Vive la France!
As cloud computing gains more traction on an international scale, France finds itself as one of many countries eager to take advantage of the pioneering technology. However, though the solution has demonstrated its practical viability for business everywhere – from advanced call center solutions to CRM software – French companies are struggling to rally behind the development of comprehensive efforts that capitalize on the cloud’s potential.
Such was evidenced in the results of the CloudIndex, a bi-annual survey analyzing and tracking the development of cloud computing among French industries. The survey, which was conducted by Pierre Audoin Consultants (PAC) and observed over 220 firms, found that the technology still has room to grow and thrive in France, ranking the industry maturity rating at 443 out of 1000.
Though there are clear cost-cutting benefits involved, the CloudIndex ultimately demonstrates that the chief motivation behind French firms in implementing cloud computing is not a desire to be fiscally conscious, but to enhance flexibility and improve performance. Despite recognizing the advantage of flexibility, French companies remain wary of other potential advantages. One reason behind the lack of effective deployment strategies is that only 35 percent of those surveyed are confident that cloud computing will lead to the creation and development of solutions. At 16 percent, even fewer believe it will drive innovative business models.
Furthermore, 44 percent of companies who have not migrated to the cloud cite security as the number one obstacle. To combat these cloud concerns and roadblocks, the French Data Protection Agency issued a 2011 list of seven recommendations for companies moving towards adopting cloud services. Aimed to educate companies about how to effectively handle legal and security data concerns, the recommendations included reinforcing internal security policies and revaluating risk assessment.
To help French firms in their efforts to embrace the advantages of incorporating cloud services, PAC is planning to launch a self-assessment app that will allow companies to compare themselves with peers.