Some organizations lack proper IT skills needed for the cloud

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Cloud computing continues to be one of the fastest-growing areas of IT in the world, but some employees may lack the proper skills to maximize its benefits, which could be hurting their return on investment figures.

The Art of Service, an IT professional services company, recently announced findings of a study in which 58 percent of organizations surveyed have delayed or stopped their cloud computing migration because of their inability to manage the technology properly.

Also, of the North American companies surveyed, average losses of not managing a successful cloud computing model are $1 million annually, according to Art of Service CEO Ivanka Menken.

"Used properly, cloud computing can assist IT professionals and companies with important areas including risk management, storage, standards, infrastructure, platforms, applications and clients, resulting in an increased return on investment," the company said in a press release.

Although some IT professionals fear the rapid adoption of cloud computing may mean the end of their job prospects, Menken does not share this sentiment. Earlier this month, the founder of the Art of Service said that cloud computing will actually mean more jobs, especially in the service-based support industry.