IT Maintenance Code of Conduct 'could impact on contractors'

IT contractors could be affected by a new code of conduct that has been set up for IT maintenance teams.

A new Code of Conduct is being developed for maintenance teams, which could interest IT contractors in this sector.

Gartner, Inc's Global IT Council for IT Maintenance has drawn up the guidelines, which aim to create real-world recommendations that will change the way that the IT industry operates.

It codifies the rights and responsibilities of parties and aims to encourage discussion about how cost-effective maintenance can be implemented without compromising key business processes.

David Cappuccio, vice president and chief of research at Gartner, claimed that hardware and software maintenance represents the highest IT expenses for many enterprises.

He said: "Enterprises need timely, reliable, cost-effective IT maintenance, but they just aren't getting it."

Among the rights codified in the document includes the right to regular, appropriate and predictable updates for software products.

Last month, a survey by the Recruitment and Employment Confederation found that demand for contractors could soon rocket due to cuts in the public sector.