Top 6 Cloud Myths

Cloud computing is an arena that’s literally plagued by myths. These misconceptions are capable of impeding an enterprise, stoking fear and slowing innovation. Although, over the past half-decade, cloud computing has become more mainstream, many of the myths started way back when, and are still just as prevalent today. This, along with many new myths entering the fray.

Below you’ll find a list of 6 of the most common and deceptive myths about cloud computing.

Cloud Computing Is All About Money

One consistent myth about the cloud is that it’s all about the money. In many instances, this is in fact the case, but there are so many other factors for one to consider, when it comes to migrating over to the cloud. One of the most popular reasons for this, is agility.

Business decisions in general, including those made specifically on the cloud, are typically going to factor in money. Even if agility is the primary reason, cost is a factor that must always be considered. However, it’s foolish to assume money will be saved, especially if no leg work has been done, on properly analysing your situation.

When it comes to total cost of ownership, this is something that should always be done on a case by case basis. You want to pull cloud into various different cases. Look past just the cost implications. It’s very important that your business is as realistic as can be, when looking at potential cost savings. That way you won’t be disappointed, down the line.

The Cloud Is Not Secure

This is a cloud myth that is very commonly raised. It makes sense. Security is very important, and as such, a major concern, given the amount of confidential business data that sits online. This is even more the case when it comes to public clouds, where resources are shared amongst its various clients. One thing to note however, is that security is just as important, if not, more so, for cloud providers, as security is an integral component of their success. If a cloud provider ever hopes to be successful, then they must deploy top notch security infrastructure in line with the current industry standards.

The very best cloud providers use layered security infrastructure that comes jam-packed with an assortment of capabilities, such as protection against common DDoS (distributed denial of service) attacks, firewalls and surveillance systems. Cloud providers see security as an integral aspect of their business model, which means, they provide their clients with the best security. Cloud providers have the very best security experts that are constantly carrying out security assessments, ensuring everything meets regulations and standards.

Migrating To the Cloud Is Simple

Diving right into the cloud space, without taking the time or effort to carefully construct an effective cloud strategy, can be very risky. Whether it’s an enterprise that is already on the cloud, or is one that is thinking about migrating over, it’s very important that as much time goes into establishing a foundation for this cloud transition.

Any cloud transition strategy that you go with, should include a series of elements, such as necessary organisational changes, descriptions on various guiding principles, skills required, additional responsibilities, and the technological architecture that will be used to make this transition as smooth and efficient as humanly possible. Without putting all these things into the works, a successful migration accompanied by a responsive infrastructure is something that will never be realised. If you’re able to establish the correct plan, bringing all the right elements together to create a solid foundation, you will be able to ensure your cloud operations and migration are approached more proactively and ultimately more successfully.

The Cloud Is Dominated By the Major Firms

There is an increasing number of cloud providers out there today – with this number only set to rise. While, major companies such as Amazon, appear to be well up there, ahead of the pack, it’s very unlikely that a field as large as the cloud could ever be dominated by a single organisation, regardless of how large it may be. This is because of many things, with the most obvious being the large variety of cloud services on offer. In addition to the many components that make up cloud computing, making it very difficult for anyone provider to assert any real dominance in.

You also have to factor in the advancements in technology that sits behind cloud computing. This makes it difficult to fully define the various characteristics of a company that would ever hope to fully control the market. Customers retain full control over the various successful companies that utilise the cloud, and market competition is always a good thing, as it forces the competing businesses to constantly strive to improve, offering new and better services as and when possible.

Public Cloud Is Cheap

The perception that the public cloud is a money saver, comes from the common pay as you go business model that it uses. Starting prices are typically very cheap. However, it’s very important to note, that this specific pay model, isn’t always the most ideal, for every company out there. Take a peek at your different resource requirements as it is very important in determining which model will work best for your business.

In general, people who go with the pay as you go model, should look at it as more of a short term commitment, ideal for a one-time protect that requires a predetermined amount of resources. However, for a company or application that is actively consuming a significant amount of resources, many may find that it benefits more from a private cloud solution, as oppose to the pay as you go model. Without having in place a properly prepared strategy, you could end up wasting a great deal of resources, using a cloud service that is inefficient for what you intent to use it for. Thus, it’s important you have a real understanding of your requirements, from there, you can choose a service that is both ideal in terms of performance, and cost effective, when it comes to finance.

Everyone Should Use the Cloud

The cloud does prove to be ideal for certain use cases, such as unpredictable workloads or highly inconsistent ones or where provisioning is very important. However, there are tons of workloads and applications that don’t fit into the cloud particularly well. For example, unless you can say for certain that money will be saved, moving your legacy application over to the cloud, may not be the best idea.

Although the cloud may not be ideal for all workloads, that shouldn’t deter you from proposing a non-cloud solution, when needed.

AUTHOR INFO

Uchenna Ani-Okoye is a former IT Manager who now runs his own computer support website https://www.compuchenna.co.uk