Survey: Cloud computing hits big time

The adoption of cloud computing is on the rise, with 50 percent of Global 2000 companies already deploying the infrastructure or are planning to do so within a year, a new study found.

In the survey of 104 Global 2000 companies conducted by AppLabs, 30 percent of respondents were already using the cloud, while 20 percent said they were looking to move their applications onto it within the next 12 months.

However, the remaining half of those surveyed, said they had no plans to use the cloud in the immediate future.

AppLabs, a software testing and quality management company, conducted the poll during a Web conference it organized this month, and released the results Tuesday.

For the group not planning to adopt the infrastructure, 29 percent said lack of awareness deterred them from moving their applications to the cloud. Another 21 percent each cited security concerns and a dearth of technical expertise.

Cost was a factor for 19 percent of respondents, while 10 percent said limited services held them back from jumping on the cloud bandwagon.

Systems integrators may benefit from this industry uncertainty surrounding the cloud. Jeffrey Yeow, head of solutions for Datacraft Singapore, recently told ZDNet Asia the relatively immature cloud industry will help strengthen systems integrators' value proposition to build a business case around offering managed services to users.

However, AppLabs noted from its survey that the cloud computing paradigm is fast evolving "from a futuristic technology to a commercially viable alternative".

"Owing to its benefits and its profound impact on IT and business, firms are embracing [cloud computing]," the company said in a press statement.