Some companies are considering cloud and virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) as a new way to approach IT as Microsoft ends support for its Windows XP operating system, a new survey suggests.
Cloud services company Evolve IP surveyed 1,080 IT and executive decision-makers in December. The results indicate IT professionals and C-level executives are evaluating the consequences of the end of support for Windows XP on 8 April and are using the move as a catalyst for change.
Some 17.5pc of survey respondents are considering cloud computing for the first time because of the end of support for XP, and 64.5pc plan to incorporate some VDI into the mix, according to the survey.
“As with any forced technological shift, Windows XP end of life creates an opportunity for companies to evaluate new ways of managing IT that would benefit their end users and the IT pros who service them,” said Scott Kinka, chief technology officer for Evolve IP.
“Many companies that haven’t yet migrated to the cloud and begun using virtual desktops will find the path to change easier, the support and service options more varied, and the benefits greater.”
The survey also found 45pc of respondents noted that anywhere from 10-30pc of their computers are still running XP, and one in 10 had between 90-100pc of their end-user devices running the XP operating system.
Survey respondents cited compatibility concerns coupled with a lack of time and budget as reasons for not upgrading to a newer operating system.
