industry news
UNHAPPY COLOCATION CUSTOMERS LOOKING TO
MIGRATE THEIR SERVICES TO ANOTHER PROVIDER
Recent research conducted by Coreix has
revealed that 18.6 per cent of customers who
use data centre services will be looking to
migrate their services to another provider in
the coming months.
This research is highlighted in the company’s
latest whitepaper ‘How To Guide: Choosing
a Right Colocation Provider’, which looks to
help customers assess their current colocation
provider and establish whether their particular
service offering will meet their requirements
growing forward. It offers insights into those
thinking about changing their colocation provider.
In Q3 of last year, Coreix conducted a
survey with 110 senior executives who use
data centre services in the UK, Ireland and
the Netherlands. It found that there were
a surprising number of pain points which
they are being faced with, including lack of
transparency around extra charges and poor
levels of support.
The survey found that 18.5 per cent of
respondents were extremely unhappy at the
lack of transparency about extra charges from
their colocation provider. It highlighted that
customers are not only unhappy at the lack of
transparency over additional charges, but also
frustrated that skilled personnel are often not
permanently on site, faced with poor response
times and that additional services such as antiDDoS solutions are not offered in some cases.
Commenting on the findings, Paul Davies,
technical director at Coreix, said, ‘Although
the colocation market is forecast to experience
significant levels of growth in the coming
years, customers are becoming increasingly
vocal about their pain points. The colocation
sector would do well to remember that
customers are increasingly astute, and service
providers have to pay attention to these pain
points if they wish to meet the demands of
their customers in the years ahead.’
Survey highlights lack of understanding
of new networking controls
Software defined network (SDN) is being labelled as the future of networking for its ability
to deliver greater efficiency and automation. However, research from Exponential-e has
revealed that 86 per cent of businesses do not understand SDN and 95 per cent do not
know what benefits it could bring to their enterprise.
‘In an innovate or fail society, an agile and responsive network is central to driving
competitive advantage,’ explained Chris Christou, director of engineering at Exponential-e.
‘Providing a business with the ability to manage and control their network themselves
enables them to support their business internally in their drive for increased revenues.’
SDN effectively allows organisations to reconfigure network services on-demand.
Enterprises are no longer subject to change controls, service tickets or related support
and management fees. Instead they can adapt the services that network providers deliver,
through a simple self-service interface.
In total, nearly a third (32 per cent) of respondents are battling escalating software and
hardware costs, 21 per cent admitted that there is a lack of internal control over the network
and 17 per cent said that infrastructure was unable to cope with growth.
Exponential-e surveyed 100 UK business and IT leaders online from 5th January 2016
to 9th January 2016.
Huge increase in
number and quality
of apprenticeship
applications shows
opinion is turning
NG Bailey has seen an
unprecedented surge in applications
for its 2016 apprenticeship intake.
It received 4,000 applications
in the first four weeks – double the
rate seen in 2015, and by the end
of the recruitment period the highest
number of applications in NG
Bailey’s history.
The company, which unveiled
the record breaking response at
the start of National Apprenticeship
Week, said the ‘earn and learn’
route was now more popular than
ever as an alternative to further
academic study.
Not only that, but the quality of
applications it has received shows
there has been a significant shift
in the way apprenticeships are
perceived as a career route.
Frank Clayton, head of group
learning and development at
NG Bailey, said, ‘We have been
overwhelmed this year, not only by
the number of applications received
but also by the quality. It’s significantly
improved on previous years.
‘The answers being provided on
application forms are much more
detailed and thorough, proving this is
a considered career choice.
‘It’s obvious that people have
researched their career path and
are applying because of a desire
to undertake an apprenticeship,
rather than because of a lack of
other options.’
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