Cloud computing is a revolutionary technology that allows businesses to save money on their IT infrastructure costs. It removes the need for large server rooms and expensive equipment and can help make backups and restoration easier. It’s much more efficient and flexible and allows your increasingly remote workforce to work from home or across the globe.
We’re not the only ones who are enthusiastic about cloud computing. The following statistics show that the cloud is here to stay, and highlight some cloud trends to follow in the present and future.
1. In 2018 there were approximately 3.6 billion consumer cloud users
Each year brings further adoption of cloud technology for both personal use and business. In 2013, there were 2.4 billion consumer cloud users. In just over five years, that number soared by 50% to 3.6 billion.
The consumer cloud refers to solutions that everyday people can use like iCloud, Dropbox, or cloud password solutions, among other options. It has made sharing photos and files very easy. Instead of having to e-mail large files and waiting for large files to send, you can just share a link with your bestie to get access to the pictures from your vacation. However, the cloud has much bigger implications for small businesses.
2. 77% of businesses currently have one or more applications in the cloud
It’s not just consumers who benefit from the cloud. Businesses have practically nothing to lose and a lot to gain by using cloud technology. Perhaps that is why at least 77% of companies today use the cloud for at least one program or application.
The use of cloud applications can improve overall revenue by lowering overhead costs and making it easier for both employees and clients to use your services and communicate. Those are just a few reasons businesses keep turning to the cloud more and more.
3. Cloud services account for more than 50% of Amazon’s profits
When you think of the mega-company Amazon you probably think of all the goodies you buy online that conveniently show up at your doorstep in 1-2 days. However, in the second quarter of 2018 Amazon Web Services, a popular enterprise cloud solution represented more than 50% of the company’s profit. It’s a surprising statistic that proves the power and popularity of cloud computing for websites and businesses.
4. Cloud computing will be a $162 billion industry in 2020
In 2015, the cloud computing industry was worth about $67 billion. In 2020, the industry is projected to grow by 142%, to $162 billion. This is due in part to innovative and useful products hitting the market, and wider adoption from both consumers and businesses alike.
Due to this increase, spending on cloud computing is expected to grow at 6 times the rate of growth of typical IT expenditures. Even so, cloud computing saves businesses money, and this rate of growth represents a shift in IT budgets from expensive physical infrastructure to the cloud.
5. Physical data centers have 51% more security incidents than cloud storage
While security is always a top priority for any data storage service, cloud or in-person, physical data centers have a lot more security risks to manage. Businesses have experienced a 51% higher rate of security incidents in on-premises data centers than those in the cloud.
This is one of the reasons managing your own on-site data center, no matter how small it is, has a lot more cost associated with it. Additionally, many cloud storage solutions offer useful security features like automatic updates, or efficient spam or phishing e-mail monitors.
6. The cloud helps businesses have more uptime
According to Microsoft, 61% of businesses that move to the cloud report less downtime since moving to cloud services. The amount of downtime for cloud services improves each year, as the top cloud providers battle it out with each other to be named the “best.”
Now, 80% of businesses demand a nearly perfect uptime of 99.99% from their cloud services providers, which is about an hour of downtime. 15% demand an impressive 99.999% uptime, which results in just 5 minutes of downtime each year!
7. Multiple cloud strategy is preferred by 81% of businesses
A multiple cloud strategy was used by 81% of enterprise users in the last year. This strategy involved the use of two or more private, public, or hybrid cloud solutions. Using multiple cloud services can allow a business to take advantage of more than one service, and use the strengths of each one to bring you the best of the cloud.
Hybrid cloud refers to a combination of physical on-site data storage and cloud services. Both are considered a way to have more secure data storage. If the data exists in multiple locations, the backup and restoration process may be more reliable. However, with hybrid storage, you don’t get as many of the cost-saving benefits of moving solely to the cloud.
Contact your managed IT services provider to find out more about how to improve your business’ cloud solutions or get information about moving to the cloud for the first time.
