Successful cloud systems require proper management

Talk about any business solution with company decision-makers and there is a good chance that incorporating cloud technology into that system is bound to come up. This goes hand-in-hand with the growing adoption of cloud computing in the business world, as recent studies show.

Symantec conducted a recent study that shows not only the great interest in cloud technology but also the pitfalls that businesses can encounter. The “Hidden Costs of Cloud 2013 Survey,” found that more than 90 percent of organizations are considering some form of cloud option, which is up 13 percent from a year ago. However, 77 percent also cited an increase in costs associated with the cloud.

Symantec attributes these issues to “rogue” cloud use. What that means is employees that use public cloud services for work functions that are not managed by the companies IT department.  Employees cite convenience as their reason for using their cloud tech on their own and think it will save time and money – when it does the opposite.

It can be thought of like a plate spinner. In the act, the performer get a bunch of plates spinning on thin poles spread all around the stage and runs around to keep them all going. The more plates going at once, the harder it is to keep them from falling.

The same happens with IT departments. With more systems and service providers to deal with, there is a greater likelihood that something will get overlooked and cause a problem. Of the respondents that said they went rogue on the cloud, 25 percent said they experienced some form of data loss or account breach.

For small businesses that want to look to the cloud, it can be tough to have a dedicated tech team manage it. There is where an experienced IT consulting firm can come into play.

From our offices in Dayton, Columbus, Cincinnati and Cleveland, PRO OnCall is your single-source technology consulting service, offering managed IT support, unified communications solutions and on-call IT support.