High-profile international businesses adopting cloud computing at rapid pace
Tuesday, November 08, 2011 5:53:42 PM
Industries with the highest security requirements and most stringent regulatory compliance statutes have been among the slowest to adopt new technology, such as cloud computing. However, new reports show that some of these industries, including major international banks, are adopting cloud-based services fairly rapidly, the Financial Times reports.
According to the source, the Open Data Center Alliance, compromised of 300 companies that collectively spend over $100 billion on IT each year, expects to triple its cloud adoption by 2014. This, the news provider notes, would be five times as fast as some of the predictions over the past year.
"The ODCA membership comprises some of the largest adopters of cloud computing across the globe," chairman of the ODCA Marvin Wheeler told the website. "Today's news illustrates how rapidly our membership is implementing cloud in internal environments and with service providers. We're delighted by the rapid progress to set standards for cloud security and management, and collaboration with data center industry leaders to deliver open, interoperable cloud solutions."
Most of the companies in the ODCA fall under some of the strictest regulations, as the source notes Deutsche Bank, JPMorgan Chase, Lockheed Martin and National Australia Bank are among the leading organizations with membership.
While cloud security concerns have been the prevailing themes preventing more widespread adoption, public statements from high-ranking national security officials have likely helped quell some of these issues. Last month, the U.S. National Security Agency's Cyber Command commander General Keith Alexander explained his excitement for the potential the cloud could offer the military and intelligence branches.
General Alexander explained that because of the flexibility and transparency the cloud offers, officials in Washington can keep a closer eye on happenings in offices across the nation. Additionally, the ability to quickly deliver acquired intelligence to soldiers and other members of agencies like the U.S. Department of Defense in the field could improve the efficacy of many operations.
"Transparent oversight … is critical to broad adoption of cloud computing, Lockeed Martin's chief technology officer, Curt Aubley, told the Financial Times. "Working with DMTF enables our members to work hand in hand with some of the world's experts in data center management."
The news provider notes that legal, finance applications and human resources were viewed as the most appropriate branches for cloud deployment among 30 percent of the ODCA's membership.
-McAfee Cloud Security
