CIOs claim cloud computing 'over-hyped'

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Much has been made of the new challenges cloud computing has brought to IT departments, but a new report claims things aren’t that different from before.

In a survey by Vanson Bourne of 250 UK chief information officers (CIOs), the respondents said the top three issues they faced were the same now as they were before the invasion of cloud – security, cost cutting and migration.

The vast majority of CIOs – 86 per cent – believed cloud computing was “over-hyped” and 74 per cent thought the transition over to the new technology wasn’t any different from previous technology trends they had to shift between.

The research also showed whilst CIOs were looking for reliability, security, reputation and lower costs when examining potential cloud providers, these were the same traits they had always looked for when deciding on an IT vendor.

“The research clearly shows that while the IT landscape may have changed, CIOs’ concerns have not,” said Keith Tilley, managing director UK and executive vice president Europe for SunGard Availability Services – the sponsor of the survey.

“Businesses are looking to exploit the cloud’s potential, but they’re not willing to give up the security or resilience of their data. And as data continues to grow at an alarming rate, the pressure on CIOs to ensure it’s always available to the organisation will only increase, regardless of the platform on which businesses’ data is delivered or stored.”

This does not mean it will be an easy ride for cloud providers though. The survey showed 71 per cent of the CIOs were seeking more transparency from cloud companies when it came to data protection.

On top of this, 66 per cent wanted clearer proof of data security and 45 per cent sought more visibility on pricing.

“Data is of absolutely no use if it’s unavailable when the business needs it,” added Stuart Whittle, CIO at Weightmans Solicitors.

“Where we have moved elements of our infrastructure into the cloud, it’s imperative that we’re not making any sacrifices in order to enjoy the cloud’s benefits. This means that security and resilience cannot be an afterthought – it has to be ingrained into the very fabric of the solution.”

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