IT professionals are constantly on the lookout for ways to lighten their workload. In recent years that’s meant migrating many applications to the cloud.
Using cloud for email, storage, and file sharing has largely been embraced by MSPs. Now, that migration is beginning to include disaster recovery, according to a new survey from Zetta.
Testing A Theory
Zetta is a business continuity solutions company founded on the idea that there’s an overwhelming trend towards the cloud. Zetta’s CEO, Mike Grossman, tells ChannelE2E the company set out to see if that thesis holds up. “ shows this inexorable trend toward mass cloud adoption in a business context,” he says. “And, if anything, it seems to be accelerating faster than we projected.”
Indeed, 36% of those questioned say disaster recovery is the number one application organizations plan on moving to the cloud. Currently, productivity suites like Google Drive and Office 365 take up the bulk of cloud-based solutions, but backup and recovery are a close second.
After disaster recovery, file sharing (30%), data backup (30%), and data storage (29%) are what IT pros plan on moving to the cloud.
It’s Not All About The Money
Perhaps ironically, price isn’t the driving factor when it comes to cloud migration. Grossman says that’s because cloud-based applications can actually add value. One of the most significant challenges IT professionals face is their workload. Grossman says if a provider can offer solutions that make life easier, that’s a valuable tool.
Indeed, 61% of professionals questioned talked about reducing the burden on the IT department, while 55% wanted to reduce maintenance efforts. Grossman says that’s because enterprises are looking for ways to be effective but simple. This is becoming more apparent in the context of disaster recovery. “The nuance there is that, in the event of a real disaster where someone loses their hardware, unless they have a cloud solution it makes it harder to get up and running again,” says Grossman.
Not All Apps Are Created Equal
Cloud adoption has been widely embraced by the general consumer but enterprise companies have been slower to move in that direction.
For one, security will always be a concern. Many businesses create proprietary apps they don’t want to backup to the cloud. There will always be certain information organizations are reluctant to save offsite. “Financial and accounting applications are the ones that IT professionals tend to be the most reluctant to move,” says Grossman.
The Times They Are A Changin’
Still, concerns about alleged cloud weaknesses -- example: security -- seem to be fading.
“If I think back to five or 10 years ago, there was so much concern about security and information sitting outside of the four walls of the enterprise that there was enormous hesitation,” Grossman says. “It seems that every year more and more IT professionals are interested in leveraging the cloud. The previous reluctance has really faded.”
As attitudes change there needs to be a push from MSPs to reassure partners that their information is secure. Grossman believes MSPs are in a unique position to champion the cloud as a solution and help drive migration. “It’s helpful for their clients but also enables more subscription revenue for themselves,” he says. “It ends up being a win-win.”
The survey demonstrates that conceptions toward the cloud are changing. “The impact of the Internet and the cloud on consumer life is well documented,” he says. “It's interesting being in a B2B context to see how the cloud is having such a profound impact.”
Businesses typically take a wait-and-see approach to "new" technologies. But the CSP model has been around for more than a decade now. And from what Grossman can see, that cloud trend is accelerating.
