Cloud computing is one of those technological shifts that triggers enthusiasm and, at the same time, concern for the changes that are occurring. There are benefits and there are risks. The opportunity for public sector organizations to capitalize on the benefits is clear, but the uneasiness of walking into the unknown is equally evident. In this IDC Government Insights study we present the results of a recent survey that describes the cloud computing landscape in Western Europe.
Jan Duffy, EMEA research director, Government Insights, said: "Western European government respondents are very conservative. Although there is some commitment to cloud, it is telling that in almost all instances respondents more than 75% of respondents said they had not deployed and were not planning to deploy cloud for any solution in the next 12 months. It should be said that across the other regions, e.g., Central and Eastern Europe and Asia/Pacific, government respondents were equally conservative. There seems to be little doubt that despite the rhetoric, the private sector continues to lead the way in take up of cloud services. … Given the expectations of many that cloud computing will play a major role in government computing, it is a big surprise that the increases expected in cloud budgets over the next three years are so small."
Table of Contents
IDC Government Insights Opinion
In This Study
Situation Overview
Cloud Computing and the European Union
Characteristics of Cloud Computing
Public Administration and Cloud Computing
Public Sector Can Benefit From Cloud Computing
Public Sector Preferences for Specific Types of Cloud Computing
Cloud Solutions - Beyond Pure IT
Commodity Applications Best Suited to Public Cloud
The Face of Public Clouds: Improved Service Versus Security - Reward Versus Risk
Implementation of Private Clouds Favored by Public Sector
Government Use of Hybrid Clouds Will Inevitably Increase
Understanding the Issues Sometimes Helps to Eliminate Them
Is it Time to Rethink Current Laws and Regulations?
Security Continues to be a Drag on Cloud Adoption
Managing the Behemoth We Call Information in the Cloud
The Approach
Future Outlook
Strategically Cloud Will Drive Economies of Scale, Tactically it Will Support IT Efficiency
Cloud Budget Plans and Change in Investment Are Less Than Exuberant
Western European Governments Very Conservative About Cloud Adoption
Essential Guidance
Learn More
Related Research
Synopsis
Figure: Functions Considered Most Suitable for Public Cloud Implementation - Western Europe
Figure: Functions Considered Least Suitable for Public Cloud Implementations - Western Europe
Figure: Improved Service Levels Would Drive Move to Public Cloud
Figure: Security Tops the List of Concerns About Moving to Public Cloud
Figure: Ability of IT Department to Set Up and Run a Private Cloud Environment - Western Europe
Figure: Influence of Private Cloud on Moving Applications to Cloud - Western Europe
Figure: Functions Considered Most Suitable for Private Cloud Services (Either On-Site or Hosted by a Provider) - Western Europe
Figure: Functions Considered Least Suitable for Private Cloud Services (Either On-Site, or Hosted by a Provider)? Western Europe
Figure: Functions Considered Most Suitable for Hybrid Cloud Services - Western Europe
Figure: Functions Considered Least Suitable for Hybrid Cloud Services - Western Europe
Figure: Impact of Current Laws/Regulations on the Use of Cloud Computing by Government - Western Europe
Figure: Concerns About Security Holding Back Cloud Computing - Western Europe
Figure: Should the Required Level of Security be Reduced? Western Europe
Figure: Cloud Computing and its Ability to Reduce the Potential for Data Loss - Western Europe
Figure: Information Classification and Management Procedures Currently in Place - Western Europe
Figure: Frameworks in Place for Organizing Business Data by Level of Sensitivity or Security - Western Europe
Figure: IT Issues at the Top of the List of Organizational Problems That Cloud is Expected to Solve
Figure: Cloud Computing Budget for 2012 - Western Europe
Figure: Plans to Increase or Decrease Investment in Cloud Computing - Western Europe
Figure: Need to Reduce Costs Will Force Governments to Use Clouds - Western Europe
Figure: Western European Governments Very Cautious About Moving Applications to the Cloud
Figure: Western European Government Move to Platform and Infrastructure Clouds is Slow
Figure: Western Europe Government Cloud Landscape
