Data Center

Quelling the Cloud Confusion [#Infographic]

Does it really matter that most people don’t know what the cloud is, as long as they can enjoy the benefits?

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Amy has worked on StateTech since May 2007. As managing editor, she shapes editorial content for print and online. Before that, she spent 10 years at Network World as senior managing editor of features and managing editor of features. Amy began her IT publishing career at PC Week. While out of the office, she enjoys traveling and rooting for the Red Sox.

As states and localities consider moving software and computing resources to the cloud, they may encounter some confusion among the user population. According to a survey from Citrix, most Americans have no idea what cloud computing actually is.

In spite of their unfamiliarity, 17 percent of the survey participants have pretended to understand cloud computing while on a date; another 14 percent have faked it in a job interview. Take a look at the Citrix data presented in graphical format on their blog:

The cloud is with us every day and will continue to be there. Always raining information on its patrons.

It’s okay if some people don’t understand what the cloud is and how it works — just like plumbing and electricity, users don’t need to know how it works to reap the benefits. But government IT users who are unsure of the various flavors of cloud (public vs. private, infrastructure as a service, software as a service) should familiarize themselves with the technology and its benefits.

As this StateTech video details, potential cost savings are luring states such as Colorado, Montana, Oregon and Utah to public cloud services. Local government has adopted the technology as well, with communities such as Holden Beach, N.C., improving the continuity of operations by deploying a private cloud service.

For a refresher on cloud computing, consult our Cloud Computing Reference Guide: Harnessing this technology to reduce costs and boost agility.

And once your organization is ready to adopt cloud computing, consult these tips on how to make the move to a private cloud.

Cloud Computing Confusion