In today's business landscape, the cloud has evolved from a cost-saving instrument to a driving force for innovations. At a recent roundtable hosted by IT Welt.at, it becomes apparent that considering the cloud as an essential ally speeds up necessary changes and secures one's own competitiveness.
Experts discuss the challenges and potential of cloud technology for corporate transformations. The conversation sheds light on how the cloud not only offers financial efficiency but also acts as a catalyst for new ideas and business models. It enables swift solution implementation and rapid market entry for innovative products, as highlighted by Niklas Krizovsky, Sales Executive at Bytesource. Mario Zimmermann, Regional Director Austria at Veeam Software, delves into the establishment and acceptance of cloud technology within companies and explains how the pandemic, the shift to remote work, and supply chain delays have led to increased cloud usage.
Cloud as the Foundation of Digitalization
For companies seeking to leverage the cloud for their transformation, its speed in implementing innovative solutions stands out as a pivotal advantage. Niklas Krizovsky emphasizes viewing the cloud as an unbeatable storage medium, with backup solutions as ideal entry points and driving forces to a transition into the cloud. The choice of the right cloud provider becomes a crucial factor. Dominic Neumann, entrepreneur and UBIT Styria business group chairman, underscores that business data shouldn't reside in applications like Dropbox, favoring reliable providers in the EU or Austria.
Security and Data Privacy in the Cloud
An essential point of discussion is security in the cloud. Compared to in-house systems, cloud providers are considered superior, given the near-impossibility of accessing their data centers, as pointed out by Niklas Krizovsky. Statistics from the Veeam Ransomware Trends Report reveal that 85% of surveyed companies face at least one attack annually, with half experiencing more than two attacks. Mario Zimmermann stresses that backup environments are prime targets for hackers as they consolidate all critical company data in one place. Therefore, encryption of transmitted and stored data is crucial. Today, attacks are offered as a service in the Darknet, requiring less technical knowledge from hackers. The cloud provides a significantly more secure environment compared to local solutions, with changes or new implementations typically monitored by multiple individuals, unlike internal systems having to manage weaker supervision.
Security Awareness
The pandemic forced a swift migration to the cloud, initially neglecting security aspects. Only afterward were security guidelines established for services like Microsoft Teams, illustrating how innovations sometimes overtake necessary security strategies, thereby creating vulnerabilities. Despite the advantages of the cloud, the human factor remains a potential weak point. Technology cannot completely prevent human errors. Hence, awareness programs and trainings are crucial to sensitize employees to security aspects. A rethink on data encryption, process changes, and awareness of security practices are essential. It is crucial to promote sensitivity and training for individuals outside the IT sector as well since not everyone possesses the same familiarity with security issues.
Cloud and the Skills Gap
The cloud is also seen as a solution to the acute skills shortage in the IT industry. Experts emphasize the necessity of digitalization in all production and recognize that automation and scaling through the cloud are essential to address the skills shortage. Automation allows the utilization of skilled workers for more complex tasks, thereby driving innovation. Furthermore, it is highlighted that AI and automation don't result in fewer jobs but rather create more jobs, particularly for highly qualified individuals. Companies are urged to invest more in training their own skilled workers to meet the demand.
The cloud is considered a crucial cornerstone for future development – and for good reasons. It serves not only as the foundation for digitalization but also as a driving force for innovation and as an answer to the pressing challenges of the business world.
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