Small to medium business’s are now looking beyond the cost and resource efficiencies that can be delivered from a cloud environment, they are now focused on how a cloud deployment can improve business outcomes and bring strategic value. In a recent study by IBM two thirds of senior managers surveyed had either implemented or intend to implement a cloud service here, with over 45% of UK business looking to do so over the next two years.

The most popular reasons identified for doing this are:

• Increased ability for employees to work with greater mobility was number one
• Cost efficiences was named as the number two reason

As cloud and DR Solutions continue to rise in popularity, businesses will be looking to technology providers known as Managed Service Providers (MSPs). The emergence of such MSPs is in response to a significant market shift as SMBs move their business applications to the cloud in order to increase their ability to work in a more mobile and flexible fashion.  With limited IT resources, many are looking to a new kind of partner, to help them do this as they seek to off load the management of their IT infrastructure.

“Midsize firms are under increasing pressure to become more efficient and continue to identify new opportunities to grow their business,” explains Lubomir Cheytanov, director of midmarket sales at IBM in the UK and Ireland. “They are looking to local technology providers or MSPs with deep expertise and innovative cloud portfolio to move their business applications to the cloud.”

About the Cloud Research Study:
For the independent study, conducted by YouGov, the opinions of 530 senior managers at small and medium-sized companies in the United Kingdom were surveyed. It was conducted in the second quarter of 2012 to capture current and upcoming business and IT priorities for cloud computing and Cloud Readiness Assessment.

If you are looking to transform your business with cloud capabilities why not see this helpful resource for more information.