The use of cloud services in German companies continues to rise: In 2014, some 44 % of companies used cloud computing.
That is 4 % more than the previous year as the BITKOM survey, published as Cloud Monitor 2015, reveals. A further 24 % are either planning to use it or are discussing the use of it. Around one third of all companies surveyed, namely 32 %, said, however, that the use of cloud services was currently not at issue.
Cloud pioneers are large companies with more than 500 employees. 70 % of them confirmed that they are already using cloud technology. For businesses with 100 to 499 employees, this figure was 52 %, and, among the smaller businesses with 20 to 99 employees, 41 %.
Taking into account the architecture used, the private cloud is extremely popular: 39 % offer cloud services via their in-house network. Public cloud services are, on the other hand, only used by 16 %. In future, this ratio will presumably shift even further towards the private cloud as 29 % intend to build up a suitable infrastructure, while only 8 % wish to use publicly available services.
The most frequently used applications in private clouds can be attributed to groupware. 36 % of companies offer e-mail, messenger and/or scheduling services this way. ERP and telephony systems share second place with 29 % each. This is followed by programmes for team work (24 %) and office systems (21 %). In public clouds, groupware also heads the popularity list (46 %); this is followed, however, by applications for customer management (36 %) and security (23 %).
The companies are particularly concerned about cloud security. 60 % of them fear unauthorised access to the data, and 49 % are worried about data loss. For 40 %, these uncertainties would even be a good reason not to use cloud computing. (Source: BITKOM/rf)