Businesses moving to tackle cloud integration
Businesses moving to tackle cloud integration
As the initial rush to take advantage of cloud computing starts to die down, businesses are increasingly moving towards tackling cloud integration issues in preparation for expansion.
This is according to Kate Hanaghan, research manager of K2 Advisory. Ms Hanaghan remarked that 2012 will be a “pivotal year” for a large number of organisations making sizeable shifts towards cloud computing and tackling integration challenges.
A good number of companies, however, are already working on in-house integration for the deliverance of cloud services, while a further 43 per cent are expecting to address the issue over the course of the next couple of years.
However, in both situations, companies expect an in-house team to play an important role in facilitating the cloud benefits on offer. Dr Hanaghan added: “While we often hear of the potential demise of the IT department within the context of Cloud services, it is clear from our research that CIOs expect the department to play a crucial role in ensuring that these cloud services actually work within the organisation.”
Business service platforms are among the most likely services to be moved to the cloud and Software-as-a-Service systems. The study found that nearly two-thirds of CIOs interviewed are looking at a business service platform because it would deliver the most cost-effective solution or because it was in use by their competitors.
HR, payroll, finance and procurement were shown to be the areas most likely to be moved to such a system. This is partly due to the fact that CIOs see the possibility of embracing IT cost reduction in these sections without constraining their organisational development.
Businesses looking to move services into the cloud should evaluate the performance of their existing network and consider setting up a leased line or MPLS network.
