Cloud Computing is no longer the “next big thing” – it’s here and it’s going to stay.
The futurists weren’t right about everything, though. What we’re seeing is an increase in cloud adoption. But rather than wholesale migrations, companies are choosing the aspects of cloud-based IT that will serve their needs now and keeping the remainder of the IT on-premises.
We see several drivers for this decision. For instance, there are some cloud migrations that are relatively simple and offer an apparent quick return on the investment. This may include email services, data, and image backups and some Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) offerings.
Another driver is timing. Companies are not highly motivated to move IT workloads from on-premises equipment that is still within its useful lifespan. As that equipment nears its end-of-life, companies are more willing to consider it as an alternative to purchasing more hardware.
Companies are also discovering that some aspects of their IT simply won’t work in the cloud, and in some cases, may never be a good fit.
Interestingly enough, cost is not a major driver in the decision-making process. Companies may prefer their IT costs to be operational expenses rather than capital expenditures, but overall, cloud computing does not have obvious benefits when it comes to total cost.
This doesn’t mean the cloud is right or wrong. it is a valuable alternative and we’re seeing more and more companies incorporating its services as needed to realize the benefits of this computing’s scalability and agility. The technology has matured to the point where a hybrid IT infrastructure, some virtual and some on-premises, is able to deliver the best of both worlds!
Clare Computer Solutions would like to help your company take advantage of any available technologies to give your business a competitive edge. Contact us to have a strategic discussion about this.
