29 Jun 2010

Cloud pitfalls to be avoided

Businesses have been advised on the myriad dangers that are to be avoided when embracing cloud computing services.

Frank Gens, senior vice-president and chief analyst at IDC, told Search CIO that failing to understand the true nature of the cloud can be one of the primary pitfalls that companies face.

Indeed, they should be aware of the technology's limitations and should not expect it to solve all the IT infrastructure problems of a firm overnight.

However, he added that cloud computing is akin to what the internet was 20 years ago, in that it is a "game changer".

Mr Gens commented: "Think of how many people use WebEx and make extensive use of cloud apps. The number one application in most enterprises is email, which is rapidly being outsourced to public clouds."

Elsewhere, Eric Berridge, co-founder of New York-based solutions provider Bluewolf, recently stated that there has been a boom in the uptake of Software-as-a-Service - SaaS - and cloud computing in the UK following the economic downturn.