On-premises software set to remain most significant

But on-device and on-demand offerings are catching up

Apple's iPad is used by seven per cent of mobile workers

For many enterprise-level companies, on-premises software looks set to continue to be the primary software model, according to a survey of CIOs conducted by SAP.

The survey questioned 25 UK companies with 1,000 or more employees about their opinions on on-premises, on-demand and mobile deployment of software.

Some 61 per cent of new software investments are set to be on-premises over the next 12 months according to the research, with companies continuing to favour the control it provides.

There will be fewer on-premises deployments over the next three to five years, with on-demand and on-device deployments making up a greater percentage of the tech architecture.

In 12 months' time the split will be 66 per cent on-premises, 19 per cent on-demand and 15 per cent on-device, from 47, 31, and 22 per cent now.

In three to five years' time companies see the split being 51 per cent on-premises, 28 per cent on-demand and 21 per cent on-device.

The move to on-demand or cloud models is being driven by scalability – cited by 62 per cent of respondents. However, a third remained unconvinced or thought that the benefits of cloud were not yet proven.

Some 72 per cent of organisations anticipate that more than a tenth of the workforce will be mobile in three to five years' time compared with just under half today – with the main choices in terms of mobility still being the laptop and the BlackBerry.

The iPad has already made a significant impact, with seven per cent of mobile workers using it for business despite it being only three months old. Mobile workers are described as employees who work remotely from home or outside the office at least once a week.

Tim Noble, managing director at SAP UK and Ireland, said: The shift to on-demand and on-device software is indicative of businesses' need for faster deployment, access to real-time data and improved performance.”