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Organisations are recognising the benefits of the cloud and making extensive preparation – but they are still experiencing various problems with implementation, according to a new study.<\/p>\n
The study, conducted by IT provider Softchoice, and which polled 250 IT decision makers across North America, found preparation for cloud initiatives was, on the whole, exemplary. 83% of those polled said they assessed existing applications to determine if they were ready for the cloud, 82% modernised their data centres in preparation, while just under three quarters (72%) communicated the business impact of a cloud strategy internally.<\/p>\n
Once companies take the plunge however, the issues begin. 57% of those polled admitted they had exceeded their cloud budgets at some point, while more than two in five (43%) said they had trouble in knowing how to create an effective cloud management strategy.<\/p>\n
The larger the organisation, the greater the struggle. Almost half (48%) of IT leaders at mid-sized firms strongly believed moving to the cloud had helped them achieve their business goals, a figure which compares unfavourably with enterprises (36%). Only one in three (36%) of all respondents strongly agreed they were confident about their cloud security policies.<\/p>\n
The report also provided one of the strongest assertions that the skills gap was alive and well in cloud computing; 96% of those polled said there was a skills gap in their organisations. This is a long-term bone of contention as regular readers of this publication will recognise. A study from F5 Networks and Foresight Factory last month<\/a> argued the importance of management in this context; with technologies such as containers and APIs, as well as multiple cloud services, coming to the fore, issues will persist.<\/p>\n “The journey to the cloud, no matter the organisation, isn’t without its challenges,” said Craig McQueen, senior director of innovation at Softchoice. “Organisations are doing the necessary prep work, but there are still opportunities to adjust their strategies for long-term success.<\/p>\n “When IT leaders prepare for the unpredictability in cloud costs, and bring in the right outside partners, organisations can become more efficient and effective in the cloud,” McQueen added.<\/p>\n