The needs of the mid-market are changing – and a lot of that has to do with the increasing maturity, scalability, and elasticity of the cloud. While many aspects of traditional IT management can be automated in the cloud, most business leaders are surprised to discover that migrating to the cloud does not necessarily equate to greater simplification and standardization.

Today’s applications have to be faster, more responsive, and meet rigorous security criteria and higher expectations for accessibility from anywhere on any device. The cloud doesn’t eliminate the job of IT – it changes it in a big way. And with these changes comes a new set of challenges.

Challenges of Modern IT Management in the Cloud

1. Acceleration of Innovation
   The proliferation of new technology has rapidly increased the complexity of the job of IT. Every day, a new solution is released with the potential to transform the workplace. As business leaders race to capitalize on these new opportunities, the problem of firefighting grows exponentially. You don’t want to be left behind, but the rush to quickly implement new solutions often leads to unexpected technical challenges and negative impacts.
2. Shadow IT
   Thanks to the cloud, users are now empowered to pick what applications they want to use. If the IT department isn’t moving fast enough by giving users what they want, they can easily bypass IT and download on-demand solutions for free or for a low monthly fee – and they do it all the time! As a matter of fact, the average organization leverages an upwards of 1,427 cloud services. The technical staff is then left to manage thousands of new demands on varying devices, many of which they aren’t even aware of until a problem arises. Further, the financial waste and security risks brought on by investing and maintaining redundant or unnecessary software can lead to disastrous consequences if left unchecked.
3. Security Risks
   New advancements in technology can open opportunities to exploit weakness. Organizations that are not adapting to the changing environment and developing safeguards to protect their data and organization may be vulnerable to a cyber attack – it’s often not a matter of if, but when. As organizations move to the cloud, protecting, monitoring, and auditing a hybrid environment can quickly add up, making it easy for mistakes to happen. While the cloud can reduce the overall security scope, it still requires modern businesses to adapt holistic disciplines that are not often found in small and midsize IT organizations.
4. Lack of Specialized Skills
   In order to keep pace with the advancements in technology, businesses need access to subject matter experts in a broad range of areas. Cloud strategy and execution, next generation security solutions, and continuous innovations are adding new layers to an already complex IT system. As the velocity of change quickens and IT becomes increasingly specialized, the number of needed IT resources is growing. For the CEO who recognizes the role of IT as a vital and integral part of the business, they often run into road-blocks finding and retaining the right talent, and doing so in a cost-effective manner.
5. Modern Workforce
   Today’s workforce views mobile devices and collaboration as essential to their productivity, and they expect that their employer can provide them with the tools they need to be successful. To attract, develop, and retain the next generation of talent, your organization needs to continuously adopt and internalize the technology needed to drive an increasingly virtual and flexible work environment. In today’s fast paced world, an empowered workforce isn’t just a nice thing to have, it’s imperative to your future success.
6. Major Disruption
   The cloud has enabled rapid growth across all industries, leading more than half of organizations to believe that their industry will be disrupted within the next two years. In today’s fast paced world, it is truly a question of disrupting or being disrupted. Now, more than ever, IT needs to bring new ideas and perspectives on driving business growth. The conversation can no longer just be about migrating to the cloud, it needs to be about solving business problems and leveraging a cloud platform. If you’re unable to tackle these tough questions, it’s not only a point of frustration, it’s a serious threat to the survival of your business.

Cloud technology is not slowing down, nor is the demand for knowledgeable and experienced IT professionals to lead businesses through their digital transformations. If you’re looking for a strategic advisor who can help navigate your transition into the cloud, contact us to learn more.