Survey findings show strong optimism on cloud adoption and benefits, and potential of cloud BI to address remaining challenges

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., June 26 — The results of an independent survey of almost 350 CIOs and IT executives on attitudes, trends and challenges pertaining to cloud adoption were announced today. The research was conducted by Dimensional Research and commissioned by Host Analytics. The survey shows strong optimism on the current benefits and potential of cloud computing, but at the same time reveals caution about the lingering IT challenges to adoption. CIOs and IT executives agree that cloud-based business intelligence (BI) can help solve key adoption problems caused by siloed SaaS applications.

"Businesses are investing heavily in cloud computing today," said Diane Hagglund, senior research analyst for Dimensional Research and the study's author. "Our research reveals high optimism and expectations among CIOs and IT executives for cloud adoption and value, but also hurdles including the anticipation that IT will end up operating cloud applications bought by other areas of the business and without input from IT. In overcoming these and other hurdles to adoption, good communication is essential, but not always existent. One silver lining: BI can help solve problems caused by siloed SaaS applications."

From business applications delivered using SaaS to public and private infrastructure clouds, cloud solutions promise to deliver great value to both IT and business owners in terms of efficiency and cost. What's more, team time and dollars are freed up to focus on other pressing issues and key initiatives.

Even though participants gave positive responses to the expected benefits to business, broad adoption of cloud technologies is rolling out slowly. Only 31 percent described their systems as primarily cloud-based at this time. For those already deployed, the majority (88 percent) reported some IT challenges in adoption. The top issues reported focused on the need to integrate data between different applications and ultimately knowing where the data resided. The vast majority, 74 percent, felt a common BI solution for SaaS applications would add great value and ultimately solve the problem of having important data residing in multiple applications.

Summary of key survey findings:
CIOs and IT executives are enthusiastic about cloud technologies.

• 92 percent say the adoption of cloud technologies is good for business;
• 67 percent say cloud technologies help IT deliver better systems for less money;
• 62 percent say SaaS applications give business stakeholders more ownership of key applications.

The adoption of cloud technologies is not without challenges.

• 69 percent say their companies still work primarily with on-premise applications;
• 88 percent report challenges with SaaS business applications; 67 percent report issues integrating data between applications;
• 37 percent say IT has been asked to take ownership for solutions purchased without their input.

Cloud-based BI can help solve problems caused by siloed SaaS applications.

• 74 percent say having data from their SaaS applications in a common BI solution would add value;
• The biggest potential benefits of SaaS BI include easier access to data currently in application silos (54 percent), increased visibility (46 percent) and faster deployment (42 percent).

"The research shows the overwhelming majority of CIO and IT executives surveyed felt cloud solutions are good for business," said Jon Kondo, president and CEO for Host Analytics. "When asked about further possible benefits of the cloud, most felt cloud technology offered strong financial benefits and also increased ownership for business stakeholders. We can certainly confirm benefits to cloud finance -- Host Analytics' cloud CPM applications have had a tremendous impact on the bottom line for our customers, from AT&T and Schumacher to Crocs and Otis Spunkmeyer."

Host Analytics is one of Silicon Valley's fastest growing cloud companies. The company delivers the first and only complete suite of cloud CPM and business analytics applications to help finance executives drive faster and smarter decisions throughout their organizations. The company's solutions cover planning, budgeting, scorecarding, financial consolidation and reporting.

Launched in March 2012, Host Analytics Business Analytics combines the best of Corporate Performance Management and BI in the cloud, providing finance departments with 360-degree view of business drivers with operational, financial, and executive reporting and ad-hoc analysis available on one single interface. Open database connectivity drivers enable access to both CPM and non-CPM data for a full look at business processes.

To access the full "Current Trends in Cloud Adoption: A Survey of CIOs and IT Executives" report, visit http://www.hostanalytics.com/dimensional-research.

Survey Methodology
In May 2012, Dimensional Research invited an independent group of CIOs, IT executives and other IT professionals to participate in a Web survey on the topic of cloud adoption and trends. Respondents were not compensated for participating in the survey, except to be offered a copy of the final report.

Survey participants represented a wide range of roles, company sizes and vertical industries. Eighty six percent of respondents were based in the United States and Canada, and seven percent came from each the EMEA and APAC regions.

About Host Analytics

Host Analytics is the #1 cloud corporate performance management company, providing the only complete suite for finance. Host Analytics helps organizations make better operational and financial decisions by streamlining and automating their consolidations, planning and reporting processes.

Over the span of a decade, Host Analytics has gone from pioneer to leader with their deep product functionality, world-class team and broad partner ecosystem. Thanks to the cloud, customers enjoy low costs, low risk and fast results that give them an edge and helps Finance gain greater influence in setting business strategy and operational priorities. Host Analytics is:

• 1st cloud corporate performance management solution.
• 1st to deliver external data integration.
• 1st to deliver a business analytics application built for finance in the cloud.

Host Analytics serves midsize to large customer organizations, including AT&T, Groupon, Crocs, Thule, Otis Spunkmeyer and Schumacher. The company has received on-going industry recognition and was most recently recognized by AlwaysOn for the OnDemand 100 Awards and by Network Products Guide for its Hot Company Award.

For additional information, visit http://www.hostanalytics.com or join the conversation at www.twitter.com/host_analytics.

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Source: Host Analytics