Private cloud to become the new ‘normal’ for IT infrastructure

IDC conducted an in-depth cloud computing research study in Australia from March-May 2010 with VMWare announcing the survey clearly reveals that both private and public cloud adoption is a reality for today’s enterprise, and that the majority of respondents, 72%, intend or currently already use a private cloud infrastructure.

Compared to just a year ago, IT decision-makers in Australia are now taking a pragmatic approach to cloud computing, with only 28% saying they have no plans to use a private cloud infrastructure at this point, and only 3% believing it was a passing fad. For most, the definition of cloud includes virtualisation, elasticity, metered pricing and delivery via the internet. Contrasting interest in public and private clouds, respondents were more interested in building private cloud infrastructures.

Paul Harapin, Vice President for VMware Australia, said, “It’s great to see feedback from IT decision-makers in Australia, which demonstrates they are aware of the potentially transformative business benefits of cloud computing. Furthermore, that virtualisation is the highest rated cloud-enabling technology, and is considered as the fundamental basis of a cloud-enabled infrastructure. We believe we are in a unique position to help our clients on the journey towards the cloud.”

Linus Lai, Associate Director, IDC, who ran the survey, commented, “The feedback from respondents demonstrates the expectation that private cloud will become the new ‘normal’. With cloud computing being currently used, or a planned implementation in the foreseeable future, we believe that a cloud approach to IT infrastructure will become pervasive in Australia.”

When surveyed about the drivers for cloud computing for both public and private clouds, most are anticipating to see return on infrastructure assets as a clear business benefit. For private cloud the expectation is to record ROI within 1.8 years. The primary reason given by respondents for the adoption of cloud technologies is to drive a more effective use of IT infrastructure, followed by the ability to improve the overall business operating environment. Interestingly, C-level executives are much more involved in public cloud adoption, whereas private cloud adoption remains the domain of the CIO and IT Manager. Furthermore, cloud plans are driven domestically, with nearly two thirds of respondents initiating projects locally rather than at a regional or global level.