to tape, and local replication – almost 60 percent of MBs stated they use at least one of this three technologies.
      “In general, MBs have more sophisticated IT environments and, what is more important, more likely to have dedicated IT or systems management personnel to explore and deploy more advanced data protection technologies and have data protection strategy,” she said. “This also explains why for MBs ease of use is a much less important criteria in selecting data protection products than it is for SBs.”
      At the same time, Yezhkova explained, education of end users and channel partners about return on investment and potential cost savings will be critical for breaking through the ‘pricing is too high’ concern. “This is especially true when price savings are less obvious, as with online services,” she said. “Vendors need to teach end users to look at the whole picture that involves all the different types of expenses associated with different approaches to data protection, including intangible benefits like the ability to restore data quickly in a case of failure.”
      She said on the product side, a wide selection of top vendors, including HP, Seagate/EVault and Symantec, among others, have some targeted SMB data protection solutions. In addition, there are a number of online backup/replication services providers such as Dell and IBM, to name two of the biggest. “We expect that SMBs will continue to invest in data protection,” Yezhkova said.
      The survey comes nearly a month after a report from Cambridge, Mass.-based Forrester Research, which projects SMBs (small to medium-size businesses) will increase IT security spending by a full one percent. Of the issues SMBs deemed “very important,” in that report, 64 percent selected data security with the next most common being business continuity/disaster recovery at 48 percent.

      Nathan Eddy
      A graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, Nathan was perviously the editor of gaming industry newsletter FierceGameBiz and has written for various consumer and tech publications including Popular Mechanics, Popular Science, CRN, and The Times of London. Currently based in Berlin, he released his first documentary film, The Absent Column, in 2013.

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Cybersecurity

      Visa’s Michael Jabbara on Cybersecurity and Digital...

      James Maguire - May 17, 2022 0
      I spoke with Michael Jabbara, VP and Global Head of Fraud Services at Visa, about the cybersecurity technology used to ensure the safe transfer...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Yotascale CEO Asim Razzaq on Controlling Multicloud...

      James Maguire - May 5, 2022 0
      Asim Razzaq, CEO of Yotascale, provides guidance on understanding—and containing—the complex cost structure of multicloud computing. Among the topics we covered:  As you survey the...
      Read more
      IT Management

      Intuit’s Nhung Ho on AI for the...

      James Maguire - May 13, 2022 0
      I spoke with Nhung Ho, Vice President of AI at Intuit, about adoption of AI in the small and medium-sized business market, and how...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      GoodData CEO Roman Stanek on Business Intelligence...

      James Maguire - May 4, 2022 0
      I spoke with Roman Stanek, CEO of GoodData, about business intelligence, data as a service, and the frustration that many executives have with data...
      Read more
      Applications

      Cisco’s Thimaya Subaiya on Customer Experience in...

      James Maguire - May 10, 2022 0
      I spoke with Thimaya Subaiya, SVP and GM of Global Customer Experience at Cisco, about the factors that create good customer experience – and...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2021 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×