Server huggers. A term often used pejoratively to refer to IT executives who can’t let go of their physical in-house server infrastructure. Rather than treating them as dinosaurs, Omaha data centers should welcome their existence. It’s their insistence on having IT infrastructure under their control that allows markets like Omaha to thrive.

The challenge data centers in Omaha face from server huggers is to show them how they can still have control without the overhead of an onsite data center.

What Drives Server Huggers?

And How Do Data Centers Meet Those Demands?

There are a number of beliefs, right or wrong, that server huggers use to justify keeping things in-house:

• Control - Many IT managers feel that they can’t control the machines and data. Actually, cloud and data center management software may provide better control than the IT manager has on hand.

• Security – If it isn’t in-house, it can’t be secure. The reality is that the old thinking of building a moat around the castle doesn’t apply anymore. Vendors are supplying services from the cloud, and mobile devices have become the norm in most organizations. Data centers can provide continuous monitoring 24/7/365. Providing the latest security measures, both physical and cyber, are vital services that data centers have to provide to stay in business.

• Job Security – IT managers may feel that without the physical infrastructure in-house, their job may be in jeopardy. Often there is also fear of the new when changing the status quo. It’s true that the IT manager position may become more about managing vendors and third-party providers than managing employees, but there is still need for the old skill set – especially in colocation data centers. Not only that but even if you are retiring the infrastructure instead of replacing it, not all parts are going to wear out and need replacing at the same time. There can be a blend of onsite/off-site data functions or a gradual move to the cloud.

Additional Arguments Omaha Data Centers Can Use with Server Huggers

It’s not just server huggers who want to keep things close at hand.

Streaming demand, video conferencing, and multimedia presentations are increasing bandwidth needs.

Second-tier markets don’t want the lag involved with setting up shop in larger city markets further away.

Data centers in the smaller markets are going to continue to be in demand.

These data centers can allow even those who are hard-core server huggers the opportunity to keep things close to them. The IT department can still have control while being able to better utilize the space and manpower that was previously tied up with the onsite center.

The Bottom Line

Almost half the companies surveyed had server hugger mentality when it came to IT. Those companies are going to be reluctant to go to the cloud. That’s a sizable market that data centers can attract by providing services close at hand.

How do you think data centers in Omaha can best answer the challenge presented by server huggers? Let us know your thoughts in the Comments box below.

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