Educating you on the benefits and "how to" of integrating cloud computing with your business network.

Many IT professionals view cloud computing as offering greater flexibility than traditional computing environments and state their organizations have plans to implement cloud computing solutions within the next five years, according to recent studies of senior IT professionals worldwide.

A study conducted by IDG Research Services and CIO Custom Solutions Group featured several compelling stats on the growing trend toward cloud computing.

The IDG/CIO study found that:

• 69% of IT professionals perceive greater flexibility in cloud computing solutions
• 64% of these IT professionals expect company spending on cloud-based services to increase in the next year
• the trend toward cloud computing is accelerating, with 75% of companies employing the surveyed IT professionals planning to implement or expand their cloud computing solutions within the next 5 years
• 60% of IT professionals surveyed indicated it was difficult to find the right cloud computing solution, slowing near-term adoption of cloud-based initiatives

A two-part study by Boston-based market researcher Chadwick Martin Bailey, comparing perceptions of cloud computing a year ago with perceptions in August 2010, found security concerns and general confusion over “cloud computing” among IT professionals had dropped dramatically.  The study shows nearly 30% of IT professionals surveyed now say their companies have aggressive, near-term plans to shift to cloud computing architectures – doubling the number of firms with such plans when the original survey was conducted a year ago.