Demand for Cloud Storage: No End in Sight

Demand for Cloud Storage

This year, 37% of respondents said they have been using cloud computing for three or more years, a one-third increase over last year’s 27%.

Compared to last year, the overall adoption of cloud services steadily increased across all categories, with Software as a Service reaching 62%.

Both cloud storage and Infrastructure as a Service edged closer to 50% adoption rates, at 46% and 49%, respectively. Platform as a Service increased the most because organizations are becoming more comfortable with the cloud.

Despite having the second lowest adoption rate today, respondents expect the most from cloud storage. 84% said they use, or plan to use, cloud storage—more than any other cloud initiative.

Enterprises with more than 1000 employees (60% of respondents) are implementing cloud storage at far greater rates than small businesses and mid-market companies with fewer than 1000 employees (38% of respondents).

Scalability and storage capacity was the benefit identified most often by cloud storage users. But the general population said they valued offsite data protection for disaster recovery the most.

In contrast to cloud storage users, scalability and storage capacity expansion was the benefit least cited by organizations without plans to implement cloud storage.

The biggest objection to cloud storage is security and/or loss of control, according to 62% of respondents.

The next three areas of greatest concern are: 38% cited cost and uncertainty about cost, 31% named regulatory compliance issues, 30% listed performance speed, reliability and uptime

Organizations want immediate solutions to rapidly escalating data growth and disaster recovery. Implementing cloud storage incrementally gives them a unique opportunity to solve their immediate problems while testing a long-term storage strategy.