Cloud computing and business

Avoiding the need for initial capital spending also came high up the agenda for Angus Tyler, chief technology officer (CTO) at Liberata, a business process outsourcing company. The firm uses Mimecast to manage its email in the cloud.

"From my experience of using Mimecast's service, I'd say that there are three key benefits of using cloud computing. Cloud services have very low entry costs, made possible by the removal of the need for upfront capital expenditure," he says.

"They can be deployed very rapidly - far quicker than pretty much any on-site solution and then there is the fact that cloud solutions, which are typically proven shared service deployments, carry minimal migration and ongoing risk for the buying organisation."

But none the less, for a business moving to the cloud has to be a considered choice, not a knee-jerk reaction, warns BT's Sutton.

"At the core, what are your drivers for doing this?" he asks. "Is it efficiency, flexibility, or innovation? Don't just react by moving to the cloud out of frustration [with the IT department]. Be really sure about what you are trying to solve."