Popularity of cloud computing set to soar, survey reveals
Popularity of cloud computing set to soar, survey reveals
Cloud computing is poised to skyrocket in popularity over the coming months, according to new research, as business leaders increasingly view it was a strategic initiative and a fast way of solving technical issues.
The survey, which was carried out by KPMG International and Forbes Insight, polled 900 business executives about the benefits of cloud computing.
It revealed that the vast majority - 81 per cent of executives - had already moved some of their activities over to the cloud, with more seriously considering doing so.
The executives also reported that they expected 2012 investment in cloud computing "to skyrocket, with some companies planning to spend more than a fifth of their IT budget on cloud next year."
Seventy-six per cent of respondents to the survey said that economic factors were the major driver for adoption of cloud computing, as the method enabled their business to adopt a strong position in which to withstand the turbulent economy. They also felt that it helped their businesses to gain a competitive edge over competitors.
Technical benefits were cited as another important reason for cloud adoption, with 76 per cent of business leaders reporting that they felt it offered benefits they would not be able to glean from their current data centres.
KPMG outlined the benefits of adopting cloud computing, saying, “Cloud is transformative in that it is creating new business opportunities as companies harness its power to efficiently facilitate new revenue, services and businesses.
“It is breaking down barriers in the supply chain, creating more effective and timely interaction between clients and suppliers. It is delivering speed, agility and cost reduction to IT and other functional areas within the enterprise. The transformative impact of cloud can readily be seen across the enterprise in areas from HR, CRM, and IT infrastructure," added the firm.
Businesses looking to move services into the cloud should evaluate the performance of their existing network and consider setting up a leased line or MPLS network.
