The enterprise cloud computing movement continues to mature. Now, an estimated 95 percent of organizations worldwide are running applications in the cloud or performing preliminary tests with possible cloud service partners, according to recent research from RightScale. As the technology improves and best practices crystallize, adoption rates are likely to move upward. Of course, a considerable number of organizations have refrained from adopting cloud technology and cling to their legacy on-premises gear. Why? A number of unfounded myths concerning the cloud circulates in media and scares many companies into keeping outdated systems.

These misconceptions become easier to debunk with each passing day, as more businesses embrace cloud computing. Here are some of the most popular and potent cloud myths paralyzing many would-be adopters:

The cloud is unsafe
Cloud computing skeptics often base their arguments against the technology on this much-talked-about fiction. Unfortunately, many chief information officers and other executive stakeholders believe this tale. Businesses often cite security as the top cloud adoption challenge, believing onsite hardware to be much safer. In reality, this just is patently false, according to Gartner. In fact, a majority of breaches involve on-premises hardware and software rather than cloud solutions.

Cloud providers maintain dedicated security personnel whose sole purpose is to monitor network activity and apply patches when vulnerabilities materialize. Most internal IT departments do not have this capability and can offer little protection to on-premises systems. Additionally, with the cloud, businesses can configure robust digital defenses to complement service provider data security.

The cloud is temperamental
In addition to security, many organizations worry that cloud services could go down at any moment, essentially paralyzing the operation and resulting in major losses, The Washington Post reported. A number of highly publicized cloud disruptions –  for instance, the Amazon Web Services outage in February that downed thousands of applications, according to TechCrunch – have reinforced this idea.

Of course, this thinking fails to take into account the countless on-premises interruptions that go unreported. Additionally, cloud service providers often offer robust back up and recovery options, meaning that users can easily get back their data in the unlikely event that a cloud network crashes. Most internal IT teams supporting on-premises equipment cannot provide the same level of service internally as the cloud solution providers offer.

The cloud cannot support large applications
Many modern organizations host massive mission-critical applications that lie at the heart of business operations. In the early stages of the cloud computing movement, service providers could not viably support these platforms. However, this is no longer the case. The cloud, as it stands today, can support mission-critical applications, according to Gartner. For example, the notation application company Evernote recently moved all of its assets and infrastructure, approximately 3 petabytes of data, into the cloud, according to a company blog post. 

Businesses looking to embrace the cloud should not let these misconceptions stymie their progress. Cloud computing offers immense benefits with few drawbacks.

Is your organization interested in swapping on-premises CRM or ERP solutions for a cloud solution? Connect with the TM Group. Contact us to learn more about our cloud offerings and consulting services.

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