Concerns Clearing Up as SMEs Gain Security Benefits With Cloud Computing

KUALA LUMPUR, May 22 (Bernama) -- A survey released on Tuesday shows that small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) are gaining IT security benefits from using the cloud computing dispel adoption barrier. A total of 500 SMEs from US, Malaysia, Singapore, India and Hong Kong took part in the survey independently carried out by US-based company, comScore, and funded by Microsoft Trustworthy Computing. In Malaysia, 50 companies that have adopted cloud computing took part in the survey while another 43 participants were those not using it. According to the findings of the survey, 56 per cent of the SMEs spent less time managing security since adopting the cloud. The SMEs are also two times more likely to have reduced what they spend on managing security as a percentage of overall IT budget, said Microsoft Trustworthy Computing general manager Adrienne Hall. There's a perception that security concern has become a barrier to cloud adoption. "Yet when companies embrace and invest in cloud services, they find the benefits far outweigh previous concerns," Hall told a media briefing on Tuesday. According to the survey, 51 per cent of the respondents also did not use the cloud cited concerns over security as the reason why they have not transitioned to cloud computing solutions. Fifty three per cent noted that the system was costly and saw them as a barrier to cloud adoption. Meanwhile, Microsoft Malaysia (Segment Director for Small Medium Services and Products Group) Mohit Pande said: "With cloud computing, SMEs now have access to IT tools and technologies that were previously only afforded to enterprises with large IT budgets and a dedicated IT staff. "This means SMEs can focus less on managing their infrastructure and more on innovation and improving business productivity." He said given the benefits in terms of flexibility and cost, Microsoft also saw cloud as an emerging technology and its usage increasing rapidly. Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software, services and internet technologies for personal and business computing. --BERNAMA