Companies deploying managed cloud services for mobile apps

The vast majority of IT managers plan to introduce mobile enterprise applications into their IT solutions during 2011, according to a recent study.

The study, conducted by Kelton research, surveyed IT managers at approximately 250 companies. Ninety percent of IT managers plan to implement new mobile apps within their companies in the next year, the study found.

Many mobile enterprise applications are designed to integrate with fixed IT software, utilizing cloud services. According to the study, 82 percent of IT managers believe utilizing managed cloud hosting services for their mobile applications would be beneficial.

In addition to the widespread intention to introduce some mobile applications, a significant number of managers indicated they wish to deploy comprehensive cloud-based mobile solutions, incorporating 20 or more applications.

Dan Ortega, senior director of product marketing for the company that commissioned the study, said the research suggests "IT managers will be faced with greater complexities and requirements across the entire enterprise mobility framework." Cloud computing providers are central to helping companies deal with this complexity, he said.

Increased adoption of cloud-based mobile technology may necessitate renewed thinking about data security measures. According to a recent study conducted by Forrester Research, approximately 54 percent of companies experienced a data breach in 2010.