When it comes to adopting the cloud, enterprise IT remains split, with some for, some against, and the rest still waiting to see more results before jumping in. That's typical for new technology adoption, given the large number of changes -- both opportunuties and risks -- that cloud computing engenders.
But I've noticed the internal IT roadblocks for moving to the cloud are changing now that the cloud push is four years old and not exactly so new or undefined. Of course, you still hear about the old concerns -- control, security, and compliance -- but new issues have arisen, including talent, infrastructure readiness, and budget.
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Are these new roadblocks real problems or just a new set of excuses to say no or stay on the fence?
There is indeed a talent shortage -- for now. If you move to Amazon Web Services, Google, or Microsoft Azure, who will maintain those cloud-based systems internally? IT managers are talking to recruiters and getting spooked around how much money cloud developers and admins are commanding these days, on top of the thin prospects for even finding qualified candidates.
Infrastructure readiness refers to the ability for the existing networks and computers that will consume cloud services to perform at the levels required. It's true that many enterprises will have to upgrade their existing infrastructure to support the requirements of moving some systems to public and hybrid clouds.
The budget roadblock is a bit of a wild card. Many companies move to cloud computing to save money, so it's hard at first glance to understand why a limited budget be a consideration. As a matter of fact, an initial investment is typically required, and many IT shops have static budgets that must be closely managed. They can't spend $5 million upfront to reduce their IT costs from $100 million to $75 million annually. That seems like a silly reason, but anyone who has battled budgets in larger organizations understands this common issue.
Even as some roadblocks to adopting the cloud are fading, new ones emerge. That's not bad, and the roadblocks aren't always excuses to say no. There will always be a reason to move to the cloud -- and reasons not to. It's not the worst development, as it ensures that the technology and best practices improve.
This article, "3 new roadblocks to cloud computing," originally appeared at InfoWorld.com. Read more of David Linthicum's Cloud Computing blog and track the latest developments in cloud computing at InfoWorld.com. For the latest business technology news, follow InfoWorld.com on Twitter.