Gemalto, a digital security company, recently carried out a survey focusing on the sharing and back up habits of computer and mobile users. The survey included 4000 people from all walks of life and with varying degrees of familiarity with computers, digital data, cloud computing, mobiles and even plain desktop or laptop use. While a majority of those who have had their fingers burnt by loss of data in the cloud environment are wary, still the overall trend is that people are more receptive to the idea of using the cloud for data back up and content sharing.
The increase in demand is not limited to only individual users. Small and medium business users too are migrating to the cloud, fueled by the use of mobile phones and adaptability of cloud based apps for these devices.
The survey showed that 77% considered security in the cloud a major factor. 80% of the mobile users would make use of the clouds only if the operator provided such services while 60% responded by saying they would pay extra for cloud services. A stumbling block to widespread adoption of cloud services is the lack of awareness of what exactly is on offer and how cloud services can be leveraged to their benefit. Mid size business are also in favor of mobile cloud based services with carriers flexible in allowing them to bring their own devices in the BYOD schemes. Regardless of whether users are specifically aware of whether their data is stored in the clouds or on a specific online server, clouds are becoming popular concludes the report.
Users are discovering how easy it is to store and share data online and this includes photos and video as well as documents. Even business firms are taking advantage of a collaborative workplace to fine tune productivity and efficiencies. While they jump in, the report cautioned that their IT administrators must fully comprehend and realize the security risks associated with data storage in the clouds.
For mobile service providers the widespread use of clouds comes as a business opportunity to tap into revenues. It is expected carriers will provide cloud based services, including data storage, that will in turn spur growth of mobile cloud usage. The trend could see the emergence of mid-sized mobile clouds. Gartner, another firm keeping its finger on the pulse of technological developments, expects consumers to store at least one third of their data in the cloud by the year 2016. According to their survey there are already 500 million personal users of cloud based services.
Image courtesy of ddpavumba at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
