Symantec’s 2011 Small Business Virtualization Poll examines the adoption of virtualization within small businesses and its impact on their organizations. According to the survey, small businesses have a strong interest in virtualization, but are still learning how to adopt it in their organizations. As they implement server virtualization, small businesses are putting their data at risk. The survey found that most small businesses aren’t taking the most basic steps to secure and protect their virtual environments. The survey is based on 658 respondents in 28 countries worldwide.

1. Are Small Businesses Ready to Virtualize?
Virtualization offers IT groups many reasons to be excited,
but are they ready for the challenges that come with it?
Top Reasons
70% 78%
$ 68%
67%
Don’t use
antivirus
Less Servers for
Reduce
CapEx Reduce OpEx
Same # of Apps
74%
Forego
endpoint
protection
48%
Don’t have
firewall
70% are Considering Virtualization Still Not
among respondents
Fully Protected?
among respondents who have
implemented Virtualization
56%
Backup &
System Management
56% 60%
Security & Patch
Performance
Management
10% have completed Virtualization
Challenges? among respondents
among respondents
Source: Small Business Virtualization Flash Poll, May 2011
658 Small businesses with less than 250 employees