Surveys and Research Projects

Authored or co-authored by Joe McKendrick | E-mail: joe@mckendrickresearch.com | Home page: McKendrick & Associates |

The New Mainframe: Data Integration and Service-Oriented Architecture, Big Iron Style
For SHARE (IBM systems user group), Unisphere Research, August 2007
Executive Summary PDF download here.

A survey among 431 members of SHARE, the largest independent IBM users group, revealed that many mainframe systems are at the center of efforts to achieve enterprise data integration, as well as to extend applications into service-oriented architectures. Mainframes are evolving into a leading role both as a source of mission-critical data, as well as key services. The mainframe is essentially an immense, scalable, real-time transaction platform for the highly integrated environments needed by today’s businesses. The SHARE survey also revealed that most mainframe data is still locked up, and most integration efforts are still done with handcoded scripting. There are proactive efforts underway to better integrate mainframe data with more distributed data environments, and to be able to deliver this data in real time, meaning within seconds. In addition, many organizations are showing an interest in service-oriented architecture (SOA) as a way to better leverage mainframe resources.

Managing the Storage Equation: The Converging Roles of Data and Storage Professionals
 For IOUG (Independent Oracle Users Group), Unisphere Research, October 2006

The success of databases and applications increasingly depends on the amount of available, on-demand storage available to support new implementations, or new groups of users. However, often, storage resources may not be available, and the ability to plan and prepare for new or unexpected storage requirements may be out of the hands of database administrators or managers. This study of 366 companies explores the relationship of data management and storage. The survey finds that storage requirements continue to grow rapidly. More than nine out of 10 respondents expect their database storage needs – covering relational data files – to increase over the coming year. More than seven out of 10 also say their non-traditional storage needs will grow. Enterprises’ relentless thirst for storage has affected the ability to grow their databases and application environments, the survey finds. A majority reports that database growth has impinged upon available storage resources. Systems administrators and database administrators or managers play greater roles in storage decisions and day-to-day enterprise storage management than dedicated storage administrators. However, this varies by company size.

SQL Server and Microsoft Technologies Reach Across the Enterprise
 For PASS (Professional Association for SQL Server), Unisphere Research, October 2006

This study of 267 companies examines the SQL Server 2005 adoption rate and explores the other technologies data managers in SQL Server shops adopting to support their and implications for enterprise-scale and business intelligence applications. The survey found that SQL Server 2000 is still the dominant database platform, but after one year, seven out of 10 respondents also have SQL Server 2005 running on the premises. Overall, 95 percent of respondents either already run SQL Server 2005 or plan to upgrade to the database platform within the next two years. Microsoft development tools are the tools of choice – 81 preecent report using Microsoft Visual Studio.NET on a daily basis to build or integrate applications with their SQL Server databases. In addition, 81 percent write their stored procedures in T-SQL. Windows Server 2003 is and will remain the leading deployment platform for SQL Server databases. Ninety-four percent of respondents report running their database systems on Windows 2003, a number that will remain constant for the next two years.

DATA MANAGEMENT AND DATABASE TRENDS

Database Development Survey, Vol. 2, 2004 (June 2004)
Survey report written for Evans Data Corp.
Press release: "Grid Computing Adoption Rises By 75% In Six Months: Huge Growth in Business Intelligence Mirrors Grid Computing Rise in Adoption" Survey of 550 database development managers.
Survey Tracks:

  • Adoption of open-source databases and Linux
  • Business intelligence and data warehouses
  • Leading database deployment platforms

      Database Development Survey, Vol. 1, 2004 (January 2004)
      Survey report written for Evans Data Corp.
      Press release: "Open Source Database Development Closes In On Microsoft: MySQL Usage Grows by More Than 30% in Six Months." Survey of 550 database development managers.
      Survey Tracks:

    • Adoption of open- source databases and Linux
    • Business intelligence and data warehouses
    • Leading database deployment platforms

        Major Trends in the Multivalue Marketplace
        Survey report written for Unisphere Media/Database Trends & Applications
        Survey Tracks:

      • Multivalue applications
      • Integration with relational databases
      • End-user satisfaction

          Database Development Survey, Vol. 2, 2003
          Survey report written for Evans Data Corp.
          Press release: "SQL Query and Stored Procedures Top Database Operations Invoked by Web Services." Survey of 550 database development managers.
          Survey Tracks

        • Adoption of Windows 2000, Windows 2003, Linux
        • Business intelligence and data warehouses
        • Leading database deployment platforms

            Database Development Survey, Vol. 1, 2003 (June 2003)
            Survey report written for Evans Data Corp.
            Survey Tracks

          • Adoption of Windows 2000, Windows 2003, Linux
          • Business intelligence and data warehouses
          • Leading database deployment platforms

              Database Development Survey, Vol. 2, 2002
              Survey report written for Evans Data Corp.
              Survey Tracks

            • Adoption of Windows 2000, Windows 2003, Linux
            • Business intelligence and data warehouses
            • Leading database deployment platforms

                Database Development Survey, Vol. 1, 2002
                Survey report written for Evans Data Corp.
                Survey Tracks

              • Adoption of Windows 2000, Windows 2003, Linux
              • Business intelligence and data warehouses
              • Leading database deployment platforms

                  • ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT TRENDS

                  Enterprise Development Management Survey, Vol. 1, 2004 (May 2004)
                  Survey report written for Evans Data Corp.
                  Press release: "Enterprise IT Budgets Swing Back Into High Gear, New Evans Data Survey: Fifty-Three Percent of IT Managers Expect Larger Development Budgets This Year." Survey of 400 enterprise development managers.
                  Survey Tracks:

                • Adoption of Windows 2000, 2003, XP, and Linux
                • Outsourcing issues
                • Grid computing and clustering

                    Web Services Survey, Vol. 1, 2004 (April 2004)
                    Survey report written for Evans Data Corp.
                    Press release: "SSL Leads Web Services Security Implementations, New Evans Data Survey Survey of 400 enterprise development managers.
                    Survey Tracks:

                  • Adoption of key Web services standards
                  • Enterprise application integration
                  • Project plans and budgets

                      Enterprise Development Management Survey, Vol. 2, 2003 (November 2003)
                      Survey report written for Evans Data Corp.
                      Press release: "E-Commerce Leads Enterprise Project Plans, New Evans Data Report." Survey of 400 enterprise development managers.
                      Survey Tracks:

                    • Adoption of Windows 2000, 2003, and Linux
                    • Outsourcing issues
                    • Grid computing and clustering

                        Enterprise Development Management Survey, Vol. 1, 2003 (May 2003)
                        Survey report written for Evans Data Corp.
                        Survey Tracks:

                      • Adoption of Windows 2000, Windows 2003, Linux
                      • Wireless application growth in the enterprise
                      • Outsourcing trends

                        Enterprise Development Management Survey, Vol. 2, 2002 (November 2002)
                        Survey report written for Evans Data Corp.
                        Survey Tracks

                      • Adoption of Windows 2000, Linux
                      • Adoption of Java/J2EE
                      • Outsourcing trends

                          Enterprise Development Management Survey, Vol. 1, 2002 (May 2002)
                          Survey report written for Evans Data Corp.
                          Survey Tracks:

                        • Adoption of Windows 2000, Linux
                        • Wireless application growth in the enterprise
                        • Leading development languages

                            Enterprise Development Management Survey, Vol. 2, 2001 (November 2001)
                            Survey report written for Evans Data Corp.
                            Survey Tracks

                          • Adoption of Windows 2000, Windows NT, Linux
                          • Wireless application growth in the enterprise
                          • Outsourcing trends

                              Step by Step Toward a Unified Customer View: Incremental, Low-Risk Enterprise Services Approach Brings Data Together
                              White paper prepared for Sanchez Computer Associates
                              Topics:

                            • Why the "big-bang" approach to integration is costly
                            • The role of XML and Java
                            • The new CIO role: as facilitator

                                • INDUSTRY TRENDS

                                Software Spending Rising . . . But On Fewer Projects
                                Insurance Networking News, Feature/Survey Report, September 2003

                                Carriers' IT Plans: It's Back to Basics
                                Insurance Networking, Special Report, September 2002

                                E-Commerce Budget Plans
                                Survey report conducted and written for                                 Electronic Commerce World, March 2001. Companies expect to boost funding for e-business operations.

                                MANAGEMENT ISSUES

                                2004 Enterprise Systems Salary Survey
                                Survey of 1,130 enterprise IT sites covering large data center salary rates and attitudes for Enterprise Systems, published July 2004. (Above link is downloadable PDF file.)

                                Face-Off: Application Servers
                                Comparison report written for Faulkner Information Services, February 2003. IBM Websphere, BEA WebLogic, Microsoft .NET reviewed and features contrasted.

                                Contract Management: Negotiating and Writing Contracts
                                First of a three-part series of reports written for Faulkner Information Services, January 2003.

                                Contract Management: Ensuring Contract Performance
                                Second of a three-part series of reports written for Faulkner Information Services, January 2003.

                                Contract Management: Renegotiating Contracts
                                Third of a three-part series of reports written for Faulkner Information Services, January 2003.

                                Salary Survey: Pain on Top; Gain in the Middle
                                Special Report for December 2002 Application Development Trends

                                Salary Survey of Windows Shops
                                Special Report for ENT Online, December 2002

                                Salary Survey: Big Iron Pays Big Bucks
                                Cover Story for January 2002 Enterprise Systems

                                Implementing Trusted Systems at the Database and Operating System Level
                                White paper prepared for Infosystems Technology Inc. Topics included multi-layer security, trusted operating systems, and trusted database systems.

                                Project Management Issues
                                A series of articles prepared for PM Boulevard, sponsored by Robbins-Gioia Inc. Topics included establishing a project baseline, effective change management, and project leadership.

                                Olsten Forum Survey Series: Staffing Strategies
                                Surveys conducted and prepared for Olsten Corporation (now part of Adecco Corporation). Surveys conducted annually between 1990 and 1999. Topics included understaffing issues, downsizing issues, and hiring trends.

                                Olsten Forum Survey Series: Workplace Technologies
                                Surveys conducted and prepared for Olsten Corporation (now part of Adecco Corporation). Surveys conducted annually between 1991 and 1999. Topics included IT purchasing trends, skills issues, and standardization trends.

                                OPERATING SYSTEMS TRENDS

                                Enterprise Development Management Survey, Vol. 1, 2004 (May 2004)
                                Survey report written for Evans Data Corp.
                                Press release: "Enterprise IT Budgets Swing Back Into High Gear, New Evans Data Survey: Fifty-Three Percent of IT Managers Expect Larger Development Budgets This Year." Survey of 400 enterprise development managers.
                                Survey Tracks:

                              • Adoption of Windows 2000, 2003, XP, and Linux
                              • Outsourcing issues
                              • Grid computing and clustering

                                  Old OSes Don't Die; They Just Fade Away
                                  Survey Report for ENT Online, January 2003

                                  Help Desk Support and Windows 2000 Adoption: What's Happening So Far?
                                  Conducted and co-authored for IDC A survey of help desk and IT managers explores how the new operating environment will impact operations.

                                  Reality Check: Users Say Windows Adoption will be Managed Carefully
                                  Part of a study conducted and written for IDC. Windows 2000 has powerful features, but users plan to wait a year or more before implementation.

                                  Windows 2000 Rollout Plans
                                  Survey report conducted and written for ENT Online. When companies do implement Windows 2000, they will be consolidating servers and reducing domains.

                                  Future Prospects for OS/400
                                  Research report written for IDC. A look at IBM's latest version of the operating system for the iSeries 400 (formerly AS/400).

                                  Thin-Client Adoption Plans
                                  Survey report conducted and written for ENT Online. Wireless devices loom large as the next generation of thin clients.

                                  • OTHER RESEARCH

                                  Under-Utilization of Government Financing Programs for Export Sales of Agricultural Products
                                  Survey of banks and other financial institutions and exporters for the Southern U.S. Trade Association, New Orleans, LA and U.S. Department of Agriculture. Study of 100 U.S. banks and 25 exporters to measure awareness and usage of government-backed export finance programs.

                                  The Cost of Export Finance for Small Business
                                  Comprehensive study for the U.S. Small Business Administration, Washington, DC. Study of 60 U.S. exporters and nine financial institutions. Covers: working capital needs, letters of credit, financing strategies. Study was conducted in conjunction with Research Institute of Small Emerging Business (RISEBusiness - Formerly Small Business Foundation of America), Washington, DC, Bankers Association for Foreign Trade, Washington, DC, and The Exporter magazine.