A government IT expert has spoken out in support of the cloud.
A government IT expert has said she thinks more use should be made of cloud computing in order to boost productivity and improve security.
Home Office IT director Denise McDonagh told Computer Weekly that government departments in particular are often hampered by red tape that prevents them from adopting new technology, even though it could be beneficial.
"Even where bespoke software is used, such as the case management system at the Home Office, the IT infrastructure needed to run it can be cloud-based," she commented.
This could apply to any organisation, be it a small one or a much larger operation.
However, understanding could be a problem in making this a reality, as Ms McDonagh suggested that some people may be unaware of exactly what services can be carried out via the cloud – especially when it comes to security.
"Why develop your own secure email if there is a secure email cloud service? If it can be commoditised, then it should be in the cloud," she commented.
Cloud computing is rapidly increasing in popularity all over the world, but many firms using IT may still be holding back on adopting it because they are unsure whether it will offer them any concrete benefits.
One way of getting around this in the UK could be to employ ‘cloud champions’, Ms McDonagh said, as this could allow its potential to be unlocked through word of mouth.
Last month, chair and chief executive of security company Qualys Philippe Courtot said cloud computing is a security opportunity IT professionals should not miss.
He said a proper analysis of the components and services needed to provide secure and reliable document storage and other services could circumvent any issues presented by complex architecture.
Outsourcing requirements to a company like Dajon could be an easy way of skipping this and having everything managed securely and within easy reach.