Is it All Doom and Gloom for 2010?

After a year like 2009, there is quite a bit of discussion around how 2010 will be.  Will the economic climate improve?  Will certain industries be better positioned for success in the coming year?  We came across two studies that indicate that 2010 might be status quo for the IT industry. 

Gartner is predicting that “IT budgets will essentially be flat in 2010, increasing by a weighted global average of 1.3 percent in nominal terms, compared with 2009 levels where IT budgets declined 8.1 percent, according to results from the 2010 CIO survey by Gartner Executive Programs (EXP).”  In the January 19, 2010 press release announcing this survey, there are lists of the top 10 business and technology priorities for 2010.  Virtualization is ranked as the top technology priority as CIOs are looking for technologies that can be implemented quickly and carry a low capital investment. 

Just as IT budgets are expected to stay flat, Janco Associates, Inc. conducted a 2010 IT Salary Survey and found that “many companies have instituted hiring and spending freezes in addition to laying-off of staff.  This has been augmented by extensive outsourcing, bonus reductions, and elimination of IT contractors.”  Many middle managers have already been eliminated and in 2010 there is expected to be more layoffs, as well as a continuing reduction in benefits for IT professionals.     

Would you agree with these predictions or is your organization expecting a more positive recovery for 2010?  At SafeData, we continue to see a tremendous interest from IT executives in our high availability and data recovery solutions as they are helping companies meet their financial constraints and need to protect their information assets.  It would be nice to hear some more encouraging predictions for the coming year.  Feel free to post comments below about what you’re predicting for your organization in 2010.