Multiple Device Uptake Makes Cloud Attractive

Research commissioned by CSC has revealed that the main incentive for organisations to adopt cloud technology is the desire to connect its employees to a multitude of devices.

The research, conducted by market researchers TNS, surveyed 3,645 IT decision makers from private and public sector organisations from eight countries on cloud computing usage trends.

Flexibility and cost

The ability to access information across a variety of devices was given by 33 percent as their reason for moving to the cloud, a figure which increased to 46 percent among small businesses in the US. Other popular reasons included the acceleration of business, with 21 percent, while 17 percent said it was a cost cutting measure.

The survey found that just 14 percent of businesses downsized after adopting cloud technology while 20 percent even hired cloud experts.

Savings resulting from cloud adoption fluctuated as although the majority of organisations saved money, the savings were relatively small. Thirty-five percent of US organisations saved less than $20,000 (£12,800) and 23 percent of American organisations reported no savings. Ten percent of US small businesses had cited cost as their main reason for adopting the cloud, but 45 percent did not save anything.

Australian organisations fared better, with 70 percent saving money but Brazilian companies saw the most benefit, with 93 percent saving money.

New justifications

Nearly all businesses noted improvements in IT performance, such as increased data centre efficiency and lower operating costs – with 80 percent experiencing these within six months of adoption. The cloud also brought environmental benefits with 64 percent saying that it had helped them to reduce waste and energy consumption.

Symantec’s 2011 State of Cloud Survey revealed that security was the primary concern for organisations moving to the cloud, while another survey by the Cloud Industry Forum earlier this year claimed that flexibility rather than price was the main attraction.

It had previously been believed that cost was the driving factor behind cloud take-up, especially in government organisations, although small businesses that use the cloud mainly for storage and website hosting cite costs as both an incentive and a barrier.