Chester businesses up in the air over cloud computing

IT may be the most talked about IT trend in years but business owners and managers in Chester are still baffled about what cloud computing is and what it can deliver.

That’s the finding of a new survey from The PC Support Group (Chester), which reveals that only 42% of directors and senior managers can claim a grasp of what cloud computing is, while just 16% are planning to use the technology in 2011.

Often misleadingly described as a new delivery model for IT, cloud computing is, in fact, internet-based computing, whereby software and storage are provided to computers and other devices on-demand. A common consumer-based cloud system is Facebook where the users have no thoughts or concerns over who is maintaining the interface and hardware it runs on, or where the data is stored.

Industry commentators predicted 2010 would be the year cloud computing came of age, but to date the take up has not matched the hype in the business community.

Nearly half (49%) of the 75 respondents saw ease of working together across multiple locations as the principle benefit of this approach, while 30% cited reduced capital costs.

The biggest barrier to entry (30%) is security concerns, while doubts about the quality of service if something went wrong, is highlighted by a quarter of respondents.

“Most businesses have IT at the heart of operations, so it’s hardly surprising that there’s a lot of talk about the potential of cloud computing, and no less surprising that reality does not always match the dream,” said Shab Syed, regional director of The PC Support Group (Chester).

“Too many IT companies are blindly pushing cloud computing as suitable for everyone, while some IT professionals are simply worried it will do them out of a job. As with all advances and changes in technology, it is usually a combination of products and services that work best. The invention of wireless networking hasn’t removed the need for wired networks – it depends on the circumstances and what the business needs as to which you use, when and where.

“We’re not expecting to see a tectonic shift in the uptake of cloud computing services next year,” added Shab, “but there will be more headlines and with such a strong focus on reducing cost and improving efficiency more businesses willneed to review their IT requirements.”