Many businesses have expressed lingeringdoubts about the security and reliability of cloud
computingdespite forging ahead with plans to buy
software and services online.
More than three quarters of 200 UK CIOs and CFOs surveyed by
managed hosting specialist NTT Europe Online cited these concerns,
along with the immaturity of the delivery model, as the main
reasons for not adopting cloud computing.
"What is quite evident from our research is that CIOs and CFOs
are crying out for the capex vs opex benefits that can be delivered
by cloud-based and managed hosted solutions," said Rob Steggles,
marketing director for Europe at NTT.
The model was still in early adopter phase he said, adding, "If
the security and reliability concerns can be ironed out, cloud
computing has a bright future - but until then, it will continue to
be work in progress."
The research indicated 60% of organisations were more likely to
buy web-based software and services due to the recession but 68%
wanted to avoid long term IT contracts which is widely acknowledged
as benefit of the cloud.
Forty per cent said wanted to see cost savings of 10% to 20%
before investing in the model, and though 44% did not believe the
cloud was hype, less than half of those planned to spend 6% to 15%
of their IT budgets on it in the next two years.
Steegles said "Cloud has become a technical sell rather than a
business and operational discussion, which is where the value
really lies."
"There is certainty demand for online software and service
delivery within a secure hosted environment or using a 'private
cloud' infrastructure, but in a practical sense the classic shared
cloud computing model seems not to be on the board's agenda."
Businesses like the cost benefits of a shared environment but
providers needed to prove the delivery model was "fit for purpose"
said Chris Gabriel, head of solutions at Logicalis.
"The cloud needs to be better defined to assuage users fears
about the resilience and security of the architecture," he
added.