Industry news

Firms need to make IT modernisation a priority

Many European businesses need to make IT modernisation efforts one of their key goals of the coming years, a new report has suggested.

Gartner suggested that around one third of all application projects will be driven by the need to deal with technology obsolescence by the end of 2010.

In particular, the report noted that recession in 2000 and 2001 meant that many enterprises took a break from investing in IT. As a result, many firms are still using systems which fail to deliver modern standards of functionality and agility.

What's more, the report suggested that older networks were less able to respond in a timely manner to business demand for change and new investment was needed to rectify this.

"IT modernisation cannot be addressed as a short-term panic-response project because it is large and complex, and it requires the wholehearted commitment of all the IT management team," explained Andy Kyte, vice president of Gartner.

Dale Vecchio, research vice president at Gartner, added: "CIOs should expect to drive the IT modernisation agenda directly, using the full resources of the IT management team.

"This issue is far too important and pervasive to be delegated to a side-office function."