Cloud usage grows, but security fears persist

Some of the hype around cloud computing may have turned into real uptake, but persistent security fears mean UK business customers are largely opting for private clouds.

A survey by cloud-peddler Cisco revealed that on the whole, there is a shift in attitudes in the UK and Ireland to increasingly place applications and services in the cloud.

90 percent of the surveyed IT decision makers have cloud computing on their agenda, which is a jump from 52 percent in 2011. Cisco maintains that the hype machine is slowing and customers are actually using the cloud.

Now, 31 percent consider cloud computing to be critical to much of their business activity, up from just seven percent last year.  According to the survey, 85 percent are planning further investment in the next year.

However, it seems that many customers still need some convincing about the security of public clouds. Over half of respondents, 54 percent, were happier to keep their data on premises with a private cloud setup.

Many organisations question the reliability of the cloud and are more inclined towards a gradual approach when handing over company data.

This meant the use of private clouds has increased over the past year, with 52 percent of respondents investing in this model compared to 34 percent in 2011.

Public cloud is also on the rise, increasing from 18 percent last year to 29 percent in 2012, and Cisco believes that this is part of the current drive towards the “mainstream”.

“This new report validates a shift that many of us in the IT industry have been witnessing first hand over the last 6-12 months,” said Ian Foddering, Chief Technology Officer and Technical Director, UK and Ireland.

“Cloud usage has now gone mainstream. After several years of ‘hype’ across the IT industry, it now seems that cloud is maturing and organisations across a broad range of sectors are realising the benefits of moving to a cloud model.”