Organisations now using the cloud outnumber on-premise organisations by a ratio of three-to-one. This shift is partly because of the COVID-19 pandemic when cloud computing became mandatory for many organisations. However, despite the mass migration to the cloud, over 70% of digital transformations fall short of their objectives. Furthermore, our recent Cloud Impact Study found that only a third (33 percent) of organisations report complete success at increasing efficiency in the cloud. Additionally, over 70 percent of respondents revealed a lack of satisfaction with the cloud’s ability to deliver extra agility.
Companies have moved to embrace the cloud, driven by the promise of greater efficiency and agility. They are discovering that effective cloud transformation involves hidden technical complexity. A failure to tackle this challenge leaves companies with incomplete cloud implementations.
Essential business benefits of cloud migration
Businesses can take their cloud computing strategies to the next level by partnering with managed cloud providers with experience in the nuances of cloud transformation. By shouldering these tasks, these partners can unlock more of cloud computing’s benefits while giving business leaders the time they need to capitalise on this powerful computing model.
The Aptum Cloud Impact Study found that 89 percent of organisations see cloud migration as essential to business continuity. Increased efficiency is also a big driver for businesses moving to the cloud. Nearly three in four respondents (72 percent) cite this as a critical benefit, highlighting the cloud’s ability to streamline cumbersome processes. Business agility is another key factor in cloud adoption, with 56 percent of companies taking this factor into account.
Processes automated in the cloud using integrated, transparent access to data are easier to re-engineer, making it more straightforward for companies to adapt cloud processes to evolving business conditions. These deliver some rewards, such as mobile access and reduced capital expenditure on hardware.
User data can also be safer in cloud infrastructures than in on-premises environments. 91 percent of Aptum’s respondents reporting a high degree of success in improving their security when migrating to the cloud, and an impressive 42 percent claiming to see complete success. With such crucial benefits driving businesses to adopt the cloud, clearly, businesses understand the innovation that can be achieved. However, several salient barriers stop businesses from maximising the cloud’s potential.
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Challenges in harnessing the power of the cloud
The complexity of cloud computing and a lack of specialist expertise are two of the main barriers to success according to the findings of our Cloud Impact Study. Security and data privacy concerns are also cited by 38 percent of businesses as the number one barrier to cloud transformation. Furthermore, a study by Devo Technology found data privacy continues to grow as an area of concern. Over 80 percent of organisations reported an increase in data of up to 40 percent since the beginning of the pandemic paired with a 60 percent increase in threat and attack complexity.
The Devo study also found staffing costs to be high with 41 percent of organisations citing challenges of increased workload, and 35 percent identifying a security skill mismatch – all resulting in a higher risk of exposure which can lead to significant costs and legal ramifications in the case of a data security breach. Our study reaffirms these findings as a quarter (26 percent) of respondents reported a lack of skills to be a barrier to cloud transformation.
The Aptum Cloud Impact Study also found that 69 percent of organisations want to accelerate cloud deployments further, but they need guidance. For organisations that start down this road without the necessary expertise, problems can appear after projects hit critical milestones. This is where a partner can help.
Success lies in a strategic approach and an expert partner
By taking a holistic approach to cloud strategies, with security at the core, businesses can mitigate and minimise risks as well as create an optimised hybrid cloud infrastructure mapped to their overall business objectives. No two cloud migrations are the same and each business has its own goals and objectives for digital transformation. Engaging an expert partner, like Aptum, helps businesses optimise cloud spend by ensuring they have the right data, on the right cloud for the right reason.
Additionally, advancing on digital transformation efforts more quickly due to partner support will expedite time to market. According to a recent McKinsey survey, respondents that were first to market with innovations during the crisis were the first companies in their industries to experiment with new digital technologies. The enhanced cloud environment created with a partner gives businesses the visibility and control they need to achieve a successful and secure cloud migration accomplishing digital transformation goals leading to better business success.
Written by Marvin Sharp, VP of Product and Strategy, Aptum
