Is this the year of cloud computing? Cloud computing is talked about as the most important technology of the decade. Indeed, both the cloud as infrastructure and the cloud as software models have a unique capacity to broker change and generate growth at a low cost.
Models of cloud computing have been shaping the way businesses operate and compete for a generation. But technology managers keep hearing that the cloud has not yet reached its full potential.
We are told to expect the ‘cloud revolution’ and the ‘tipping point’, but these semi-mythical events never seem to come.
We think that 2015 will be different. We think that this year, the reality will finally live up to the expectation. We think that this will be the year when businesses act bravely and take the cloud-plunge, ignoring the risks and reaping the rewards.
We think 2015 will be the year of the cloud and there are lots of good reasons why.
Increased spending on cloud computing
Firstly, the evidence backs it up. Each and every year countless reports are released forecasting exponential growth in the cloud industry. And 2015 was no different.
A good summary of the various cloud computing forecasts and market estimates for 2015 can be found here.
The survey which we trust the most is somewhat more conservative in its estimates. It has a more comprehensive global focus and has been more accurate than other surveys.
Interestingly, the report predicts that Western Europe is expected to see the highest growth in cloud IT infrastructure spending at 32 percent – over ten percent higher than in the United States.
Barriers to cloud adoption are disappearing
One of the key explanations behind this forecasted growth in the cloud is that the barriers to adoption are decreasing. More people understand the cloud and importantly, more people trust it.
The cloud is complicated. There is no way around it.
For many non-technical managers, the knowledge and expertise which is required for cloud migration are simply not there. Slowly though, people are becoming more familiar with the technology and understanding is on the up.
Cloud providers have got smaller and more accessible, making it easier for people to ask questions if they don’t understand something. For smaller businesses, this is preferable to large faceless support networks which tend to be less accessible.
When cloud computing first became popular over ten years ago, most entrepreneurs found it intriguing but risky. In the wake of the dotcom crash, business leaders were wary of internet technology. In many ways, the product offering came too early and looked too good to be true.
Suddenly a server could be installed, maintained and upgraded in some faraway place, very simple and very cheaply.
More people are accepting cloud reality, particularly at a time when cloud services like Spotify and Netflix have revolutionised entire industries. Enterprise cloud systems finally look set to catch up.
Concerns about security have also abated in recent years. The cloud used to be seen as less secure than private physical servers. But the big hacking victims of last year – Sony and the American retailer Target – were guilty of taking this view.
Cloud providers are also beginning to offer more secure product offerings. For example, hybrid cloud models allow companies to store some sensitive data on a private cloud system, whilst also accessing the cheaper public model of cloud computing.
Synextra growth is a barometer for cloud success
In many ways, the success of Synextra is an example of a broader success of the cloud industry. We have been fully established as a cloud and IT services provider for over a year now and are undergoing a distinct period of growth. Synextra has just recently hired several new service technicians, sales staff and senior executives.
The team have also picked up lots of new contracts. These new clients range from large businesses and not-for-profits which are looking to streamline IT systems – to smaller firms which are looking to cut costs and achieve growth using the cloud.
Just like many other enterprise cloud providers, we are turning technological know-how and first-class technological services into tangible growth.
Many people are becoming aware of the benefits of the cloud, and our open and inclusive style is helping to make the cloud more accessible for even the smallest of businesses.
Is this going to be your year of cloud computing? Contact us to talk through your requirements.
