IT analysts in their own words

Enterprises spend billions of dollars collectively each year seeking advice and implementation assistance from IT consultants and analysts. Ever wonder what makes these folks qualified to pitch in? Many got their start in enterprise IT shops.

Network World Senior Editor Denise Dubie spoke with a dozen analysts in networking today who have worked on projects such as Arpanet, developed security measures for the National Security Agency, built transactional systems for Honeywell Bull, and consolidated data centers for Aetna. Here are few telling snippets about what they learned as IT professionals and what they miss -- and don't miss -- about those days.

"In an enterprise [company], there comes a point when you have to restrain your imagination. As an analyst, you can think freely." -- Jean-Pierre Garbani, vice president, Forrester Research

"I don't miss a lot of the stress that comes with the operational work. It's like you're an umpire in baseball --you don't get to see the limelight unless there is a big problem." -- Christopher Voce, researcher, Forrester Research

"I learned quickly the show must go on and my goals at that time were to run my network well enough that I could go fishing. So when the technology was not available, I wrote my own network management systems." -- Bill Gassman, research director, Gartner

"Simple technical superiority rarely wins. If it did, Microsoft wouldn't have the dominance it has." -- Zeus Kerravala, senior vice president of enterprise research, Yankee Group

"There are those consultants that put large teams in place and learn the technology on the customer's dime. I remember them, and they give consulting a bad name." -- Jim McAssey, principal, The W Group

"The particular technologies that you use over the years change, but the functional requirements are surprisingly stable." -- Mark Nicolett, vice president and research director, Gartner

"It's easy to say see the big picture, but you also have to realize the big picture is not the same for everyone. And you have to balance what should be done with what actually can be done." -- John Pescatore, vice president and fellow, Gartner

"You don't get to call the shots anymore. You transition from leading a group that is doing something to advising an organization in how to do something and they don't always take your advice." -- Peter Sevcik, president, NetForecast.

"Job satisfaction. I could go and see my finished work on the shop floor; there was a sense of completeness, a distinct beginning and end with writing a program and implementing equipment." -- Rich Ptak, founder and principal analyst, Ptak, Noel & Associates

"There are three reasons everyone builds a network: to run applications, to run applications and to run applications. Beyond that, people have very little appreciation for what happens in the background." -- Joe Skorupa, research vice president, Gartner