CIOs become protagonists of cloud strategies

For decades, the CIO was seen as responsible for purchasing hardware and software , as well as implementing, maintaining, and securing it. Many CEOs also saw him as the 'guardian of the IT infrastructure', as well as 'the person behind the curtain' who made everything work. But, not long ago, companies around the world were surprised by a technology that would change the role of CIOs: cloud computing.

In fact, this technology is changing the role of the IT leader, and is also making him re-elaborate his strategies and support the migration of data, systems and applications to cloud computing. This is what shows a study commissioned by the company Unisys . In today's post, we'll talk more about it and also what led CIOs to become protagonists of cloud computing strategies. Follow:

Why are CIOs driving cloud adoption?

Between February and March 2016, Gatepoint Research invited 203 executives (CIOs, CEOs, CFOs, board members, etc.) to participate in the Trends in Hybrid Cloud Computing survey. Of the total respondents, 72% said that the migration to the cloud was 'headed' by the company's CIO. This shows that IT leaders are the ones who most influence the migration to the cloud.

But this is no surprise. Over the past few years, CIOs have been working under intense pressure as less money is being directed to the IT department and everyone on staff needs to do 'more with less'. In this scenario, managers have no choice but to use the cloud. With it, they manage to keep the 'lights' of the department always on, and spending little to do so.

That is, ensuring the performance, scalability and compliance of the infrastructure, at a much lower cost than that required by traditional IT infrastructures. With this technology, they can also streamline operations, have a 360-degree view of the infrastructure and drive innovation across the department, so that the company gains competitive advantages and can stand out in the market.

What impacts will this have on your role in the companies?

The role of today's CIO is not the same as it was five or ten years ago. Thanks to the rise of cloud computing and the trends that emerged from it (mobility, Bring Your Own Device, Social Business and Internet of Things), managers are moving away from the role of 'guardian of IT infrastructure' – and also of 'eraser' of fires' – and assuming a more strategic position in the companies.

With the migration to the cloud and the change in the department's culture, CIOs now lead a business unit with clear goals and objectives, responsible for keeping the company 'always standing' and for developing innovative solutions that will generate revenue for the company. organization. So much so that, for some specialists, the acronym CIO will come to mean 'Chief Innovation Officer', instead of 'Chief Information Officer'.

All of this impact on roles and responsibilities will be felt by CIOs driving cloud adoption. The few managers who still resist change will also have their role impacted, since cloud computing is a technology too powerful to be 'barred' at the door of companies and IT sectors, and at one time or another they will have to implement her in her environment.

And you, are you encouraging the adoption of cloud computing? Tell us in the comments! We'd love to hear what you have to say.