Cloud computing not the death of internal IT, just an evolution

Wednesday, June 09, 2010

With more companies employing SaaS and making the move into the cloud, many see this shift as the death of internal IT. However, as a report from InformationWeek states, the move toward SaaS isn't an overthrow, but an evolution.

Companies that want to move into the cloud can keep much of their internal IT in place, but they must decide how to optimize their capabilities - both externally and internally - for the cloud. Recently, Microsoft stated that incorporating hybrid cloud models, which allows a break down of components that go into the cloud, can make the transition smoother, while allowing companies to keep other aspects internal.

"Our job, simply put, is to deliver what customers need to take advantage of cloud computing on their own terms," said Bob Muglia, Microsoft's senior vice president of server and tools business, InformationWeek relays.

According to the InformationWeek article, many CIOs have expressed their interest in developing technologies or applications within the cloud and then pulling them out for use in-house. Doing this would allow those in the managed network to test the applications before the CIOs pull them out for internal use. For this approach, the hybrid cloud seems perfectly suitable, and as the article states, far-sighted.

As the technology world evolves with newer advances, like cloud computing, companies must too evolve with better strategic IT decisions. Many companies are currently planning a move to the cloud, as a result. According to a report from CloudTweaks, 20 percent of companies will shift to cloud computing during the next four years.