One in five Aussie businesses paying for cloud

The Australian Bureau of Statistics have released the findings of its Business Characteristics Survey that measured cloud uptake in Australian businesses.

The 2013-14 Business Characteristics Survey collected information about business use of paid cloud computing.

During the year ended 30 June 2014, the survey found 19% of Australian business reported use of paid cloud computing services.

Software was the most reported type of paid cloud computing service used by all businesses (87%), followed by storage capacity (57%), ABS says.

The survey found organisations with 5-19 employees were the most likely to have reported using software as a cloud computing service in 2013-14 (92%).

Businesses with 200 or more persons employed recorded the highest proportion to have used processing power to run own software (29%) and storage capacity (73%).

By industry, Information media and telecommunications recorded the highest proportion of businesses to have paid for cloud computing services (43%).

The research found simplicity of deployment of cloud-based solutions was the most common benefit (47%) to Australian businesses.

According to the report, businesses with 200 employees were most likely to identify a reduction in IT costs (50%) as the main benefit of paid cloud computing.

Businesses with 0-4 persons employed were most likely to have increased productivity as a benefit of cloud computing services (52%).

Across most industries, businesses were most likely to report either simplicity of deployment of cloud-based solutions or increased productivity as a benefit of using cloud computing services, the research shows.

ABS says the most commonly reported factor that limited the use of paid cloud computing services was insufficient knowledge of cloud computing services, at 23%.