Equinix Study reveals 75% of Digital Leaders in Ireland Noted Long-term Changes to Where and How People Work

Equinix, Inc , the world’s digital infrastructure company™, has announced the findings of its annual global study of the views of IT decision-makers on the biggest technology trends affecting businesses worldwide and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on digital infrastructure plans.

Surveying 2,600 IT decision-makers from diverse enterprises across 26 countries in the Americas, Asia-Pacific and EMEA regions, the study reveals:

• 62% of businesses in Ireland have rearchitected their IT infrastructure to meet new remote and hybrid working demands, with tech budgets increasing to accelerate digital transformation
• 75% of digital leaders in Ireland believe there will be long-term changes to where and how people work within their organisation
• 49% of companies in Ireland still intend to expand into new regions, countries or metros, despite the disruption experienced as a result of COVID-19

Digital transformation in the post-pandemic future

Digitisation and business investment in digital infrastructure have increased as a result of COVID-19.54% of the digital leaders surveyed in Ireland said they have accelerated digital transformation plans because of the pandemic, while 44% said their budgets have been increased to satisfy the rapid growth in digital demands.

There has also been a major overhaul of IT strategies in Ireland to meet the challenges emerging from the pandemic.Almost two-thirds, (62%) said they have revised their IT strategy as a result of COVID-19, while 51% said they want to invest in technology to be more agile post-COVID.

Asked about their biggest priorities for their organisation’s digital strategy, 84% of respondents in Ireland reported improving their organisations’ cyber security was a top priority, with 45% saying they see interconnection as a key facilitator of digital transformation.

Concerns that the pandemic will have put the brakes on companies’ expansion plans—lessened

• 49% of businesses in Ireland still have plans to expand into new regions, countries or metros, according to the digital leaders surveyed.
• Of that 49%, more than half (53%) plan to achieve this virtually, rather than by investing in physical IT infrastructure in-market

Utilising interconnection for success

• 49% of IT leaders in Ireland said they believe interconnection—the direct and private exchange of data between organisations—will help them to navigate the challenges they face due to COVID-19.
• Those stating interconnection can help their business gain competitive advantage within the marketplace increased to 46%, up from 36% last year.

Maurice Mortell, Managing Director, Ireland and Emerging Markets, Equinix, said: “Our research shows that IT leaders in Ireland have been preparing for a digital, interconnected future since well before the pandemic. This preparation is now being put to use as we embrace digital transformation at a pace that is multiple times faster than expected.

“It is very clear to business leaders that interconnection through multi-cloud adoption is key to transformation. Every day, we see new solutions being designed and offered to customers, which is not only accelerating the rate of transformation but also building confidence in the future of new and intelligent technologies. The enterprises that can successfully pivot to digital now are the ones that will have a competitive edge post-COVID.”

The Global Interconnection Index (GXI) Volume 4, a market study recently published by Equinix, forecasts that overall interconnection bandwidth—the measure of private connectivity for the transfer of data between organizations—will achieve a 45% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2019 to 2023, globally. The expected growth is driven by digital transformation, and specifically by greater demands from enterprises extending their digital infrastructure from centralized locations to distributed edge locations.