Some companies still reluctant to adopt cloud computing
Despite the growth of cloud computing and an apparently increasing awareness of its benefits as a cost effective means of operating, a new survey conducted by Robert Half Technology has found that 23 per cent of chief information officers (CIOs) and IT directors in Britain have no plans to integrate their systems with cloud technology.
According to the report, 46 per cent of respondents who do not intend to adopt the cloud are reluctant to do so due to fears over security, while 36 per cent are concerned about continuity and 32 per cent are worried about the implications for data integrity.
"It’s surprising that so many heads of IT appear to have not embraced the value of cloud technology, although this may be partly due to a lack of understanding of the benefits and how it can be applied to their organisation," said Neil Hedges, senior manager at Robert Half Technology.
Smaller businesses were found to have the most reservations when it comes to implementing cloud systems, with 38 per cent revealing that they do not plan on using the technology, while only eight per cent of medium-sized companies shared this view.
And with 24 per cent reporting that a lack of in-house knowledge was holding them back, it appears that greater emphasis is needed on educating staff about the uses and functions of the cloud.
However, there was still a clear appetite for the technology among some businesses, and 37 per cent said that they would adopt such a system in order to take advantage of the data storage benefits.
"The benefits of cloud computing are now well-understood, with the majority of businesses currently using cloud-based services for applications such as storage and data centres," Mr Hedges added.
With this in mind, it seems that backing up files online is one of the key advantages many businesses associate with the cloud, but there are still questions surrounding the extent to which data protection facilities are effective within such systems.