The first months of 2020 separated the digitally mature from the pack. In response to COVID-19’s economic chaos, including disrupted supply chains; shutdowns in physical facilities; and a shift in priorities from growth to health and safety, the companies best able to pivot were those that were already well into their cloud journeys. Such firms leveraged a cloud foundation to support remote workers; protect data assets; serve clients and partners; and change, update, and manage critical business software on the fly.

The 2020 Frost & Sullivan Global Cloud User Survey polled1621 business and IT decision-makers worldwide, representing a range of industries and company sizes. The results emphasize the divide between the digitally mature and those who have chosen a more leisurely approach to digitalization. It also reveals the challenges that still remain as businesses struggle to survive in the “new normal.”

Among the interesting findings of this year’s survey:
o     Multi-cloud adoption has skyrocketed in the past year, up 54%. Hybrid cloud adoption is up 14%.
o     Business executives are more optimistic than IT leaders about the positive impact of technology investments on their business.
o     Overall, respondents are convinced that they are more digitally advanced than their competitors, which could present a risk.

This report reveals highlights of the survey, with insightful analysis and growth opportunities for cloud and managed service providers.

Author: Lynda Stadtmueller