Cloud Computing’s Nuances: Taking a Close Look

Cloud migration

Cloud Computing’s Nuances: Taking a Close Look

Sizing up the cloud maturity of a potential customer can be challenging. A CompTIA study provides insight into the cloud market’s maturity.

A Work in Cloud Progress

More than 90% of companies are using some form of cloud computing. Yet only 33% say they are in full production while 8% say they have completely transformed their IT architectures. Another 38% say they are using the cloud for non-critical systems while 21% say they are still experimenting.

Cloud Application Usage

Not surprisingly, email (51%), followed by Web presence (46%) and business productivity (45%) top the list of application use cases for the cloud.

Cloud Models Employed

Nearly three-quarters (74%) are using SaaS applications. Another 42% are using infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) while 33% are using some form of a platform-as-a-service (PaaS) environment.

Cloud Locations Embraced

Nearly half (46%) say they have embraced private clouds only. Another 28% are using public clouds while 26% say they are using hybrid clouds.

Length of Cloud Use

Most respondents have been using cloud solutions between one and five years. Half have been using the cloud for one to three years; 21% have been using the cloud for three to five years; 6% say they have been using cloud solutions for more than five years; and 23% say they have been using the cloud for less than a year.

Drivers of Cloud Adoption

Larger organizations most often cited an ability to reduce costs as the biggest driver (47%). Smaller organization most often said the cloud was simply a better option (42%).

Watch Out for Shadow IT

IT leaders estimate that business units funded the acquisition of technology from 26% to 54% of the time. While the IT department typically purchases apps used across the company, including virtual desktops and email, line-of-business professionals would be more apt to procure apps that a single department might use.

Drivers for Switching Clouds

Better offerings/features (37%), security concerns (35%), cost (27%) and open standards (26%) were cited as the primary reason to make a move from one cloud to another. Nearly half (46%) said making the move to a secondary cloud was more difficult than moving to the first cloud.

Reasons for Moving Back to a Private Cloud

Moves back to on-premise systems are primarily driven by security (58%), failure to achieve cost goals (30%), failure to integrate (24%) and dissatisfaction with reliability (22%).

New IT Skills Required in the Cloud

Integration specialists (66%) and IT pros with an ability to build private clouds (63%) are the most sought after, followed closely by department liaisons (61%) and cloud architects (58%).