According to a global survey by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) for AT&T, executives view network security as the single most important attribute of their network.

52% of the executives believe that having a converged network gives their companies better deference against IT security breaches and nearly 70% feel that IP helps ensure business continuity following an emergency.

However, network security concerns top the list of barriers in implementing a converged IP network.

The survey also reveals that holding sensitive customer data on their network makes executives feel extremely vulnerable from an electronic security perspective. Among the worst security threats cited by nearly half (49%) of executives is hackers.

The EIU research has also highlighted the importance of the chief security officer (CSO), and although the CEO remains the primary decision-maker for electronic security decision, the role of the CSO is rising, with 12% of companies confirming this as the main decision-maker.

"Security is becoming more and more important in today’s collaborative environment", comments Lloyd Salvage, AT&T’s vice president in the U.K. "We are constantly talking to our customers and helping them to re-evaluate their requirements to ensure that their businesses are adequately protected at all times."