The role of cloud computing in organizational IT is established, but still evolving, according to a recent cloud computing study.
The report, entitled the Cloud Computing Tracking Poll, was published by technology products firm CDW and was based off a survey of approximately 1,200 IT professionals working for U.S. organizations. All of those surveyed are familiar with their organizations' cloud computing strategies.
According to the study, approximately 28 percent of organizations are now using cloud computing. Of these, 73 percent indicated that their initial cloud adoption involved deployment of a single application.
These figures, however, may not tell the full story. While 28 percent is certainly a sizable portion of the field, the study also found that 84 percent of respondents' organizations have already employed at least one cloud-based application. This seeming discrepancy may indicate that some of those companies utilizing cloud applications may not view their IT solutions as anything unusual and, as a result, do not define themselves as "cloud users."
David Cottingham, senior director for managed services at CDW, said cloud computing offers companies both reduced expenses and increased functionality. "The potential to cut costs while maintaining or even enhancing computing capabilities for end users presents a compelling case for investment in cloud computing,” Cottingham said.
According to Cottingham, the study's findings indicate that "IT managers are taking a hard look at their IT governance, architecture, security and other prerequisites for cloud computing, in order to ensure that their implementations are successful."
The rapid growth of cloud computing adoption in U.S. organizations may point to increasing confidence in cloud computing security. At a recent panel session organized by ZDNet Australia, IT expert Sam Higgins predicted that, as the cloud sector matures, some vendors will gain reputations for offering services that are reliable and secure.
