CDW: Personal Cloud use Influences Workplace Cloud Implementation Decisions

 CDW has announced the release of its 2013 State of the Cloud Report , which assesses current and future cloud-computing trends in the U.S. The report found that over half of organizations are planning to migrate or have migrated certain business applications to the cloud and that personal use of cloud system services is a primary driver of organizational cloud-related decisions. Specifically, the report determined that 73 percent of companies think that personal use of cloud applications and mobile devices has influenced organizational decisions to adopt cloud computing. Another 68 percent said that requests for cloud services by employees have increased over the past two years.

“Organizations’ adoption of cloud computing has steadily increased, which comes as no surprise given the growth of mobility and the consumerization of IT,” Stephen Braat, general manager of cloud solutions at CDW, said. “By aligning cloud services with critical applications and preferences of employees that use mobile devices, organizations can better capture business value that includes cost savings, increased efficiency, improved employee mobility, and an increased ability to create innovative new products and services.”

Though security remains a continuing concern for companies as they migrate to the cloud, other issues have arisen as well. As cloud services evolve, the report found that many companies are experiencing growing concern over cloud service performance (32 percent) and the technical integration of cloud apps and/or infrastructure with legacy systems (25 percent). But despite these emerging challenges, the CDW report estimates a current-year savings from cloud adoption to be 13 percent.