World IT spending to reach $3.6 trillion

Total spending on IT worldwide is expected to reach $3.6 trillion in 2011, according to a recent Gartner study.

The figure represents growth of approximately 5.1 percent over IT spending in 2010. The study predicts growth in the software sector will increase rapidly, while growth in the hardware sector will slow. These trends may be influenced by the rapid spread of cloud computing architecture that relies on managed cloud services and minimizes dependence on on-site infrastructure.

Spending on hardware is expected to grow 7.5 percent in 2011, compared to 8.9 percent in 2010. Enterprise software spending, meanwhile, is also predicted to expand by 7.5 percent in the new year, compared to 6.1 percent in 2010.

Richard Gordon, research vice president at Gartner, said the unpredictable economic situation may still have an effect on IT spending trends for 2011. "Nevertheless, as well as a fundamental enabler of cost reduction and cost optimization, investment in IT is seen increasingly as an important element in business growth strategies," Gordon said.

According to another recent report, published by Forrester Research, the global IT market is expected to expand by approximately 7.1 percent in 2011.