Many companies have jumped on board with different levels of cloud computing sophistication. Mr. Brian Jawalka talks about the dangers of cloud computing avoidance in a recent Network World article.
- Lock-in. Cloud-delivered applications allow your organization to veer away from more rigid software/hardware stacks that are difficult to change. As today’s technology changes quickly, applications built in-house may not be able to meet new demands.
- Missing out on the “Cloud Brain Trust”. By tapping into the cloud you also tap into the expertise of cloud service providers whose sole job maybe to run data centers and support applications.
- The Scalability Ceiling. The cloud allows you to “burst” into capacity as you need it. It allows you to better handle the ups and downs of the business environment or support one-time special events or functions.
- Lack of self-service. Without the cloud, business users lose the opportunity for more self-service resources. More self-service typically allows for more IT time and money to pursue other priorities.
- Remaining in the Infrastructure Business. Cloud computing can allow IT to be removed from the responsibility of acquiring, managing and replacing hardware and servers and applying patches and upgrades to software. Mr. Jawalka points out that getting out of the infrastructure business can allow IT to focus on new applications and technology that can make the business more competitive.
