As recently as two years ago, companies particularly concerned with high IT availability, backup, failover, and compliance, or who were simply tech early adopters were the firms most rapidly moving to the cloud. Today, a much wider range of industries are migrating to what they see as the “inevitable” IT approach.
In just the last half of this 2011, here at External IT, we’ve welcomed new clients from industries as diverse as environmental consulting to real estate. From securities analysts to insurance. From in-home healthcare to pharmaceuticals. And their differences go even further.
Among our most recent clients, some are run by forward thinking, 21st century business model entrepreneurs. Not a surprise. Others , however, are governed by management who are equally focused on the future, but directing companies that date back to the late 1800s.
In talking with a wide range of firms, spanning twenty different industries, it’s clear that they see what recently was “the next thing” as “the now thing.” The “obvious” thing. The “of course” thing.
Trend two: Companies of every size have embraced the cloud.
The average size company who calls us today has an employee count in the lower hundreds. Many, however, are far larger (as big as 28,000) while others number two or three dozen. The range we’re seeing is trending much wider.
Trend three. The opening conversations are more sophisticated.
There is still a great deal that many people need to learn who we speak with, but the starting point of many conversations is farther along and more in depth. Some who phone already understand the pros and cons of the Portal vs. a Hosted Desktop. Some wish to discuss the types of clouds that are right for their various types of data.
On occasion, right out of the box, the topic of virtualization comes up, or they’ll already want to discuss how best to handle a migration.
It may be too soon for anyone to claim that traditional IT as an era is over, but we will say that it’s only a matter of months before unified-platform-cloud-computing becomes the business norm.
Traditional IT has served us well but it’s grabbed its hat, grabbed its coat, and is headed out the door.
The information above was gathered over the first three quarters of 2011 and represents hundreds of conversations.
We would like to take this opportunity to extend a warm public welcome to our newest clients, and cloud trending gurus, NYSSA, Celedinas, CB Fleet, Store Capital, Encore Enterprises, Post Acute Partners, Mission Home Health, and Steiger Corporation. All names we’re most proud to now team with.
