IDG QuickPulse * Network Management Network Management Costs Overshoot User Needs Paying for unused, unneeded functionality creates a catch 22 by sapping resources that could support migration to greater efficiency. Most organizations are paying for enterprise net- work management and monitoring features they neither need nor utilize. According to a June 2013 IDG Research Services survey, many companies would be happy to give up functions or capabili- ties to reduce their total cost of ownership (TCO). But scarce resources inhibit many from making a switch even though more efficient solutions would alleviate the pinch of network management expenses and staffing. Enterprise IT network management tools today are difficult to use, expensive and do not address the realities of today’s real-world IT manage- ment challenges, according to the results of the IDG Research Services survey of more than 100 respondents involved in purchasing network man- agement and/or monitoring solutions. The survey was conducted across the readership of Network World and InfoWorld on behalf of SolarWinds, an IT management software vendor. More than half (56 percent) of survey respon- dents said their organization’s current network management or monitoring solution includes ca- pabilities and/or features they do not need or use. One-third of respondents said the results or ROI on their current network management or monitor- ing solution is not enough to justify the TCO. “All too often, network performance manage- ment products are purchased based on needs and perceptions at a fixed point in time, only to find that the solutions do not keep pace with the changes in the managed environment and in the organizations they serve,” said leading industry analyst firm Enterprise Management Associ- ates in a June 2013 white paper. The report, which presents four case studies of SolarWinds customers, says that while tra- ditional enterprise solutions are “highly exten- sible, scalable, and feature-rich, they can also be highly complex, requiring services to deploy/ maintain/extend, special training to operate, and expensive annual maintenance contracts that must be kept current to receive all the latest patches and software updates.” Buyer’s remorse is apparent, particularly among respondents using software from the traditional leading enterprise network solution vendors—CA, Cisco, HP and IBM. A solid two- thirds of those respondents said they are paying for features and capabilities they do not need or utilize. Furthermore, 55 percent of respondents using solutions from those four vendors said they would give up functionality they are not using to reduce their costs. Among customers of the Big 4 enterprise software vendors, 34 percent indi- cated that management and maintenance fees are a big inhibitor to maximizing ROI; almost as many cite the reliance on system integrators as a factor in not achieving ROI. These responses raise the question of why these enterprises are not bailing out on their current suppliers in favor of a more cost-effective alternative that better meets their needs. Ironi- cally, one of the biggest barriers to making a switch to cut costs is the potential cost of doing so, according to more than half (54 percent) of survey respondents. In addition, just less than half (49 percent) cite lack of staff time and lack of staffing resources as major impediments. According to the IDG Research Services sur- vey, just 7 percent of respondents would never consider making a switch; most would require a SPONSORED BY: 29% SOURCE: IDG Research Services, July 2013 Current network management solution includes capabilities not needed/not used 12% 44% 15% 21% 8% Percent Agree Percent Disagree Strongly agree Neither agree nor disagree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree 56% ROI on current network management or monitoring solution is not enough to justify the TCO 11% 21% 24% 29% 15% Percent Agree Percent Disagree Strongly agree Neither agree nor disagree Agree Disagree Strongly disagree 32% 44%