The business world is moving toward what may soon be an all-cloud computing deployment model, a recent IT World Canada article noted. But as companies are increasingly prompted to shift their resources to colocation hosting and cloud storage solutions, they also must make sure to do so with a strategic vision. Although the cloud can offer valuable solutions to existing problems, IT departments will still want to rely on a range of specific technologies based on application needs.
"[P]ublic procurement processes will almost inevitably lead to more than one type of cloud being used which, for many reasons, is probably preferable but also more complex," IT World Canada contributor Don Sheppard wrote.
Getting into the cloud is often seen as such a key imperative for businesses that there is less consideration about the best way to do so, ITBusinessEdge contributor Arthur Cole explained. A lack of planning can hold back a cloud implementation from offering maximum benefit. In many cases, companies have multiple departments attempting separate moves to the cloud, which can limit the technology's inherent agility and integration benefits.
For some organizations, the public cloud may not be the ideal solution, and a custom virtualization deployment may make more sense, the article noted. To determine the best form of cloud storage for an individual business, it can be advantageous to work with a managed services provider to develop a custom plan. More often than not, a hybrid cloud offering that gives organizations the security and control advantages of on-premises solutions and the scalability and flexibility of the cloud will be the ideal route to take.