Enterprises and service providers have very different views in the primary drivers behind data center investments and the value of cloud computing services, according to the latest Forrester Consulting survey results.
The survey findings show that 68% of organizations perceive cloud as an "area of interest" or "highly relevant" but do not feel that it has any impact on business or IT operations. Only 32% of organizations view cloud computing as a top priority that is currently affecting internal IT operations and business transformation. This is in stark contrast to Asia Pacific service providers', which estimate that 63% of organizations view cloud as a top priority currently affecting business or IT operations.
The survey, titled 'Enabling The Virtual Data Center In Asia: Business Continuity And Disaster Recovery Drive Investment Strategies', was commissioned by data center services provider Equinix and was conducted by Forrester Consulting on 112 organizations and 88 service providers in Australia, China, Hong Kong and Singapore from November 2012 to March 2013.
Most aggressive data center investments
More than half (57%) of organizations in Asia Pacific are currently planning to increase their cloud and virtual data center spending, according to the survey findings.
Organizations in Hong Kong and China are most aggressively pursuing data center investments, with 67% in Hong Kong and 64% in China investing in upgrading or expanding the physical location of their data center.
Demands for business continuity and disaster recovery, improved IT agility and flexible service delivery are top drivers of cloud and data center spending across the region. Organizations in Hong Kong and China rated business continuity and disaster recovery as a top driver behind their investment strategies (80% and 68% respectively).