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2. It’s totally not secure.

Probably the most common misconception about cloud computing is that it is much more vulnerable to security threats. In fact, concerns over security could easily be the most common roadblock to the overall adoption of cloud computing. Because of its complexity, it is understandable that security would be a real concern. But are these concerns warranted? Not really. The reality is that the naysayers really can’t articulate their concerns except in very vague terms.

The real issue is insecurity on the part of potential adopters. To many, the idea of the cloud is intangible and difficult to comprehend in its entirety. In general, the security concerns relating to individual components of the cloud environment have been addressed and the cloud has been found to be as safe and secure as anything else in the enterprise. The cloud is really just a delivery system, and what it is delivering are services that have been tested and proven. Distributed computing, virtual desktops, network storage, and network-based applications are not new technologies. Cloud computing has simply changed how those services are delivered to the client.

Cloud computing has created a paradigm shift in

how we do business. When properly implemented,

it can result in greater cost savings, improved

consistency and reliability, and vastly improved

efficiency and collaboration. With all of these

benefits, it’s surprising that more businesses

haven’t adopted a cloud strategy or implemented

the technology. However, there are a number of

lingering common misconceptions about cloud

computing—not just from the point of view of the

business, but even at the highest levels of IT.

1. The cloud is just one, big thing.

What is cloud computing? Is it virtual desktops? Mobile applications? Network-based storage? Remote support tools? The truth is, it’s all of those things. There are consumer products, virtual desktop hosting, server-based storage and backup solutions, and a vast number of support and monitoring tools.

Is a private cloud solution best or would a public cloud be more appropriate? What aspects of cloud computing a business decides completely depends upon the business’s needs. It’s not necessary to implement everything; it is very easy to pick and choose which components will have the greatest effect on the success of the business. And very often, businesses don’t realize that they already have many of the components of cloud computing in place!

Six Misconceptions About the Cloud

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3. If we lose the cloud, we lose everything.

Another common concern is reliability. The cloud is often viewed as a single point of failure: If the cloud fails, the business fails. The fact is that cloud computing is as reliable as any other enterprise service. Risks can be mitigated by working with a network provider to provision redundant connections; at the data center, it’s already a common practice to have multiple servers to provide failover or load balancing.

4. I’ll lose control of my data.

Because of the distributed nature of cloud computing, a common misconception is that once a business has transitioned its data to the cloud environment, they lose ownership or control over that data. This is of particular concern for regulated industries like healthcare, energy, or finance, and it is a reasonable one, since losing control might have serious legal or regulatory repercussions. The solution is to be very clear when developing the vendor relationship and be very specific when negotiating the contract; clearly define who owns the data, where the data will be stored, and any rules on how the data should be archived or destroyed.

5. My applications won’t run in the cloud.While it’s true that older applications that weren’t designed for use over a network may have issues running virtually, the truth is that most modern software applications have no problems running in the cloud. In fact, a related misconception is that applications can be “thrown over the wall” into the cloud and they will magically work, with no effort on the part of IT. Cloud computing doesn’t preclude application testing. Because the cloud environment is essentially replicating the desktop virtually, the same testing rules apply.

6. It’s a very costly adventure. Of particular interest to the finance team are the costs involved with moving to the cloud: Can we even afford the transition? A full-blown cloud computing enterprise should actually lower costs on the desktop because it can either move to dedicated low-cost network appliances or it can extend the life of existing devices by installing virtual machines. It can also reduce support costs by reducing the need for desktop support.

On the other hand, there are infrastructure costs. In order to implement a full-scale cloud, more robust connectivity will be necessary, and there will be additional costs associated with the addition of application support staff. Hopefully, the savings on one end will offset the expenses on the other.

The fact is, however, that most businesses are not as concerned with these direct costs as they are with indirect cost savings. These are the savings derived from the reduction in risk that results from storing data in a centralized location, improving reliability via patching, and monitoring, say, ten servers instead of hundreds or thousands of workstations.

So, should you move your business to the cloud? The technology is certainly compelling, and the fact is that IT can take it slowly, implementing the parts of the cloud that best meet the needs of the business. As the technology becomes even more ubiquitous, the benefits will continue to grow.

Written by Mike Hanson on behalf of Citrix. Citrix is transforming how people, businesses, and IT work and collaborate in the cloud era. Its portfolio of GoTo cloud services enable people to work from anywhere with anyone by providing simple-to-use cloud-based collaboration, remote access, and IT support solutions for every type of business. Learn more at www.citrix.com and www.citrixonline.com.

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