Cloud technologies, networks and data systems that store data virtually are now one of the most talked-about topics in IT. With the advent of trends such as IoT (Internet of Things) and the way information is consumed by people, Cloud's importance is becoming apparent. Industry experts understand how mutually beneficial the Cloud and IoT are to one another. The relationship began several years ago, with the advent of mobile devices in the workplace. Powerful mobile apps were developed to provide users with cross-platform capabilities, but to do this, they needed the storage and syncing technology of the cloud.

Fast forwarding to today's world. Mobile devices have become an invaluable tool across a variety of industries. They are the source of generation of essential electronic data, which has become strength for enterprises in the analytical industry. Where the data is now guiding leaders to formulate their roadmap and mission critical strategies, Cloud is enabling them facilitate and expedite the process. The time has changed when foreseeing future was just a mythical job of crystal gazers. Today, as Cloud, IoT, Big Data, Virtualization, and Analytics are walking hand in hand, businesses are able to make right decisions and take right steps that lead to excellence. This means cloud is more than just a passing fad, but a real change for the industry. It's changing the way IT needs to think and work.

The rise of "-as-a-service" models where one "Pays for what they use and how much they use" is being leveraged by various IT professionals to streamline their operations. The three Cloud service models: Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS) enables shifting of responsibilities from the head of customers, allowing them to focus more on their own business requirements and less on the underlying technologies.

The Process and Fear: Migration into the Cloud
Data and Business Process transformation/migration from On-premise solutions to Cloud is the flag post that signifies the start of a new journey. Although implementing Cloud migration aimed at replacing an on premise major business application may seem at times a simple and straight, it is often fraught with pit falls. This undermines the true value of the investment and in fact puts enterprises ina predicament. Understanding and planning for these pit falls is critical for a successful deployment of the solution. A well planned and executed cloud computing solution can not only provide needed functionality but can also offer an opportunity to improve processes that were supported directly or indirectly by legacy systems. It will need business leaders and stakeholders to work in collaboration and cooperation with their IT counter parts to clearly state business objectives for the Cloud Migration, define project scope of the Cloud Migration, and provide a set of guiding principles for all to follow. Organizations need to adopt Cloud encryption split-key encryption methodologies, which are considered as a best practice to deal with the cyber security and privacy challenges of Cloud applications.

Fear of uncertainty, loss of full control, and total visibility are also been a source of problems for various CIOs. It has enabled SMBs to harness the power of innovation and adapt the rapidly changing technology and business needs to continue efficient use of Cloud. Organizations are looking for competent partners, having a rich experience in the Cloud arena for leveraging their data management and portability tools. It will require them to follow a mature evaluation and vendor selection process while engaging business folks throughout the process. Many companies are providing education, training, and encouragement to their employees for making a full fledged workforce for driving business values out from the technologies of today.

Creating a sense of urgency and a proactive mindset among employees to protect data and information, and educating employees the risks and costs of data theft is also an important aspect in Cloud implementation. Rewarding and recognizing employee's effort and expertise in leveraging open source and Cloud technologies can bring a positive impact to the business, products, and its customers.
There is significant investment in virtualization and cloud computing taking place in IT, from SME to corporate level; it's a very exciting time to be involved in this industry. The next three to four years will see a huge increase in the uptake of cloud computing. IT professionals need to get ready for this, up-skill and focus on how to best add value to the business. (As per Interview with Siliconindia)