[LINK] itN: ABS dampens as-a-service hype

[Roger Clarke]

>National statisticians dampen as-a-service hype.
> ... even in the biggest businesses surveyed, those not using cloud services outnumbered [>2:1] those who do.
>Software-as-service was the most popular cloud-based product in all business sizes, followed by storage. Cloud-based compute services were used by less than 15 percent of respondents in all of the smaller size brackets except for those employing 200+ staff, who reported a usage rate of 29 percent.
>Amongst the 200+ employee category, the threat of a security breach topped the list of cloud fears, with more than 30 percent of respondents nominating it as an obstacle.
>Just over 19 percent of this group also cited uncertainties about the location of data ...

Music to the ears of this person at least ...

I've published multiple assessments laced with scepticism:
http://www.rogerclarke.com/II/CCBR.html (2010)
http://www.rogerclarke.com/EC/CCEF.html (2012)
http://www.rogerclarke.com/II/DRC.html  (2013)

" ... many threat/vulnerability combinations exist for which the existing safeguards appear to be far from adequate. ... many organisations that have adopted cloudsourcing, especially SaaS, have done so without careful consideration of the risks involved, and without a clear understanding of what Harm will arise to what Assets when what contingencies occur. It is no surprise that many governments and many corporations remain sufficiently concerned about the security of cloudsourcing that they have taken conservative approaches ... Under current conditions, that would appear to be the appropriate approach".

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ABS issues first survey of Australian cloud use
Paris Cowan
itNews
Jul 16, 2015 12:50 PM (1 hour ago)
http://www.itnews.com.au/News/406680,abs-issues-first-survey-of-australian-cloud-use.aspx

National statisticians dampen as-a-service hype.

Australia's official statistics body has found that media and telecommunications businesses are the nation's most consistent buyers of cloud computing services, but also that the rate of commercial adoption is much more subdued than industry hype may suggest.

The ABS collected data on the use of cloud services from 6640 Australian businesses for the first time in the 2013-14 year, and published the first results of its survey today.

According to its data, less that one in five Australian companies reported using a paid cloud service.

The proportion of those using cloud services increased steadily between sole traders and small businesses with fewer than four employees (16 percent adoption) and businesses employing upwards of 200 people (37 percent).

However, even in the biggest businesses surveyed, those not using cloud services outnumbered those who do.

More than half of the surveyed businesses could not provide a reason for not using cloud services. Across all size categories, 59 percent said "no factors" limited or prevented their use of paid cloud computing.

Amongst those who did identify road blocks, insufficient knowledge of what was on offer was the top reason given, with a steady rate of between 22 percent and 24 percent of businesses of all sizes pleading ignorance.

Amongst the 200+ employee category, the threat of a security breach topped the list of cloud fears, with more than 30 percent of respondents nominating it as an obstacle.

Just over 19 percent of this group also cited uncertainties about the location of data and 20 percent blamed the high cost of cloud services.

Across the whole spectrum, cloud adopters picked simplicity as the most tangible benefit of their business decision over increased productivity, while cost benefits and flexibility came next. Close to half of large busines cloud adopters put a tick in all of these boxes.

Software-as-service was the most popular cloud-based product in all business sizes, followed by storage. Cloud-based compute services were used by less than 15 percent of respondents in all of the smaller size brackets except for those employing 200+ staff, who reported a usage rate of 29 percent.

The ABS was due to have completed a six-month review of the ways it tracks technology-related statistics and the size of Australia's digital economy in Australia last month. It has yet to release its findings.

More detail on the cloud survey can be found on the ABS website.


-- 
Roger Clarke                                 http://www.rogerclarke.com/
			            
Xamax Consultancy Pty Ltd      78 Sidaway St, Chapman ACT 2611 AUSTRALIA
Tel: +61 2 6288 6916                        http://about.me/roger.clarke
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Visiting Professor in the Faculty of Law            University of N.S.W.
Visiting Professor in Computer Science    Australian National University