The IT Management Software Challengers

The 2009 IT management software (ITMS) market seems to favor smaller vendors to the detriment of larger ones. Preliminary results for the first three quarters of 2009 show that the megavendors' share of the ITMS market has again declined from 2008. This confirms our hypothesis that, in this economic climate, clients are seeking to resolve immediate operational issues and select tactical rather than strategic solutions. Clients are also trying to reduce their capital expenses and therefore turning to smaller vendors with lower license prices than the megavendors. Smaller vendors brought forward by the near commoditization of some ITMS market segments are faring better today than larger ones. Although not intended as a direct comparison of the companies, Forrester's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis for 2009 regroups the market contenders by categories for an easier SWOT evaluation of them, enabling vendor strategy professionals to substantiate decisions about their partnership and go-to-market strategies. The first SWOT 2009 report covered the four leading megavendors. This report addresses five of their six challengers.