Close to 100 Staff Members at a Typical Organization Are Affected by External Sourcing of Infrastructure Management Services (IMS), According to New Research From TheInfoPro.

TheInfoPro's Wave 1 IMS Sourcing Study finds that 80% of Global 2000 organizations indicate that close to 100 of their staff members are affected by external sourcing; however the number of staff affected can climb to over 1000

NEW YORK -- TheInfoPro (TIP), www.theinfopro.net, an independent research network and leading supplier of market intelligence for the Information Technology (IT) industry, today announced that, according to its Wave 1 IMS Sourcing Study, 80% of Global 2000 organizations indicate that the average number of staff affected by external sourcing of IMS is close to 100. Approximately 14% of the organizations indicated that between 100 and 499 staff members are affected, with the remaining 5% estimating that over 1000 of their staff are affected by the external outsourcing of IMS.

To view a rich media presentation of findings, visit: http://www.brainshark.com/theinfopro/IMS-pr2

According to TIP's Wave 1 IMS Sourcing Study - which focuses on the use of external Sourcing providers for management of core functions within IT infrastructure - less than 5% of the interviewed companies indicated that they were planning to terminate the staff affected by external sourcing, with the vast majority planning to redeploy staff toward other business growth areas. Seventeen percent of the organizations plan to have the outsourcer take over the staff, 4% will not retain the staff, and the remaining 21% indicate that a combination of all three scenarios will occur within the organization.

"Originally initiated as a vehicle to cut costs, external sourcing is now being used by many organizations to address seasonal demands, global support needs, and talent shortages. Work loads are consistently increasing, organizations are competing in a global market, and, as a result, organizations that have traditionally avoided external sourcing have to do it to remain competitive," said Robert Stevenson, TIPs Managing Director of Sourcing. "Additionally, 80% of respondents that are using external sourcing today indicate they are meeting expectations. Based on the positive cost benefit, good service capabilities, and an ability to increase an organization's services during times of expansion, the IMS market is growing exponentially. However, outsourcing also has its challenges. Many end users indicate that utilizing an external Sourcing provider is a complicated endeavor - you have to find an external sourcer that understands your business, has knowledgeable staff, can help minimize service interruptions during the transition, and can maintain consistent service across multiple time zones and geographies."

The Study

Completed in conjunction with Evangelists - a New Delhi-based provider of research, advisory, and strategic consulting services to the IT industry, TheInfoPro's IMS Sourcing Study is based on more than 100 in-depth interviews with Sourcing and Infrastructure decision-makers within Global 2000 corporations in the U.S., India, and Europe. The interviews focus on the use of external Sourcing providers for the management of core functions within IT infrastructure - Servers, Storage, Security, Networking, Desktop, and Help Desk. Intelligence is captured about budgets, roadmaps for functions, technologies that are currently being outsourced or that are being considered for outsourcing, along with detailed ratings of the Sourcing provider landscape.

Outsourcing companies mentioned throughout the study include: 3i Infotech, Accenture, AIG, Allied Digital, Apara, AT&T, Bharti, Bristlecone, BSNL Cable & Wireless, BT, Capgemini, Cisco, Cognizant, CSC, Dell, EDS, EMC, GAVS, GoIP, HCL, Hitachi, Homegrown, HP, iBilt, IBM, iGATE, Infosys, Microland, Microsoft, MindTree, NetLogic, NIIT, Nokia, Oracle, Patni, PCS Outsourcing, Perot Systems, Polaris, Presidio, QuantM, Ramco, Reliance Security, SAIC, Saksshym, SAP, Satyam, Sify, SK International, Sun, Superior Consulting, Swan Solutions, Symantec, Tata, TEAM Computers, Tech Mahindra, Tulip IT, Unisys, VASCO, Verizon, Wipro.

About TheInfoPro

TheInfoPro (TIP) is the only independent research network for the Information Technology (IT) industry. Through a peer network of over 900 of the world's largest buyers and users of IT, including Citigroup, FedEx, McGraw-Hill, MasterCard, Pfizer, Vodafone, PepsiCo, JPMorgan Chase, and Harvard University, TIP delivers detailed budget, vendor performance and technology roadmap data without spin or bias. Known as the "voice of the customer," TIP helps IT professionals, technology providers, and institutional investors make sound decisions on technologies, vendor relationships and investments. Founded in 2002 by alumni of Gartner, Giga, EMC, and Bell Labs, TIP is headquartered in New York City, with offices in San Francisco, Chicago, and Boston. To learn more, visit www.theinfopro.net or call 1-212-672-0010.

About Evangelists

Evangelists is a provider of research, advisory, and strategic consulting services to the IT industry. Delivering objective and actionable guidance based on the foundation of hard-core, on-the-ground market research, Evangelists has developed a reputation as a trusted research and consulting firm to IT companies and end users of these technologies in the Indian market. To this end, Evangelists has created an excellent network of technologists and information managers across a gamut of industry segments to provide expert guidance - the very people who make key decisions in vendor and technology selection and outsourcing services. To learn more, visit, www.evangelists.in.