As IT environments grow in size and complexity, CIOs and IT managers are looking for support
deliverables that can help maximize availability and performance while at the same time reduce the
cost of IT service delivery. Although recent advancements in support services have largely focused
on proactive and preventive support deliverables, IDC believes that reactive support services remain
a critical component of a comprehensive IT management strategy. Reactive support can be a good
option for IT assets supporting non-mission-critical business processes, therefore requiring a more
basic level of support. Reactive support typically includes access to updates and patches, the ability
to contact support personnel when problems occur with the covered technology, and access to tools
and utilities that can help self-diagnosis and resolution. IDC research shows that reactive support
services can be a suitable choice for IT organizations that require a more basic, cost-effective level
of support for specific technologies in the datacenter. This Technology Spotlight discusses trends in
reactive support options and highlights the role that HPE plays in this important market.