Cloud Infrastructure Falls Short for Most IT Professionals, Says Survey

Recent data from SolarWinds reveals that there is a significant gap between the expectations and reality of cloud adoption, with less than one in five (18%) IT professionals reporting that their current cloud infrastructure meets their business needs. This finding underscores the challenges that many organizations face in fully realizing the potential of cloud technology. Despite the cloud’s promises of scalability and cost savings, the actual experience for many IT teams has been mixed.

A survey of 272 global IT professionals highlights that only a quarter (25%) feel their organization’s cloud approach is well-considered and successful. Additionally, 23% of respondents noted that their hybrid cloud strategy has resulted in an overly complex IT environment. This complexity has left many organizations grappling with challenges that hinder their ability to optimize cloud infrastructure. Furthermore, less than a quarter (22%) of respondents have sought external IT services to assist with their cloud migration, indicating a reluctance to fully embrace third-party expertise in the transition process.

The survey also reveals that a number of organizations have faced difficulties with their cloud strategies. For instance, over 16% of respondents have already repatriated workloads to on-premises infrastructure due to challenges with cloud environments. An additional 12% admitted that poorly planned cloud transitions have led to long-term financial consequences for their businesses. This underscores the risks associated with rushing cloud migrations without proper planning, as organizations often find themselves needing costly fixes or reversals after the fact.

Security concerns also remain a significant issue. Nearly half (46%) of IT professionals reported that their most sensitive data is still stored on-premises, citing security worries as a primary reason for avoiding full cloud adoption. Despite these concerns, there is a continued focus on cloud migration, with 29% of respondents prioritizing cloud adoption in order to reduce operational costs.

Sascha Giese, Global Tech Evangelist at SolarWinds, commented on the findings, acknowledging the difficulties organizations face when managing complex hybrid-cloud ecosystems. He pointed out that while the cloud promises scalability and cost reductions, the gap between expectation and execution is growing. Businesses are increasingly finding themselves managing overly complex infrastructures that struggle to meet evolving demands. The intricacies of managing hybrid cloud networks, systems, devices, and applications further complicate the situation, especially when combined with the challenge of managing microservices and containers.

Without proper planning and visibility into their cloud infrastructures, organizations are at risk of experiencing tool sprawl, information silos, and alert fatigue—issues that can make it difficult to identify and address the root causes of complex cloud problems. As Giese explains, a more strategic and informed approach to cloud migration is needed to overcome these hurdles. This includes leveraging tools that are reliable, secure, and accelerate modernization efforts.

One key solution Giese advocates for is comprehensive observability. By gaining real-time visibility into every layer of their IT estate, organizations can proactively manage and optimize their cloud environments with the help of machine learning algorithms and AI-driven analytics. This kind of observability can help businesses navigate the complexities of hybrid cloud infrastructures, enabling them to unlock the full potential of their cloud environments while minimizing the risks associated with poor planning and visibility. Ultimately, a well-managed cloud infrastructure can serve as a powerful enabler of growth, but organizations must adopt the right strategies and tools to ensure smooth operations.