The technology environment we knew has changed and it's still changing, thanks to the power of cloud computing.
That was the word from Cloud On Demand CEO Jonathan Kropf, speaking yesterday at the ITWeb Cloud Computing 2014 Summit.
"In the 90s, it was about PCs. Now, many job functions can be done off a tablet," said Kropf. "BI [business intelligence] was about pulling data out of transactional systems and presenting it to users to answer their queries. Now big data is about pulling information from everywhere and answering questions we haven't yet asked."
These fundamental shifts in technology are often best hosted in a cloud service, he noted.
Kropf added the reason organisations should take serious notice of cloud is presented by Kodak, which, in 1997, was valued at $28 billion only to file for bankruptcy 15 years later.
"Kodak chose to ignore digital cameras and protect its film business. The company thought it owned too much of the market for any meaningful impact from digital to take serious effect. By the time it realised this technology shift could not be ignored, it was on a downhill slope and today it is gone."
To further show how cloud will impact your business, organisations need to look at the growth statistic for public cloud, said Kropf, adding that in the US, a market considered "mature" is still experiencing almost 20% CAGR.
"Emerging markets' cloud spending will account for almost 30% of net new public IT cloud services spending growth in 2016," Kropf revealed.
Cloud On Demand, in partnership with ITWeb, last year conducted a survey which discovered the large majority of people believe cloud is real and not just hype. This shows the maturation of the thinking in partners and customers, he pointed out.
"When talking to organisations about cloud, it is important to focus on the low-hanging fruit. The key is to get them on board and then build out services. E-mail, backup, PBX and mobilising the workforce are key areas to concentrate on.
"Skip to the present day and, in many cases, cloud computing has grown up, but not always to be the mature adult. Sometimes it is the awkward teenager who causes trouble for no reason and has to be guided through life."
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