365iT Explains Main Business Pitfalls of Cloud Technology

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Often when discussing suitable ICT options (including Cloud) with new clients, we are amazed at the lack of guidance and assessment they have received from other providers, so we wanted to set the record straight

(PRWEB UK) 31 January 2013

Pundits would have CEO’s believe that Cloud technology is the best route to IT efficiency for every company, however the fact is that Cloud doesn’t always have a silver lining – 365iT Services warn there are significant dangers if a business jumps in feet first without careful planning and considering key factors:

Legacy

Many IT legacy systems are actually ill suited to Cloud solutions because they run on dated platforms and databases. This means that migrating to Cloud needs to be a careful, phased approach which thoroughly addresses the application build, testing, prototyping and eventual deployment, along with integration proofing, pervasive access models and robust security. In addition, Cloud technology need not be an all-or-nothing approach – the right provider should give an in-depth assessment of each individual business to see what will best suit their needs.

Legislation

Certain businesses and organisations are bound by strict legislation surrounding data location, data multi-tenancy and audit control. A suitable Cloud solution would therefore necessitate carefully addressing vendor locations, latency, resiliency and a whole host of other related issues as part of an initial scoping programme.

The Human Factor

While Cloud may potentially be the best way forward for a company, its success on a practical level will not be achieved if key human factors aren’t kept in mind. It’s important to consider such issues as how employees will access their cloud workloads, what latency is acceptable, whether all staff are on board with the new technology and who will be involved in overseeing deployment projects.

Bearing the above in mind, 365iT warn customers that the right Cloud provider needs to go way beyond the usual offering that is currently the norm. The ‘price per gigabyte’ approach which focusses on volume ignores the fact that each company is individual - all technology investments and solutions need to make sense for a business or they will fail to deliver.

Without thorough scoping, planning and risk assessment to ascertain how Cloud can best suit a particular enterprise, its effectiveness will be greatly reduced, if not counter-productive.

365iT advise that implementing Cloud technology is a journey, so the right guide is needed close at hand to steer a company through all the potential pitfalls. In summary, customers should look for the following in a Cloud provider:

•     Proven experience and expertise in delivering Cloud technology to ensure a correctly tailored approach during the planning phase i.e. clarifying the business case for Cloud, assessing whether the ICT infrastructure is ready and outlining a detailed, phased deployment plan.
•     State of the art data centre for full peace of mind.
•     Dedicated, skilled consultants to work through individual client needs as well as recommend a range of world class solutions to suit each business, whether full or partial Cloud solutions, hosting options, hybrid solutions, networks, security or managed ICT.

Peter Howells, Managing Director at 365iT Services, commented: “Often when discussing suitable ICT options (including Cloud) with new clients, we are amazed at the lack of guidance and assessment they have received from other providers, so we wanted to set the record straight. Cloud technology that works effectively for an individual business needs to be highly bespoke and carefully planned out at every stage – this approach has ensured our successful track record in providing Cloud solutions to a wide range of satisfied clients.”

For further information about Cloud solutions or to book a free consultation, visit the dedicated section at the 365iT website, or contact their team directly on 0845 5055 365.

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