Increased expenditure in cloud and more IT support for remote working driving larger budgets
Increased expenditure in cloud technology and more IT support needed for staff working remotely are key drivers for larger budgets, according to new research from DSA Connect.
The IT asset disposal company, which specialises in the permanent deletion and destruction of electronic data, says there is growing concern from IT directors over disposal of IT hardware and data.
The research reveals more than three in five IT directors (62%) believe their employers' IT budget will increase for 2021. Nearly half (48%) cite the need to invest in more cloud technology as a key reason for this, and this is closely followed by 45% who believe the additional funds will be used to provide greater IT support to staff working from home.
A further 7% say its because they have been hit by more cyber-attacks during the COVID-19 crisis and therefore need bigger budgets to invest in IT to provide greater security.
Just 12% of IT directors interviewed said they expect their budgets to fall next year, with the majority blaming a fall in revenue/profits for this.
Growing focus on data erasure and disposal of IT hardware
A key finding from DSA Connects research is that 72% of IT directors are increasingly concerned about the potential legal issues of not disposing of IT hardware and data properly. As a result of this, more than three in five IT Directors expect their employers to spend more money on data erasure (62%) and disposal of hardware (60%) in 2021 when compared to this year.
"Our findings show that many businesses will be making changes to their IT infrastructure in 2021, from buying more hardware for employees that are now working remotely, upgrading to more secure or cloud-based systems, to making reductions in line with the size of their business and workforce," says Harry Benham, chairman of DSA Connect.
"An increasingly key focus area is the need to dispose of existing IT data and hardware safely whether that be to make way for new technology, or to reuse or sell it," he says.
"It is encouraging to see the majority of IT directors focusing more on the correct disposal of data and tech hardware, and we are certainly seeing more enquiries in this area."
DSA Connect is an IT asset disposal company (ITAD) that specialises in the secure destruction of electronic data and the secure disposal of redundant IT equipment.
DSA Connect provides a full audit trail from collection point to final disposal of equipment which includes full certification, asset inventories and sales and recycling reports. The company also offers an on-site IT decommissioning service together with on-site data destruction and on-site audits.
