The cloud is everywhere
Global data volume is set to increase to 175 zettabytes in 2025. The most important storage medium for all this data? The cloud – and many use it without even realising it. Below are a few facts about cloud usage and its challenges.
Big differences across Europe
Many companies are moving their digital infrastructure and applications to the cloud. Doing so offers advantages: lower maintenance, for instance.
This development varies from country to country, though. In Northern Europe, demand is above average. Germany is in the European midfield with 42 percent of companies using the cloud.
In an international comparison, United States is the top-ranking country.
Private or public cloud?
For most companies, this question does not even arise. Just 11 percent of companies pursue a single cloud strategy. A private cloud is for exclusive use by one company only; a public cloud is used by several customers. It is the hybrid cloud model, however, that has become the standard, with companies using a combination of private and public cloud services. This reduces the dependence on a single cloud provider, but it also increases the effort required to manage it.
IT specialists in demand
IT specialists will be in short supply in the future. The Korn Ferry Institute estimates that by 2030, there will be a shortage of 4.3 million IT specialists in the technology sector alone. With the advance of the cloud, specific skills such as cloud architecture, security or migration will also become more important. Companies would do well to start looking for staff early on and to invest in providing additional training to their current employees.
Personal data storage still a source of concern
Most of the cloud is currently used for business purposes. While private individuals are starting to use the cloud more and more to store, share and exchange data, users still remain cautious about their personal data. Very few people make a conscious decision to use the cloud for app data storage, streaming services or other digital services.
Security issues are the biggest hurdle
When it comes to private data storage in cloud services, users are the least convinced about privacy and data security. Wrongly so? Cloud providers go to great lengths to cover precisely this aspect. In fact, the biggest security gaps occur in home use.
Fear of data loss is the second biggest concern of users. Concerns about high costs or administrative issues, on the other hand, are less important.
What are the topics of tomorrow?
While cloud services are mainly used for data storage and applications, services such as the Internet of Things or edge computing have the highest growth rates.
It’s hardly surprising; the Internet of Things is becoming more and more common in companies and private households. However, opinions differ as to whether these services lead to a reduction or even an increase in energy consumption. On the one hand, individuals can reduce their energy consumption by using smart systems; on the other hand, data processing and provision must be maintained by servers that need electricity to run.
The advance of the Internet of Things also favours the development of edge computing. Edge computing enables data processing in real time. Data is processed decentrally at the "edge" of a network in nearby devices. Costs can be saved by reducing data streaming, but security becomes more of an issue owing to the use of multiple devices.
Katrin Palm
… is fascinated about the opportunities cloud computing can offer, but she still likes to use a non-virtual external hard drive to back up her personal data.
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