The coming two years will see a significant shift to as-a-service models driven by greater investments in cloud (32%) and AI based (30%) networking, according to a global study of IT decision makers from Aruba.
The need for widespread but prudent investment is pushing decision makers towards new models of consumption, with subscriptions, managed services and financial leasing rising up the agenda, it finds.
“The emergence of the hybrid workplace is pushing IT leaders to deliver a delicate balance between flexibility, security and affordability at the edge,” said Morten Illum, EMEA Vice President for Aruba (a Hewlett Packard Enterprise company).
“The workplace as we knew it has significantly changed and to support new norms such as social distancing and contactless experiences, campuses need to have the right technology in place to offer enterprise-level connectivity, security and support.
"All this must be done in an increasingly challenging financial environment which is spurring the trend for IT decision makers to opt for the reduced risk and cost advantages offered by a subscription model.”
The survey found that 24% of decision makers currently consume at least half of their IT solutions as-a-service and 41% expect to be doing so within two years.