The Unexpected Issues That Many Professionals Encounter With Cloud

For anyone familiar with cloud technology, it’s easy to name off the benefits. Cloud makes data more accessible, and makes it easier for companies to expand and shift their focus without running into problems with a lack of hardware space, or getting stuck with software they no longer need. Cloud computing helps to improve communications between team members and limit the risk of lost information and resources.

With every technological breakthrough, though, there are a few foils that tech gurus and companies alike are trying to work through. Analyst firm EMA released a new, 2014 survey on the real-world experiences that professionals had working with cloud solutions. The survey, which included answers from 400 professionals, found that 98% — basically all — of the respondents had at least one unexpected cloud challenge they had to deal with. What were the most common issues that users experienced?

Performance:

Not all cloud computing technologies have the same architecture. For organizations that are highly reliant on smooth performance without any glitches, they found that the “noisy neighbor” syndrome this architectural hurdle created could impact their overall experience.

Cloud is Down

One of the drawbacks of having all your information on cloud is, of course, that if cloud doesn’t work, you can’t work. While cloud technology is supposed to be stable and “immune” from outages, they do happen sometimes, which is why it’s important to work with cloud hosting services that take steps to reduce the frequency with which it occurs.

Pricing Issues

Although most people surveyed agreed with what seems to be basic knowledge about cloud — that a main benefit is the cost savings associated with using it — many found it difficult to understand the various pricing models. When you’re looking for a cloud company to team up with, you need to find a company whose offer fits with your business’s day-to-day needs.

Cloud Service Management

About 33% of respondents reported an issue with how their cloud was managed. Like anything else, cloud systems require IT management. Some cloud solution providers, though, choose to invest more on innovation than on simplifying their services so that they’re easy for end-users to navigate. While innovation is good, it shouldn’t come at the expense of the client who relies on the technology for their business.

At this point in time, it seems pretty clear that companies can’t just abandon cloud when the going gets tough — cloud is now too important when it comes to maintaining an overall competitive advantage. However, companies would benefit from doing in-depth research on the cloud services they are considering adding so as to pick the best match for their company’s current and future needs.

Has your company encountered unexpected issues with cloud computing? Let us know in the comments.
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