19 Jun 2009

Cloud computing 'gains boost against off-the-shelf IT'

Traditional off-the-shelf IT solutions could soon be a thing of the past, as more businesses look to embrace cloud computing and virtualisation, one IT sector expert has noted.

Michael Dean, head of marketing at the National Computer Centre, said that small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the UK could soon be set to embrace cloud computing in a big way.

He noted that the system setup offers a range of advantages to firms, from increased data availability, through to secure data transfer capabilities and increased storage capacity for company records.

He commented: "Cloud computing is in its early days and not suitable for all, but this situation will change. SMEs that typically have off-the-shelf IT requirements will see a lot of benefit in the cloud."

According to research carried out by Ardent Solutions and published earlier this month, businesses must continue to invest in new technologies in order to stay abreast of the competitors during this period of financial instability.