Data-storage laws fail to drive Euro sales

Businesses need to consider compliance

By John Oates • Get more from this author

Posted in Storage, 18th January 2005 10:31 GMT

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A survey of European IT directors reveals that although they believe data storage is crucial to business continuity, they are unclear about the role of legislation in forcing businesses to use the technology.

Around 76 per cent of those questioned believe storage is crucial to enterprise continuity. But 52 per cent either don't know or disagree that recent legislation is increasing uptake of storage kit. Recent legal changes like Sarbanes-Oxley and Basel II have been credited with increasing demand for storage technology, but only 27 per cent of respondents, mostly in the finance sector, reckon compliance is driving the storage market.

Gary Smith, CEO and president of Ciena, which commissioned the survey, said the results showed the differences between attitudes in Europe and the US. He said that although legislation was important in the US, "it is not surprising that IT directors in Europe differ in opinion on the importance of this issue, because regulatory compliance is not yet mandatory for all industries in European regions".

But Smith warned that US changes will have a knock-on effect in Europe and IT directors need to be aware of their legal responsiblities. Firms in the finance sector were best informed about their legal duties under new legislation.

When asked about the details of storage technology, most respondents were refreshingly unaware of specific technologies. Asked about the benefits of Synchronous Digital Hierarchy versus Wave Division Multiplexing, 78 per cent of those questioned were not able to provide a response.

The survey, carried out by Vanson Bourne, questioned IT directors at European firms with more than 1000 employees. ®