Survey finds mixed feelings on cloud computing technology among independent business owners

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Despite a recent unfreezing of attitudes toward cloud computing - which suffered from a perceived lack of security during its earliest years - a survey from the Small Business Authority found that many owners of smaller firms were still unconvinced.

Nearly half of the 1,000 small business owners surveyed, the researchers said, asserted that cloud computing couldn't help their companies save money. A further 32 percent said they were unsure, leaving just 20 percent convinced of the potential financial benefits of the new framework.

SBA CEO Barry Sloane noted that the types of applications most important to small business owners were also highlighted by the study.

"Email and ecommerce are the business applications of importance to most small businesses and it is evident that business owners are starting to learn more about the benefits of cloud computing as well as utilizing this new technology," he stated.

Experts say the study is further proof that more cloud education is needed to spread information about the system's potential efficiency and flexibility upsides.