--- title: "IDC: Data Growth and Complexity Are Key Challenges Facing SMB IT Departments" description: The twin pressures of increasing data volume and complexity are the primary data protection challenges for small- and medium-sized IT departments today, according to new research from IDC and Acronis. With more and more data to protect, on more devices and in physical, cloud, virtual and mobile environments, data protection is more challenging than ever. canonical_url: https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/posts/idc-data-growth-and-complexity-are-key-challenges-facing-smb-it-departments/ locale: en last_updated: 2026-10-27 --- [Acronis Blog](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/) # IDC: Data Growth and Complexity Are Key Challenges Facing SMB IT Departments The twin pressures of increasing data volume and complexity are the primary data protection challenges for small- and medium-sized IT departments today, according to new research from IDC and Acronis. With more and more data to protect, on more devices and in physical, cloud, virtual and mobile environments, data protection is more challenging than ever. [Learn More](https://www.acronis.com/en/products/cyber-protect/) [![Image 2: Acronis Editorial Team](https://staticfiles.acronis.com/images/content/d85707ae91461544212d39836dc32b42.png)](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/authors/acronis/ "Acronis Editorial Team") [Acronis Editorial Team](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/authors/acronis/) 2 min read Last updated 19 November 2022 The twin pressures of increasing data volume and complexity are the primary data protection challenges for small- and medium-sized IT departments today, according to [new research](http://www.acronis.com/en-us/pr/2014/07/09-14-35.html) from IDC and Acronis. With more and more data to protect, on more devices and in physical, cloud, virtual and mobile environments, data protection is more challenging than ever. The IDC research, "Complexity and Data Growth Driving Small and Medium-Sized Environments Toward a New Generation of Data Protection," sponsored by Acronis, surveyed IT professionals worldwide about how they protect modern data, how they measure the cost of downtime and where yesterday’s technologies fall short. The survey finds that the pressures of more data volume and complexity are causing IT professionals to [adopt next generation](http://subzeroblog.acronis.com/posts/modern-data-requires-new-generation-data-protection-8-noble-truths) data protection solutions that are easy to use and that protect all data, whether it lives on physical servers, virtual machines, in the cloud or on a mobile device. Highlights from the IDC survey include: * Rising backup complexity: More than one-third (37 percent) of companies today must simultaneously back up virtual, physical and cloud-based servers. * Multi-hypervisor reality: Of companies that manage virtual infrastructures, more than half (54 percent) manage two or more different hypervisors. * Downtime is costly — and getting more so: Nearly 80 percent of respondents estimate that downtime costs their business at least $20,000 per hour, while more than 20 percent estimate it costs at least $100,000. * Need to meet strict RTOs: 87 percent of companies retain their most recent cloud-based backup on-premises as well. “The findings released today are clear — it’s a different world for IT managers today, and data backup for a small or medium-sized business is more complex than ever,” says Eric Burgener, Research Director, Storage at IDC, in a [release](http://www.acronis.com/en-us/pr/2014/07/09-14-35.html). “Data sizes and types continue to evolve, as does the number of servers and operating systems each company uses. This leads to a host of new challenges IT managers face to make sure they can back up and protect their data and restore operations quickly.” To view the full results, download a [free copy of the release here](http://promo.acronis.com/IDC-Disaster-Recovery-2014-WP.html) Image via Can Stock Photo [Cybersecurity](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/tags/cybersecurity/) [Cyber protection](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/tags/cyber-protection/) ## Written by ![Image 3: Acronis Editorial Team](https://staticfiles.acronis.com/images/content/d85707ae91461544212d39836dc32b42.png) Acronis Editorial Team Acronis is a global cyber protection company that provides natively integrated cybersecurity, data protection, and endpoint management for managed service providers (MSPs), small and medium businesses (SMBs), and enterprise IT departments. [Previous post](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/posts/10-simple-steps-data-storage-backup/) [10 Simple Steps to Data Storage Backup](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/posts/10-simple-steps-data-storage-backup/) [Next post](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/posts/data-protection-truly-about-fast-reliable-recovery-8-noble-truths/) [Data Protection Is Truly About Fast, Reliable Recovery: 8 Noble Truths](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/posts/data-protection-truly-about-fast-reliable-recovery-8-noble-truths/) About Acronis Acronis is a leader in AI-native cyber protection, unifying data protection, cybersecurity, IT operations and hybrid infrastructure to deliver business continuity, security and compliance with less cost and complexity. More than 21,000 service providers trust Acronis to protect over 750,000 businesses in 150 countries. Acronis is headquartered in Schaffhausen, Switzerland. [Add as a preferred source on Google](https://google.com/preferences/source?q=acronis.com) ## Related stories Want to learn more? Read the latest stories featuring this solution on our blog. [Acronis Blog](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/) ![Image 4: stc Bahrain and Acronis partner to bring advanced endpoint security to businesses in Bahrain](https://staticfiles.acronis.com/images/blog-card/9600f3eea83b8f4e168ea6c1409c8c26.png) [stc Bahrain and Acronis partner to bring advanced endpoint security to businesses in Bahrain](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/posts/stc-bahrain-and-acronis-partner-to-bring-endpoint-security-to-businesses/) We are proud to announce a strategic partnership with stc Bahrain, expanding access to advanced cybersecurity services for businesses across Bahrain. **October 26, 2026**3 min read ![Image 5: Introducing New Acronis CEO: Prakash Panjwani](https://staticfiles.acronis.com/images/blog-card/30cb571f6f1aaa131733e5727a4a250c.png) [Introducing New Acronis CEO: Prakash Panjwani](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/posts/introducing-new-acronis-ceo-prakash-panjwani/) We are pleased to announce the appointment of our new Chief Executive Officer, Prakash Panjwani. A veteran cybersecurity CEO, Panjwani previously served as CEO of WatchGuard Technologies and SafeNet. **October 15, 2026**2 min read ![Image 6: Acronis expands MDR toward broader workspace protection](https://staticfiles.acronis.com/images/blog-card/18e90e89f5ec4ef0901f19008d4ccbf2.png) [Acronis expands MDR toward broader workspace protection](https://www.acronis.com/en/blog/posts/acronis-expands-mdr-toward-broader-workspace-protection/) Acronis is expanding the MDR service with capabilities that make this expertise easier to deliver and help partners address more risks. The developments build on a broader commitment to managed security: helping service providers protect the connected workspace while giving customers access to the expertise needed to investigate threats, respond effectively and maintain business continuity. **October 13, 2026**6 min read