Some of the reticence around using “the Cloud” seems to have come from the question of whether it can be trusted – particularly when it comes to managing corporate data. Cloud has its risks, just like any architecture or approach, which need to be weighed up against the risks of running things in-house. 

I think there is a bigger question however, which goes beyond mere risk. Cloud computing came into existence as part of a natural progression in how we use technology resources. But this goes far wider than merely cloud. Two additional factors illustrate the broader landscape, namely how we are becoming more mobile, and how people are increasingly making their own technology decisions. 

This is not the moment to delve into these parallel trends, respectively nicknamed mobility and consumerisation. The point is that they are inextricably linked, and internet-based technology service delivery – aka cloud computing – is another...