Implementing a converged IP (Internet protocol) network may be a priority at many large and mid-sized companies in Europe, but the skills they need to extract the full benefits from moving voice and other applications to an IP backbone are in short supply.

A survey of 300 European data and telecoms managers by network integrator NextiraOne, found that three quarters of organisations suffer from a shortfall in IP skills.

The security requirements of rolling out converged networks were cited by 23% of respondents as the biggest challenge they face: just 9.3% of organisations considered themselves to be particularly adept at security.

After security, the other key challenges were in measuring and managing quality of service to business critical applications and the related issue of network infrastructure design and engineering, with 18% and 13% of respondents citing those respective areas.

Also of concern was the development of converged IP applications, with only 8.4% of companies judging it to be a principle area of professional expertise. Their existing expertise is stronger in local network infrastructure, data communications and computing infrastructure.

British firms perceive themselves to be more skilled than their European counterparts with 44% believing they have staff with ‘competent’ IP skills, compared to an average of 32% on the continent.