Most local businesses believe that cloud computing will be critical in reducing e-mail complexity within their organisations.
This is according to the findings of the ITWeb/Mimecast E-mail Security and Continuity Survey, which ran online for two weeks late last year, attracting 128 respondents.
Asked about the measures they would take to minimise e-mail complexity within their organisations, the majority (50.38%) said they would adopt cloud computing, 24.28% said they would consider vendor solutions, while 20.03% were unsure.
The study also revealed that to ensure the integrity, availability and security of data, the majority of organisations (43.62%) trust multiple backups. On the other hand, 43.61% noted that they leverage cloud computing, while 33.08% consolidate multiple vendors into one.
The study also determined that most organisations are using Microsoft Exchange 2010. This emerged after the respondents were asked if they were considering migrating to the platform. Some 20.86% of respondents answered that they were already using Exchange 2010. Nonetheless, 21.05% indicated that they are comfortable with the platforms they are already using.
It was also discovered that 11.28% of respondents are considering switching to Microsoft Exchange 2010 in the next six months, while 4.51% will do so in the next 12 months, and 19.55% say that although they will make the switch, they do not know when this will happen.
The survey asked how organisations are going to ensure accessible, uninterrupted e-mail flow during migration. It emerged that the majority (31.11%) are unsure, 20% will be using Mimecast's Continuity Assist programme; while 17.78% said they do not see this as a risk.
The Microsoft Exchange migration toolkit is favoured by 37.78% of respondents when it comes to ensuring the integrity, security and availability of current e-mail data. However, 26.67% noted that they rely on their technology provider, while 22.22% say they will backup their data beforehand. Some 15.56% noted that their archive is in Mimecast.
The study also probed the respondents on what they would change about their organisation's security provider. The majority (32.46%) said they do not have an e-mail security provider. However, 28.95% revealed they would want to improve their spam detection levels, while 24.56% noted they would want their reporting systems fortified. Other options were configurability (21.05%), better quarantine management (9.30%), improved telephonic support (9.65%) and reduced downtime (8.77%).
It also emerged that the majority of organisations (33.33%) have not invoked any e-mail continuity solution in the past year. On the other hand, 20.18% revealed that they do not have e-mail continuity solutions.
Respondents were asked how far back they could search for e-mail in their corporate e-mail archives. It emerged that the majority (25.44%) can go back between one and three years. Some 21.05% indicated that they do not have a corporate e-mail archive.
Most organisations (44.64%) also believe that, for compliance purposes, they should archive their e-mail for a minimum of five years. However, 22.81% noted that there is no law regulating this, so users can decide on their own archive period.
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