Asia-Pacific firms increasingly using cloud services
By siliconindia   |   Tuesday, 16 November 2010, 09:41 IST   |    3 Comments
Printer Print Email Email
Asia-Pacific firms increasingly using cloud services
Bangalore: In a bid to reduce costs and improve access to services and applications, the businesses in the Asia-Pacific region are using, or planning to use cloud services, reports J. Angelo Racoma of Cmswire.com. About 83 percent of companies in the region consider cloud services as relevant, as showed by a recent study by Springboard Research. The study further reveals that among 6,953 companies polled across seven countries, firms in Japan are the most interested in cloud services, with 92 percent of respondents finding it relevant. Japan (36 percent) and Australia (31 percent) are the leaders in terms of the actual use of cloud services. On the other hand, in terms of plans to move to the cloud, Indian and Chinese firms are leading, with 43 percent and 39 percent of businesses responding affirmatively. According to the research, most respondents to the study consider IT-as-a-service a major component of their business operations. "These companies are looking for vendors and consultants that can help them enjoy serviced-based IT, particularly in the areas of cloud infrastructure and management," says Michael Barnes, Springboard's vice president of software. The study further said that while bigger firms are more interested on investing in cloud services as a long-term strategy, smaller firms consider cost savings as their main concern. Integration and security are the top concerns among businesses in the region, with 46 percent of respondents as worried about the security and integrity of their data while online. Countries in the region are yet to have better access to high-speed broadband Internet connection. In the recent APEC forum for telecommunications and information technology telecoms and IT ministers from the region have adopted a declaration that aims to improve ICT infrastructure in the region to boost economic and social activity. The general goal is for all Asia-Pacific countries to have access to next-generation high-speed broadband technology by 2020. For a successful implementation of cloud solutions, businesses would require adequate infrastructure in terms of high-speed Internet access. This is a challenge that most of the Asia-Pacific economies are yet to overcome.

siliconindia