Skills shortage affects network stability
The shortage of skilled workers is causing difficulties in network management in many companies. A new study from Opengear, a provider of smart out-of-band management solutions for critical infrastructure protection, shows just how dire the situation really is. It shows how essential it is to invest in automation, AI and similar technologies.
For its study, Opengear surveyed a total of 502 CIOs and 510 network engineers worldwide to shed light on the biggest challenges in the field of network technology. One of these is the shortage of skilled workers, which is exacerbating the situation in many companies. But it's not just a shortage of young talent; the numerous retirements of the "baby boomers" is also having a not-so-nice impact: 60 % of the CIOs said that at least a quarter of their network experts will retire in the next five years.
It goes without saying that this combination of a lack of new talent on the labor market and more and more departures in companies is causing major problems in maintaining a stable network infrastructure. 83 % of German CIOs complain of difficulties in managing their network infrastructure and ensuring its resilience. Admittedly, only 71 % of network engineers agree with this view. However, this amount is still alarming, especially as cybercriminals are increasingly targeting networks.
The expectations of users or customers are growing. Stable networks are and remain the be-all and end-all when it comes to providing digital services without errors or delays. If companies can no longer meet users' expectations, this will impact their reputation and, in the second instance, their revenues - customers will migrate to the competition. In Germany, 79 % of CIOs already report that their company is having difficulty meeting these expectations.
The downward trend has already been apparent for months, as the study also shows: 76 % of the network engineers surveyed have had to make do with fewer resources in the past three months, with tasks increasing in the same period. A possible solution to offset the skills shortage is seen by 44 % of CIOs and 36 % of network engineers in automation or technologies such as artificial intelligence. Hybrid or remote work concepts were cited by 35 % of CIOs and 37 % of network engineers as another measure to counteract the problem.
The ongoing skills shortage affects all industries and departments. However, when it comes to network operations, there are technologies that can quickly remedy the situation," said Gary Marks, president of Opengear. "These include smart out-of-band solutions that enable IT teams to flexibly deploy, manage and repair enterprise networks - from any location. This frees up network admins and engineers to focus on critical tasks that drive business performance and customer satisfaction."
Source: www.opengear.com
