SCIENCE

To buy or not to buy? That seems to be the question among enterprise IT buyers weighing server purchases according to Logicalis, an international provider of integrated information and communications technology (ICT) solutions and services (http://www.us.logicalis.com/). During the technology solution provider’s recent social media conversation sweep of IT decision makers, many indicated they were considering taking it to the cloud when it came to server purchases. 

In its survey of social media conversations among mid- to large-size enterprise IT decision makers conducted between December 2010 and February 2011, Logicalis noted 800 mentions about server purchasing, with over one in four pondering whether it makes sense to consider cloud services rather than purchase a server.

Among IT professionals who indicated they were buying servers, reasons included:

·         Increasing capacity

·         Upgrading security

·         Improving performance and/or service

·         Selecting a better vendor

·         Purchasing a new server as a backup, or replacing a current server and then using it for back up

Among IT buyers considering cloud computing, reasons included:

·         Buying computing as a service for an agreed service level and a lower, fixed monthly cost

·         Obtaining required software on demand with guaranteed availability and cost tied to usage

·         Paying for peak usage as required, rather than purchasing additional servers

·         Saving money by not having to purchase servers

“As a provider of technology from Cisco, HP and IBM, and a cloud services provider, Logicalis is uniquely positioned to provide or build server and cloud solutions,” said Mike Martin, Director of Cloud Computing, Logicalis. “We take a consultative approach to server purchases and cloud solutions, understanding that many organizations are requiring both. New strategies around private cloud can incorporate the best of both worlds.”