Today's IT teams are under pressure from all sides. They're asked to squeeze more from increasingly complex and mission-critical IT platforms, in an environment of tightening budgets, strict regulation and an acute ongoing skills shortage.

Add to this the impact of the global financial crisis, the resulting credit squeeze and the shadow of potential economic recession, and cracks in IT departments are beginning to show.

New times need new approaches. As promised in our last newsletter, in this in-depth report we identify five critical risks faced by businesses and five practical steps you can use now to future-proof and sustain your IT infrastructure through these uncertain times and beyond.