Gabriel Consulting Unveils Key Findings of 2010-11 Unix Server Vendor Research
Overall Unix Usage Up in Enterprise IT Shops; Brand Diversity Rules
BEAVERTON, Oregon – June 20, 2011 — Gabriel Consulting Group (GCG), an independent analyst firm, today released key findings of its fifth annual 2010-11 Unix Server Vendor Preference Survey, a report focused on vendor selection trends among 306 enterprise data center managers responsible for data centers of all sizes.
Key findings from the Unix server usage section of the survey include:
- Over 80% of enterprise customers surveyed said that half or more of their Unix workloads are mission-critical.
- Half of the respondents said that three-fourths of apps on their Unix systems are mission-critical.
- Almost 90% agreed with the statement, “Unix systems are strategic in our organization.”
“I think most people underestimate the importance of Unix-based systems in enterprise IT because Windows and Linux server sales are much higher and are growing faster,” said Dan Olds, Principal Analyst at GCG. “But these Unix systems fulfill a different role in most enterprises; they run mission-critical applications that are vital to the functioning of the business. Just because the sales of small, fuel-efficient cars are skyrocketing worldwide doesn’t mean that the need for dump trucks has gone away.”
The survey also asked customers which Unix operating systems they are currently using and whether they expect their usage to change over time. On these topics, the survey found that:
- Close to half of enterprise customers will use more Unix in the near future.
- A minority, 21%, are reducing their reliance on Unix. This number has steadily decreased since 2007.
- Only 20% of respondents said their data centers have standardized on one brand of Unix.
“Commercial Unix usage is pretty stable, with modest growth on the horizon. While some commercial Unix systems are still being replaced by x86-based Windows or Linux systems, the number of new Unix systems being installed is quite a bit greater than the number being taken offline,” said Olds. “The big three vendors – HP, IBM and Oracle – are constantly trying to entice customers into standardizing on their brand of Unix, but we still don’t see this having much effect. Most customers have at least two Unix brands in their data centers, and almost half have all three.”
GCG is also releasing findings from other sections of the 2010-11 Unix Server Vendor Preference Survey. More information and detailed results are available here. Connect with Dan Olds and GCG on Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
About Gabriel Consulting Group
Gabriel Consulting Group is a research, analysis, and consulting firm dedicated to helping clients achieve maximum return on their Information Technology investment.
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Contact: Dan Olds
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