A recently released a report entitled “Voice of IT: State of SMB IT”, detailing  purchasing, technology usage, and IT staffing trends among small and medium businesses worldwide. The report surveyed over 1,100 IT professionals working in SMBs, 80 percent of whom were decision makers or influencers within their respective companies.

Not surprisingly, a substantial number (39 percent) of the companies surveyed cut their IT budgets in 2009, with an average cut of 22 percent from 2008 levels. Among the areas where companies are saving money is hardware, with the average planned lifespan for machines such as desktops, laptops, servers, and switches increasing by 26 percent.

Despite this, a significant number (31 percent) report that budgets remained flat, while as many as 30 percent reported an increase in budget in 2009 from the previous year. Among the areas where companies are investing money is in software, specifically security software. 46 percent of SMBs indicated that they plan to invest in antivirus and antispam software, while 38 percent plan to put their money in data backup and recovery software. A growing trend is virtualization, with 30 percent of participants planning to invest in virtualization solutions.

How does your company compare? Do you think your company is investing enough in IT security? Contact us now to see how we can help you invest your IT budget where it brings the most value.