Cloud IT Week in Review: Ingram Micro, IDC Canada, SEO & More

By Alicia Young
Web Editor

Welcome back to the Week in Review, where we take a look at all the top stories making headlines in Cloud IT this week.

The week began with some insight on a major issue when it comes to cloud: a lot of people are still afraid of the technology. There are several misconceptions about data security, which ultimately ends up stopping businesses and individuals from migrating to the cloud. Contributing writer Lindsey Patterson takes a look at these concerns, and offers some valuable information on the reality of security and where the cloud is going moving forward. You can find out more HERE.

On the same note, a report from IDC (News - Alert) Canada found that 77 percent of Canadian organizations believe they're not addressing cloud security properly. Due to this uncertainly, around 50 to almost 60 percent of organizations have yet to implement security solutions that are essential. However, even if security measures are deployed as they should be, 75 percent of respondents across all levels of expertise agreed security is the number one ongoing post-adoption issue to be addressed. These are some unsettling statistics; you can continue reading HERE.

While some organizations fear cloud technology, others are embracing it. Ingram Micro, as part of the Microsoft (News - Alert) Cloud Solution Provider program, has announced the availability of Microsoft Azure in its cloud services repository, Cloud Services Marketplace. TMC’s Casey Houser writes that the purpose of the Cloud Services Marketplace is “to help businesses find and install a range of cloud-based applications in various countries across the world. Azure is now available to enterprises in India that wish to use their own cloud infrastructure, potentially alongside other Microsoft products.” You can find out more HERE.

In other news, if SEO isn’t on your mind, it should be. Special guest contributor Mani Narayan, Director of Demand Generation at Intermedia (News - Alert), discusses the importance of SEO by stating, “Organic search drives 51 percent of channel partners' website traffic, on average, and yields an average 14.6 percent close rate on sales leads. By contrast, email marketing has a close rate of roughly 1.7 percent.” With organic search being one of the most cost-effective forms of digital marketing channels, it’s essential for companies to do everything possible to improve their SEO ranks. Narayan has some helpful tips on how to do so HERE.

While a variety of topics have been highlighted here, that’s certainly not all that went on this week. Be sure to head to the Cloud IT homepage for all the updates, and come back next week for the latest insights. Have a great weekend!