Technology:
Architecture, infrastructure and networks
With businesses still looking to improve and modernise infrastructure, the demand for support strategy and design remains high. Chris Brown, manager, infrastructure and operations at Investigo, highlights the market trends for 2024.
Here are the key areas leaders need to prepare for in 2024:
Refining strategies – what’s the outlook for infrastructure projects?
Levelling off – what’s the impact?
Positive prospects – the continued journey in infrastructure transformation.
Cloud and end-user computing transformation programmes saw a reduction in 2023. However, businesses still recognise the need to be agile and quick in their rollouts of mobile device management and virtual desktops.
Customers are refining strategies and will continue to implement projects to improve and modernise their infrastructure and IT. The demand for solution architects, EUC architects and enterprise architects is likely to remain high in 2024.
Market rates have remained fairly static throughout the course of the year. Permanent resources have always been the preferred route, and despite reduced demand for contractors, the rates have remained consistent.
Following the significant growth seen in 2022, there was always going to be a levelling-off in 2023. With fewer vacancies and a drop in overall demand for infrastructure and architecture programmes, clients were extra cautious in an uncertain market.
However, in the ever-changing world of technology, the software, infrastructure and networks market was never likely to remain quiet for long. Rather than signifying a significant downturn, 2023 was a period for organisations to pause, assess their current tech capabilities and work out where they needed to modernise before embarking on new projects.
Looking into 2024, the outlook is optimistic. There is an appetite for transformation in many businesses looking to improve and modernise their IT and digital footprint. These transformations will include journeys to the cloud using Azure, Amazon Web Servies (AWS) and Google Cloud Platform (GCP), with an increased demand in DevOps, and modernising IT infrastructure with rollouts of Microsoft 365, Teams and OneDrive, AWS WorkSpaces and Google Workspace.
There is continued demand for flexible, skilled staff capable of adapting to the changing industry, and market rates remain constant. Improving and modernising IT in a constantly evolving digital landscape is still a top priority for organisations. Competition for solution architects, EUC architects and enterprise architects is likely to remain high in 2024.
The last year saw a slowing market as businesses looked to review their modernisation strategies. However, the outlook for future transformations looks positive, with new projects on the horizon.
