Risks and Rewards in Cloud Computing

by   |  1 min read
Published :

Organizations looking to migrate to the cloud need to be aware of not only the rewards the transition will bring, but also the risks associated. While the knowledge of the gains will provide the motivation for completing the process well, a good idea of the possible pitfalls is essential to make sure there are no gaps in the migration strategy.

Let’s begin with taking a quick look at the rewards first.

The need to adopt cloud

Cloud computing is essentially a disruptive technology that has changed the way enterprise computing has been done. The single most important feature is the feasibility of true scalability, allowing businesses to acquire and release hardware resources on demand. Process efficiencies also shoot up as more and more employees are able to access applications remotely and update data in real time. The cloud has also improved disaster management and enable big data predictive technologies.

Challenges in cloud computing

But all these advantages also have a flipside, and that is an increase in complexity. A typical enterprise is already using multiple applications, and adding one more system can raise the learning curve for employees as well as the inter-system complexity. Vendors point out that the solution is cross-application integration, but that remains easier said than done because most implementations need to be perfected at the source code or API level. Another point of contention is the remote location of business data, which many enterprises deem as less secure.

Cloud computing is tricky turf, and it falls to the experienced vendor to apply the right judgment and guide the clients to successful migration and integration.