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Security Concerns Linger Over the Public Cloud

Security Concerns Linger Over the Public Cloud Cloud fervor surpassed a fever pitch a while back, but are CIOs really taking the plunge? A new survey from Platform Computing indicates IT is still wary about off-premise cloud computing solutions, and is instead eyeing private clouds as an alternative. Channel Insider takes a closer look at […]

Written By: Leah Gabriel Nurik

Feb 10, 2010

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Security Concerns Linger Over the Public Cloud

Cloud fervor surpassed a fever pitch a while back, but are CIOs really taking the plunge? A new survey from Platform Computing indicates IT is still wary about off-premise cloud computing solutions, and is instead eyeing private clouds as an alternative. Channel Insider takes a closer look at the results.

Security Still a Concern

Most SaaS providers and cloud market players insist CIOs are unconcerned with the security issues around off-premise cloud solutions, saying IT is ready to embrace the public cloud with open arms. But, the survey shows 83% of IT executives intend to keep their cloud initiatives in-house, warm, snug and secure behind the firewall.

Cost and Manageability Also a Concern

Following security fears, concerns about costs and manageability rank high on the list of public cloud inhibitors. 49% of IT executives cited security as their chief concern, followed by complexity of managing (31%) and upfront costs (15%).

Experimentation and Efficiency Top Cloud Drivers

Almost half (45%) of survey respondents said they are considering a private cloud. Why? 40% said they just want to "experiment" with cloud computing while 33% are driven by a desire to improve efficiency.

No Plans for Hybrid Clouds

Most survey respondents are actively experimenting with the cloud in some manner, but the majority is limiting usage to private cloud set-ups, due to security and management concerns. 82% say they do not foresee moving to a public cloud even if the private cloud is overloaded (AKA "cloud bursting").

Perceived Cloud Benefits

Organizations perceive the cloud as driving many business benefits. Among the top values perceived from implementing the cloud are availability of a larger resource pool (28%) and maintaining a more flexible, agile infrastructure (26%).

IT Thinks Org will Stay the Same

The survey indicates that the majority of IT execs (70%) do not think moving to the cloud will impact their organization structure. However, vendors point out that successful cloud deployments require an organization to evolve and transform, often involving the addition of new resources and management skills.

ITs Outlook Driving Private Cloud Market

Security, cost and management fears appear to be key factors in driving the move to the private cloud, and, consequently, rousing the cloud software market to provide private cloud management platforms that can streamline manageability and leverage existing infrastructure.

Security Concerns Linger Over the Public Cloud

Leah Gabriel Nurik

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