Priorities Shift as Use of Cloud Services Matures

Cloud security

Priorities Shift as Use of Cloud Services Matures

Solution providers across the channel should take note that the most important attribute of any cloud service is now considered to be the level of security it provides.

Responsibility for Acquiring Cloud Services

IT is now clearly more involved with purchasing; 43% of study participants said IT is responsible for buying cloud services, while 39% said both IT and business are involved.

Use of Cloud Services

A full 84% said cloud use has increased in the past year, and 24% said they now have a cloud-first policy for deploying IT. More than half, 52%, strongly feel that involving central IT has led to a decrease in cost and complexity.

Impact of Cloud Use on Business

40% said the cloud has increased revenue, and 36% said it has increased profit margins. The cloud also is credited with helping extend respondents’ product range (41%), move into new markets (38%) and improve their ability to comply with regulations (36%).

Impact of Cloud Use on Employees

Nearly three-fourths (72%) reported that their organizations’ use of cloud makes it easier to collaborate with colleagues. A third said the cloud lets them provide solutions to clients more quickly and effectively, even when they are dispersed around the world.

Cloud Service Provider Preferences

More than two-thirds said they would rather work with established technology vendors that offer a wider solution portfolio than players that are newer and only provide niche opportunities.

Use of Multiple Clouds

A full 62% reported that their companies are able to exchange data between multiple cloud services and/or internal systems.

Impact of IT Security

Most respondents with cloud experience said its effect on data security has either been neutral (34%) or has increased it (39%). Just 10% report that their cloud use has led to a decrease in data security levels. A full 80% said central IT makes cloud security stronger.

Role of the IT Security Team in the Cloud

65% involve their company’s security professionals to help vet potential cloud services, while just 45% have established policies that define which applications are appropriate for cloud. However, 54% have set guidelines for the contract and approval process of applications.

Attributes of Cloud Service Providers

Security practices (29%) and the capacity to integrate and operate with other systems (26%) are the top two attributes looked for in a cloud service provider.

A Look at the Competitive Advantage Cloud Services Offer

The percentage of respondents reporting a competitive advantage this year from cloud (77%) is similar to that of last year (74%), but fewer said that advantage is significant (16% this year, versus 30% last year).