What will be 2012 for the Russian IT market?

Players expect active demand for IT solutions in a public sector and also in financial, telecom industry and mechanical engineering. In addition to the business applications and IT services which were highly demanded already now, in 2012 market participants expect further development of cloud and mobile computing.

What your forecasts concerning growth of the Russian IT market in 2012?

While early to speak about results, but, on our feelings, in crisis reduction of financing on IT reached 30-40%, projects were frozen or displaced. But approximately since spring of 2011 we observe revival of activity – the available our customers began start of new projects, their scale also began to be recovered gradually. Probably, it is possible to say that pre-crisis level is already reached and gradual growth was outlined. We think, in general on IT market it will make not less than 15-17 %. We expect that this trend not only will remain, but also will amplify further.

Lev Jacobson, deputy CEO Compass

Our company is not engaged professionally in market research in general. In this question ourselves are forced to rely on opinion of recognized analysts, such, for example, as IDC or AMR Research. And at us no, the bases not to trust them to forecasts. If to average them, then the small growth of the market turns out. In general it matches our subjective feelings based that interest in control automation by business at least did not fall. On the other hand, if rights there is same Kudrin, and we will be really covered by a new wave of the global crisis, and stronger, than previous, then it is definitely not necessary to speak about growth of the market of ERP.

According to the researches IDC, the amount of the Russian market of IT services grew almost by 30% and was $4.67 billion. Practically all organization types increased the expenses on IT and the market of services showed high growth. However growth of economy did not reach pre-crisis level, most the companies is preferred to be invested mainly in short-term IT projects. Such trend of market development of IT services will remain also in the coming 2012. The companies will gradually pass from short-term projects to long-term that will cause growth of the market of IT services.

The volume of the Russian market of cloud services (public and private), according to IDC, in 2010 was $35.08 million. This market is small now, but its expected growth rates significantly exceed similar indicators on all market of IT services in 2011-2015. In 2012 market size will be about $200 million, according to forecasts of IDC, and by the end of 2015 - will exceed a mark of $1.2 billion, showing annual average growth rate more than 100%. The greatest share - about 30% - was made by system integration, it still remains to the most demanded. Construction of large DPCs - both private, and commercial continued. High growth rates showed services of consulting of information systems.

Maria Yurgelas, CEO Sitronics IT

IT market successfully recovered from financial crisis and, most likely, will show at the end of 2011 the highest rate on volume for all the history. First of all, the jump will happen in development of "cloud" technologies. Still applications for a business intelligence and also industry solutions, first of all, for a public sector will enjoy popularity.

As for range, analysts of IDC predict that during the period from 2011 to 2015 expenses on IT will grow in Russia annually on average for 11.6% and in 2015 will make 41.1 billion dollars. In my opinion, the steady tendency to growth of investments into IT is observed.

Alexander Semyonov, CEO of the CORUS Consulting group

In 2012 stable growth on the market will be observed if the favorable economic environment remains. On the company we expect growth on average of 20%, in the separate directions – to 100%.

What technology products are most demanded at the moment?

Nikolay Zezyulinsky

The current year became especially successful for business applications: the number of the planned implementations, according to analysts, increased almost three times in comparison with previous year, having made the fifth share from all expected IT projects. Also considerably the number of the projects connected with management and business process optimization and management of IT assets grew. Very dynamically for several last years information security market, virtualizations and storage systems develops.

Customers began to show the increasing interest in cloud services. Many are already ready to consider option of lease of computing powers instead of capital investments into own infrastructure. The international corporations which already transfer to public clouds a part of the transactions in the international space can become leaders here. Among the Russian companies the small companies and also the companies with low-marginal business, for example, retail networks will become the first users of public clouds, probably. Large Russian corporations already have rather developed IT infrastructure based on which it is possible to unroll private clouds. However, they will hardly transfer the internal transactions connected with business service where information leak is critical to an external cloud.

We highly appreciate also perspectives of mobile solutions, especially in connection with the explosive growth of the market of tablet computers. Many IT companies focus the efforts on development of mobile versions of the solutions, including for the market of corporate applications delivered by them.

Lev Jacobson

In 2011, at last, there was conversion of virtual demand for functionality of financial planning and budgeting to real. Besides that active implementation of this module was started by several large acting customers of Compass at once, there were new users who bought licenses for it. And we expected this phenomenon several years ago! Therefore there is a hope for growth of this direction.

Maria Yurgelas

Perhaps, the most interesting market changes should be expected in the segments of IT market connected with formation of new approaches to rendering IT services, at the heart of which different forms of a sorsing. In particular, gradually from the "virtual" concept of technology of "cloud" calculations pass into an implementation stage, integrators create portfolios of "cloud" services, the required volume of the starting projects is reached, the domestic "cloud" market begins to purchase more specific outlines. As for "Sitroniksit", we are at a stage of project development of cloud solutions. We believe in economic correctness of "clouds" and we consider that the critical mass of projects in this sphere will reach sooner or later a point after which the market will pass into a stage of productive development.

Alexander Semyonov

The market will master that new that appeared in the last one or two years: cloud computing, solutions for mobile work, development for popular iPhone and iPad platforms. The service direction will actively develop.

What industries will invest most actively in IT?

Nikolay Zezyulinsky

We do not see any drama changes here. In leaders in dynamics of demand for services and products in information technology field still a public sector, telecommunication companies and banks. More and more actively every year there is an informatization of medicine and education – think, this trend will only amplify.

Lev Jacobson

We think that the situation will not change, and if there is a demand growth in general, then the best indicators will still give mechanical engineering and instrument making. What is unsurprising - it is really advanced industries as regards HiTech.

We consider that in 2012 the positive trend of development of ICT of the market of Russia will remain, the state will still be a main customer of IT services. It is connected, in particular: with development and program implementation Information society, creation of the electronic government and creation of the electronic state, development of interdepartmental electronic interaction between federal and regional authorities, and also general course of the country on upgrade of economy, in general.

We wait for growth of the market in this segment, and first of all in regions which only in 2011 really in large quantities got into gear. Implementation of law 210-FZ led to emergence of rather big segment of the market connected with the listed above initiatives: it both the analysis and optimization of administrative regulations of rendering services, and different software solutions the interactions between the state and citizens, and development of departmental information resources, and connection allowing to simplify and improve them to interdepartmental interaction, and the solution of the questions connected with it.

Irina Krivenkova

Despite the fact that most the Russian companies continue to rely generally on the internal IT departments and subsidiary companies the outsourcing segment share in total market of IT services grew a little and in 2010 made 14%. The highest growth was shown by such types of outsourcing as a hosting of infrastructure services and outsourcing of information systems. A number of outsourcing projects was announced by large state companies. In 2012 the probability of similar alignment of forces on segments is high. The new large companies will fill up a moneybox of examples of successful IT projects.

The highest growth rates were shown by the sector of retail. Consumption of IT services by insurance, financial and transport companies also considerably increased. In 2012 these grow will reserve leadership in demand for IT services.

Maria Yurgelas

By our structure of revenue the public sector became the most active consumer of services in the field of system integration. The public sector share from all implementation at us makes about 6-7%. In comparison with last year this direction showed growth more than by 5 times. The main works in which project teams Sitronics IT are involved, mainly, are connected with creation of industry information and analytical systems for universal electronic cards and also with supply of equipment and a licensed software, with completion and commissioning of a specialized software in a number of public institutions. In general, the public sector is one of the most perspective customers which does not reduce, and only increases budgets on implementation. And this trend will receive logical continuation in the 2012th year.

I would also note growth of interest in solutions for a business intelligence among such industries, nonconventional for IT suppliers, as light industry, the agrarian sector, retail chain stores of the consumer goods. Good dynamics will be shown by the direction of portal solutions, in particular, based on MS SharePointPortal. It is caused, first of all, by the continuing processes M&A in the same the TV set the sector: the integrated companies need unified infocommunication environment that naturally generates demand for corporate portal solutions. Expected, but not explosive results owing to a maturity of technologies and saturation of the market will show the ERP and CRM directions.

Alexander Semyonov

The state, telecom, the bank industry, insurance services will still remain drivers of the market.

What events were the most significant for IT market in 2011?

Nikolay Zezyulinsky

Activities of the state for informatization of society – both on federal, and at the regional level have a great influence on a situation in the industry. First of all, it concerns transition to the electronic government, implementation of a single system of interdepartmental electronic interaction, creation of the universal electronic card and use of the electronic digital signature. Growth of number and scales of state orders will be objectively promoted by two factors: the upgrade of IT infrastructure of many departments postponed earlier because of crisis and also purposeful activities of the state for transition to the electronic government. It is also possible to note the introduction since July 1, 2011 at full capacity of the Law on personal data protection. Now information systems of the organizations should be brought into accord with its requirements that will become an incentive for information security market.

Roman Kruglyakov

The main IT still remain the project of 2011 activities for transfer of public services to an electronic form, development of interdepartmental electronic interaction between federal and regional authorities, distribution of the Universal electronic card and creation of infrastructure for its use. The second very expected project is upgrade of the compulsory health insurance system, and implementation of medical information systems and the personified accounting on all medical institutions in the territory of the Russian Federation.

In addition to direct development of electronic services, it would be desirable to note several initiatives which representatives of the Government of the Russian Federation declared recently and which in the future should have a noticeable impact on the IT market: this universal implementation of project management, creation of uniform fund of algorithms and programs, and also already implemented project on transfer of state agencies on Open Source.

Irina Krivenkova

In spite of the fact that the Russian IT service providers save the leading positions in the domestic market, by the size they are not comparable to the foreign companies yet. Still foreign companies did not make active attempts to take the leading positions in the market of IT services in Russia, but as the increasing number of the Russian companies use the foreign suppliers locating great opportunities for rendering such services based on large and, therefore, economic foreign DPCs, the situation can change. Development of a cloud delivery pattern of IT can also influence this process. The accurate tendency to convergence of IT and telecommunications is visible, the interest of the largest telecom operators in market penetration of cloud services in Russia is obvious.

Alexander Semyonov

The subject of taxes – a vital issue for the IT industry in which the wages fund can be up to 80% of all expenses was one of the most important subjects of this year. IT market in Russia managed to save preferential tax treatment, in many respects I thank to a competent lobby of industry associations – RUSSOFT, AP KIT.

Milestone event – a project startup on creation of the National Software Platform (NSP). It is supposed that the Scientific Production Enterprise is the cornerstone attempt to aim a public sector at use of domestic software products. The first tender took place while it is not clear, this project will develop how exactly, but its start – it is unconditional, a significant event for all market. It should be noted and more active project implementation within creation of Electronic government – now it is noticeable that the ideas began to find real outlines.