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Nearly three-quarters of IT professionals believe that employees’ personal use of cloud applications and mobile devices has significantly influenced their organizations’ decisions to adopt cloud computing, with 68 percent stating that employee requests for cloud services have increased in the last two years, according to CDW’s “2013 State of the Cloud Report.”
Based on CDW’s survey of 1,242 IT professionals, the report indicated cloud computing is on the rise within organizations, as 39 percent of organizations reported they are implementing or maintaining cloud solutions—up from 28 percent in 2011. Two-thirds of the IT professionals surveyed said that their use of cloud applications and services in their non-work lives directly influences their cloud-related recommendations at work.
“Organizations’ adoption of cloud computing has steadily increased, which comes as no surprise given the growth of mobility and the consumerization of IT,” Stephen Braat, CDW’s general manager of cloud solutions, said in a statement. “By aligning cloud services with critical applications and preferences of employees that use mobile devices, organizations can better capture business value that includes cost savings, increased efficiency, improved employee mobility, and an increased ability to create innovative new products and services.”
Although many respondents continued to cite security as a key factor to address in cloud adoption, other factors have emerged as well during the debate over cloud migration. Close to a third (32 percent) of respondents cited cloud service performance as a major factor, while one-fourth (25 percent) pointed to the technical integration of cloud applications and/or infrastructure with legacy systems. Despite these challenges, survey results indicate estimates of current-year savings from cloud adoption increased from 10 percent of current IT budgets in 2011 to 13 percent in 2012.
“Although the continued migration to cloud computing has presented new challenges, the benefits continue to outweigh the risks,” Braat said. “The fact that personal use of cloud computing among employees and IT professionals is influencing the rate of adoption within organizations speaks volumes about the emerging business case for cloud computing, and the need for solutions providers to take steps, as CDW has, to expand our portfolio of cloud services.”
The report includes findings specific to each of the eight industries surveyed during August and September 2012, including small businesses, midsize businesses, large businesses, the Federal government, state and local governments, health care, higher education and K-12 public schools. The company noted the survey sample includes at least 150 individuals from each industry who identified themselves as familiar with their organizations’ use of, or plans for, cloud computing.