Role of cloud still misunderstood by many

There have been many “next big things” in the corporate world. Some of them – like computers – have taken off, while others like unified communication and VoIP phone systems are still making a name for themselves. One of the current big trends is cloud computing strategies and, while many in business have heard of the solution, it turns out not many actually know what it is.

A new national survey from Wakefield Research shows that while many professionals have heard of cloud computing, few actually understand what it really is and what it can do. There is false prioritizing that being able to work from home is the best feature of the cloud and faulty knowledge that stormy weather can disrupt the effectiveness of the cloud, the way it does with satellite reception.

The study polled more than 1,000 Americans in August and found that 22 percent of respondents pretend to know what the cloud is and how it works. On top of that 56 percent believe other people refer to the cloud and don’t know what they are talking about. According to the survey, this false bravado can be seen in the office, on job interviews and on first dates.

One of the more interesting findings from the research is that only 33 percent of respondents believe the cloud is the future, yet 97 percent admitted to using the service today though online shopping, file sharing and social networking.

Regardless of the personal interactions with cloud options, 59 percent believe it is the workplace of the future and implementing a solution in any regard just for the sake of doing so can cause more harm than good. Organizations in Ohio that are interested in deploying a cloud computing option would be wise to partner with an IT consulting firm.

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