Complexity of Cloud Implementations Leave IT Leaders with a Headache

WAYNE, Pa., Nov. 18, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Most companies that move to the cloud experience complexities that create a new set of challenges and processes that are daunting when faced alone. A survey of nearly 250 IT leaders from enterprise companies commissioned by Sungard Availability Services® ("Sungard AS"), a leading provider of information availability through managed IT, cloud and recovery services, proves that without the support from a strategic partner, many who adopt a cloud-based environment have difficulty managing the complexities.

The U.S. Sungard AS survey reveals that companies have the most issues with connecting multiple systems, such as integrating initial cloud investments with new cloud services (59 percent), implementing services from multiple vendors (58 percent), and integrating cloud with legacy systems (57 percent) – issues that are exacerbated by companies with a global footprint.

These findings mirror Sungard AS' international survey that was conducted in the United Kingdom (U.K.) which found that 55 percent of U.K. organizations use three or more vendors. Specifically, 25 percent of U.K. respondents complained they use too many cloud platforms and 37 percent said that adopting the cloud made their job more stressful.

To better manage this complex infrastructure, 78 percent of U.S. respondents stated that hiring support ensured their cloud implementation was a success. The U.S. survey identified that the vast majority of those implementing cloud capabilities recognize the challenges that arise and the new processes that cloud implementations require, and 98 percent reported that expert help improved the level of integration across their IT environments. Sungard AS concludes that in order to deploy an effective cloud strategy, expert support is necessary.

"The value of implementing a full or hybrid cloud infrastructure is clear, but many dive in without understanding the new challenges resulting from deployment, leaving IT leaders with a severe cloud hangover," said Chris Ortbals, vice president of services product management at Sungard AS. "We work alongside our customers during cloud implementations to determine a strategy that fits their unique business needs and proactively addresses challenges that might arise during their cloud deployment."

Many organizations moved to the cloud for anticipated cost savings, agility and accessibility. Yet after the initial cloud investment, 66 percent of respondents' organizations moved one-third of their systems back to physical infrastructure, with 36 percent claiming the leading cause for doing so was complexity of operating their cloud applications. With the right strategic partner, cloud deployments can remain hybrid without the headache.

The U.S. survey identified two specific areas where complexity trumps convenience:

• Need for additional support and funds: In 2015, 74 percent of surveyed organizations brought in additional external support to implement cloud solutions. Additionally, 73 percent said that they spent more on managing the cloud implementation than predicted – up 53 percent over last year and 50 percent from 2013. Most IT leaders anticipated upfront costs, but attribute additional costs to the complexities that arose from cloud implementation.
• Managing multiple cloud vendors: Having private and public cloud solutions, often along with traditional infrastructure, can result in managing multiple vendors. More than 88 percent of survey respondents said that they managed more than one cloud vendor, with nearly 18 percent saying they manage five. Separately, 57 percent had difficulty aligning cloud deployments with business objectives and 53 percent found delivering rapid ROI to be a top five challenge.

To alleviate the stress and avoid the "cloud hangover," IT leaders must identify a cloud services provider that works alongside IT decision makers to design and implement a strategy that foresees challenges and resolves them in advance of deployment. The right partner provides transparency into IT staffing needs, expected monthly cost, and outlines a custom hybrid cloud solution that meets each organization's business needs.

Learn more about avoiding the "cloud hangover" at www.sungardas.com/cloudhangover.

Methodology:

Based on a survey conducted by SurveyMonkey Audience (U.S.) and Vanson Bourne (U.K.) of 247 U.S.-based and 150 U.K.-based IT decision makers, carried out in August 2015 and February 2015, respectively, on behalf of Sungard Availability Services, regarding their views on the current state of cloud adoption. The survey focused on uncovering insights into organizations' experiences with cloud environments including current investment, expected future investment, vendor management and, ultimately, satisfaction. Researchers spoke to IT decision makers at enterprise businesses across a variety of sectors – including financial services, business process management and retail.

About Sungard Availability Services

Sungard Availability Services ("Sungard AS") is a leading provider of critical production and recovery services to global enterprise companies.  Sungard AS partners with customers across the globe to understand their business needs and provide production and recovery services tailored to help them achieve their desired business outcomes.  Leveraging 35 years of experience, Sungard AS designs, builds and runs critical IT services that help customers manage complex IT, adapt quickly and build resiliency and availability.  To learn more, visit www.sungardas.com or call 1-800-468-7483. Connect with us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Sungard Availability Services is a trademark or registered trademark of SunGard Data Systems or its affiliate, used under license. The Sungard Availability Services logo by itself is a trademark or registered trademark of Sungard Availability Services Capital, Inc. or its affiliate. All other trademarks used herein are the property of their respective owners.

The abbreviation for Sungard Availability Services is 'Sungard AS' as cited above.  Please use 'Sungard AS' when abbreviating the name rather than 'Sungard' or 'SunGard,' which may confuse the reader with another separate company with a similar name.

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SOURCE Sungard Availability Services

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