Companies using cloud to augment current IT rather than replace

According to a recent InfoWorld article, many enterprises are adopting cloud computing to augement their current IT infrastructure instead of replacing it altogether.

Report author David Linthicum likens this situation to heating or cooling systems that have relief valves, which help these systems prevent pressure from getting too high when overloading. This relief keeps these systems from failing, which is how cloud computing is functioning for many companies now.

Using the cloud as a managed IT service allows for infrastructure relief from increasing enterprise storage and computing demands. The cloud also provides much needed cost control for certain companies and also aids processing demands IT departments are faced with on a daily basis.

Furthermore, different clouds allow companies different adoption options. With a hybrid cloud in place, companies can "leverage the hardware and software that's already paid for while avoiding the purchase of additional hardware and software." Other businesses turn to public clouds for their on-demand capacity requirements, and avoid paying for a private cloud.

The elasticity and cost savings the cloud provides are major reasons why its market has favorable future projections. IDC predicts the public cloud market will be worth $29.5 billion in 2015.