Majority of companies expected to employ cloud computing

A recent survey performed by IDG Research Services found 75 percent of respondents either currently employ enterprise class cloud computing solutions, or intend to deploy the cloud within the next five years. For the most part, IT is leading the cloud computing revolution by recommending the systems that would be the most profitable to transition to the cloud. However, 23 percent of respondents said business leaders will sometimes jump to the cloud without consulting with the IT department.

"This independent study validates the industry notion that enterprises want customizable cloud solutions that go beyond the application level and comprehensively address requirements such as security and service levels," said Brian Doerr, CTO at a cloud hosting provider.

The survey found a few overarching trends that are present in the cloud computing industry. Sixty percent of respondents said they find it difficult to match their business needs with the services of a cloud hosting provider. Sixty-two percent prioritize security when choosing a provider. Overall, 69 percent find the cloud gives their organization more flexibility and 64 percent expect to increase cloud-related spending over the next year.

According to a recent report from IT Business Edge, cloud computing can provide flexibility and save businesses money by removing the dependence that businesses often have on expensive computing hardware. The report said cloud computing is capable of completely removing the need for extensive IT infrastructure because it moves servers and other demanding systems out to data centers that are managed by cloud hosting providers.

The report said that companies often spend millions of dollars hiring consultants, developing software strategies, testing applications and installing new hardware. These systems are then stuck in place until they become obsolete, limiting a business' ability to flexibly expand based on consumer demands.

With cloud computing, the report said, businesses can flexibly scale their various operations by removing the need for internal hardware architectures and depending on a pay-per-use, remotely delivered software model. These models can dramatically cut costs by removing waste associated with unused legacy software and eliminating the maintenance costs that are associated with large-scale, on-premise data centers and IT infrastructure.

Cloud computing can also remove the need to spend on consulting services, as SaaS delivery models allow businesses to take more risks on software deployment since subscriptions can be cancelled at a moment's notice. Furthermore, many cloud providers include consulting services as part of their service level agreements, making it easier for businesses to keep track of their various cloud computing deployments.

"With the latest advances in cloud technology, businesses are now able to decrease the amount of consulting they require because of the turnkey nature of cloud solutions. With a cloud-based network, all the planning is done by a third-party provider. Your data is simply transferred to the cloud, while user accounts and storage capacity are added when needed. In the event you do need advice on growing your network, the cloud provider is there to answer questions," the IT Business Edge report said.

The report said that many businesses use obsolete hardware and software solutions because they cannot afford an IT overhaul. Actions of that nature can become unneccessary, as cloud computing is able to completely change IT paradigms, providing businesses with a cost-efficient model to intelligently deploy remote computing services within the enterprise. Cloud computing allows users to scale software based on current needs, minimize maintenance and investment in hardware and other IT infrastructure, circumvent traditional consultancy models and create consistent, manageable budgets. By deploying the cloud, organizations can leverage top technologies without the corresponding hardware costs.