Managed services provider, Advanced 365, is urging SME organisations to embrace cloud computing applications following recent research which reveals that SMEs remain sceptical about the cloud and its potential benefits. A survey of 1300 UK SMEs by online marketplace PeoplePerHour.com highlights that nearly three-quarters (74 per cent) do not currently use cloud computing models and that 43 per cent of those surveyed are unsure as to what cloud computing is.

Neil Cross, Managing Director of Advanced 365, comments, “Cloud computing technologies are evolving rapidly and with an increasing number of options to choose from it’s hardly surprising that SMEs are struggling to understand the cloud and how it could work for them. This is exacerbated by the fact that some IT service providers and value added resellers are failing to promote the benefits of cloud computing due to a lack of understanding themselves.”

Cross continues, “In simple terms, cloud computing provides on-demand IT infrastructure and applications delivered over the internet via a subscription based cost model. An example of a cloud application would be web-based email services, such as Microsoft BPOS or Google Mail, which are now being used by businesses to collaborate and communicate more effectively.”

Although cloud computing applications can be purchased quickly with the aid of a credit card, organisations often find that working with a specialist cloud partner who can provide a range of cloud enablement services results in a smoother and risk-free integration. These services should include service level management, remote monitoring, reporting, 24/7 service desk support and data transparency to maintain high availability and network performance.

Cross says, “SMEs cannot make informed decisions about cloud computing for their business if they are receiving ambiguous advice from their existing suppliers. If they feel that is the case, then they should speak with a specialist cloud partner who can advise how they can take advantage of the cloud to gain maximum business benefits and minimise risk.”

The findings from PeoplePerHour’s survey reveals that as well as there being widespread confusion amongst SMEs about cloud computing, there remains only partial demand for this technology.  36 per cent of those surveyed do not see a need to incorporate cloud computing services into their organisation, 10 per cent stated they thought it was too expensive while 9 per cent admitted their reluctance to embrace the cloud was due to security concerns. Adopting a similar mindset, the remaining 2 per cent of respondents said they did not believe cloud computing technology was reliable enough.

Cross adds, “Providing organisations choose applications that are designed, deployed and operated in line with their business requirements they can gain a number of benefits by moving to cloud computing. These include reduced costs and improved operational efficiency as the cloud removes many of the overheads typical of in-house IT management. In addition, IT hosted on the cloud is arguably more secure than an internally-managed IT system. However it is essential that SMEs, with support from a partner who truly understands cloud computing, work with a reputable provider whose data centre operations contain a high-level of security with robust back-up processes and systems in place.”