The number of enterprises disconnecting network locations reached its highest level in six years during 2008, according to new research by Vertical Systems Group.
In a survey of U.S.-based enterprise network managers, 14 percent reported they had eliminated one or more network locations without adding or moving others. This figure compares to only 9 percent from a survey conducted a year ago.
For the most recent survey, 41 percent of respondents reported both additions and eliminations, while 16 percent added locations without any eliminations. Twenty-nine percent reported no change.
"The pace of network site additions stalled in the second half of 2008, and a significant number of networks are shrinking as compared to a year ago," said Rick Malone, principal at Vertical Systems Group. "Economic uncertainty and business slowdowns are forcing unplanned network reconfigurations, particularly within hard-hit industries like retail and financial. Location eliminations peaked during the fourth quarter, and we expect this trend to continue throughout the first half of 2009."
