System infrastructure software (SIS) continues to be the engine of growth for the overall software market. IDC Canada's preliminary research has SIS growing at a robust 6.9% to reach $1.9 billion in 2005; it is lifted by the explosive growth in the security software market. IDC Canada's forecast shows that the SIS market will post a 5.2% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2006 through to 2010.

"Business models and go-to-market strategies for infrastructure software markets - including security, storage, system and network management and system software - are undergoing change," says David Senf Program Manager of Canadian Software Research. He adds, "Due to vendor consolidation, platform expansion, open-source Web 2.0, the virtual machine and the shift to volume hardware a level of unpredictability enters into the equation of targeting the right SIS opportunities."