Cloud computing technology has taken the world by storm over the past few years, and growth in this industry shows no signs of slowing down. This growth accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic as companies around the world switched to remote work setups.
Even though the pandemic has slowed down and some companies are heading back into the office, the cloud computing industry continues to grow. Cloud technology provides convenient remote data storage, so organizations no longer have to rely entirely on on-premise solutions.
In this article, well dive into fascinating cloud computing statistics that represent the state of the industry right now. These statistics give us helpful insight into todays biggest cloud computing trends and how we can expect them to evolve in the future.
Companies around the world have been adopting cloud solutions at a rapid pace over the past few years, and we can expect this trend to continue. Many companies were forced to adopt some form of cloud computing over the past few years in order to facilitate secure remote work operations. However, companies that were already using the cloud are continuing to expand their cloud solutions.
While the US may be leading the way in cloud adoption and spending, other countries arent far behind. For many large enterprises with an international presence, cloud computing became a necessity to stay connected. Many countries are embracing cloud technology and are on track to match the US in terms of cloud adoption over the next decade.
In fact, many countries have launched government initiatives to promote the adoption and advancement of cloud technology locally. Right now, a huge percentage of global data centers are located in the United States. Other countries are working to reduce their reliance on American technology by developing their own data centers.
However, not everyone is so ready to make the leap into the cloud. For example, Japan has a much lower cloud adoption rate than many other countries due to strict regulatory concerns and differing cultural perspectives on cloud technology.
The global cloud market encompasses a wide range of platforms and services. Within the market, there are three key product segments: Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Software as a Service (SaaS), and Platform as a Service (PaaS).
IaaS gives companies access to a flexible and scalable cloud setup that they can configure themselves. While the cloud provider manages the hardware, the client ultimately has full control over how it is used.
With PaaS, users have access to a full cloud platform that they can use to build their own applications. SaaS is different in that it gives users access to a web-based software program with data stored in the cloud. You likely already use cloud-based SaaS programs in your daily life like Google Drive and Slack.
These three segments of the cloud market can be broken down further in terms of customer base. For example, entrepreneurs and SMBs are going to engage with the cloud much differently than large enterprises.
One of the reasons why cloud technology has become so popular is because it can be a very safe data storage solution when implemented correctly. Cloud storage also minimizes some of the physical safety risks that come with having an on-prem data center.
However, working in the cloud still comes with its own security risks. Many companies migrated to the cloud at a very rapid pace when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, which meant that they didnt necessarily have the time or resources to properly secure their new cloud system. Some of the biggest challenges that organizations face include data privacy and security compliance when implementing cloud systems.
With cloud technology developing at such a rapid pace, it makes sense that cloud careers are taking off as well. Many jobs in the cloud market are with enterprise companies, such as AWS, Azure, and Google. However, many smaller businesses also need their own in-house cloud specialists to implement new cloud solutions or maintain existing ones.
Cloud designers and architects have become particularly valuable as many companies are building their own cloud systems from scratch. Cloud architects handle the broader infrastructure and strategy for their organizations cloud setup. Cloud designers build the software programs that are run on the cloud. Because these roles are so competitive, having experience or even a certification in a specific type of cloud technology can give candidates an edge in the tech industry.
The great resignation set off by the COVID-19 pandemic has caused some challenges for companies transitioning to a cloud environment. Many have found their IT departments understaffed, and it can also be difficult to find IT professionals who are properly trained in modern cloud solutions.
Weve seen massive growth in the cloud industry over the past several years, but what does the future have in store? If current trends are any indication, it appears that cloud technology will continue to become mainstream across the globe.
While many enterprise-level organizations already rely on the cloud for much of their operations, were likely to see small-to-midsize businesses use the cloud in their businesses as well. We also may see new types of cloud services enter the market as providers innovate and develop new solutions.
Right now, the cloud services market is largely dominated by a few specific companies, but its likely well see new competitors enter the market in the years to come. While American companies are currently at the forefront of the market, other countries are already taking steps to expand their own cloud services domestically. This is likely to lead to broader global competition.
Within the broader cloud market, there are three different cloud structures that are widely used around the world. Public, private, and hybrid clouds are all used as part of organizational IT strategies across a variety of industries.
Public cloud services are run by third-party cloud providers, who essentially sell space in their cloud environment to clients. These cloud services are delivered entirely via the internet, so companies dont have to worry about maintaining their own data storage equipment. Although hundreds or even thousands of clients use public cloud services, each clients cloud environment is kept separate and secured. Public clouds tend to be a particularly good option for smaller organizations as they are very flexible.
A private cloud environment is run by an organization internally and is only accessible by employees of that organization. This cloud may be run out of an on-premise data center or out of a private remote data center. Employees can still access data in the cloud environment via a secure internet connection.
While private cloud environments require more maintenance than public clouds, they provide more security and compliance benefits. This makes them a good option for larger enterprises or organizations that work with sensitive pieces of data.
A hybrid cloud environment has elements of both a public cloud and a private cloud. Hybrid clouds have become a very popular solution for companies migrating their existing IT environment either fully or partially into the cloud.
With a hybrid IT environment, you might keep your most secure data in a private cloud run out of your offices, while using a public cloud for the rest of your data. This approach can help companies meet compliance standards using a private cloud, while keeping less sensitive data in a public cloud to save on maintenance costs.
These cloud statistics are indicative of broader trends within the IT industry. While COVID-19 may have forced companies into cloud usage to some degree, these cloud systems are here to stay. Employees have come to prefer remote work models, and secure cloud storage is necessary to make that happen.
While cloud adoption and innovation has historically been centered in the United States, the rest of the world is catching up. Many organizations and governments overseas are working to develop their own cloud systems and data centers.
Although cloud storage offers huge benefits for organizations of all sizes, it also comes with some challenges. Many organizations are concerned about cloud security and implementation. In-house cloud experts are in high demand, and many companies are understaffed.
This is where Managed IT Services can help. This approach allows you to outsource some or all of your IT needs to an expert team. This can help you manage your cloud systems appropriately and keep your systems safe, especially as your company grows.
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Cloud Computing Statistics (2023) | Parachute
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