UK government moving toward the cloud

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

The UK government may soon give the nod to cloud computing as a means of reducing IT costs and improving efficiency, according to a recent report by Ovum.

In its 2011 Trends to Watch: Government Technology report, Ovum stated over the next 12 months, it expects to see an increased use of cloud computing technology and business process outsourcing as agencies become more aware of the strategic advantages offered by these approaches.

However, as it has with organizations in other sectors, security in the cloud will remain a major concern, causing some agencies to delay deployments, the report stated.

While the cloud can reduce operational costs, Ovum analyst and report author Jessica Hawkins noted that agencies should look beyond simple cost-cutting measures and consider the long-term benefits of the cloud, including increased efficiency.

Ovum's report reflects a trend also occurring within the U.S. government, which has been inching for more cloud deployments in recent years. Last month, the U.S. Office of Management and Budget issued a statement to federal agencies urging them to implement a "cloud-first" approach to IT practices.