By Michele Cito, Director Partner Sales Regional, Red Hat.
Cloud computing has revolutionized the IT industry over the past decade, enabling businesses to outsource many of their IT functions to remote servers, reduce operational costs, improve efficiencies, and enhance flexibility. While the private sector has been quick to adopt cloud-based solutions, the public sector has been slower in its uptake. However, this trend is slowly changing as more and more governments and public institutions in the EMEA (Europe, the Middle East, and Africa) region are embracing cloud services to drive innovation, streamline operations, and achieve cost savings.
Traditional on-premise IT systems are expensive to acquire, install, and maintain, and require significant IT personnel resources to operate effectively. In contrast, managed cloud services eliminate the need for large capital investments in IT infrastructure and reduce operational costs by providing a pay-per-use model. According to a survey conducted by the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) in 2020, cost savings were cited as the most significant driver for cloud adoption among public sector organizations in the EU.
For example, in EMEA our public sector customers are showing their need to accelerate their cloud adoption, differentiating their cloud deployments between public cloud and sovereign cloud, depending on the sensitivity of the information and services managed.
Cloud services refer to the delivery of on-demand computing resources, including applications, storage, and processing power, over the internet. Instead of owning and maintaining physical servers and other infrastructure, cloud services allow businesses and individuals to use a shared pool of resources that are maintained and managed by a third-party provider. Cloud services offer several advantages, such as scalability, flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and ease of use, making them an increasingly popular choice for businesses and individuals looking to leverage technology to achieve their goals.
Improving agility and responsiveness
Managed cloud services can help public sector institutions to improve their agility and responsiveness to changing business environments. Cloud-based solutions offer enhanced flexibility, scalability, and availability, enabling organizations to rapidly adapt to changing business environments without worrying about the constraints imposed by traditional IT infrastructure. For instance, the COVID-19 pandemic has encouraged many public sector organizations to rapidly adapt to remote work environments, which would have been almost impossible without the use of cloud-based applications.
Another significant benefit of cloud adoption is improved data security and compliance. Cloud providers invest heavily in cybersecurity and data protection, providing organizations with robust security measures and reliable backup solutions. Additionally, cloud services can help public sector organizations comply with various data privacy and regulatory requirements such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which mandates strict privacy and data protection measures for EU citizens.
Despite the many advantages of cloud adoption, public sector organizations in EMEA face specific challenges when transitioning to the cloud. One of the biggest obstacles is the complex regulatory environment, which often differs across regions and countries. Moreover, many public sector organizations face resistance from IT personnel who are hesitant to embrace new technologies and processes; this challenge can be overcome by investing in staff training and development programs.
In addition, digital sovereignty is a growing concer as companies and governments are increasingly relying on cloud providers to store and process their data. The issue arises from the fact that cloud providers, often located in other countries, have access to sensitive data and can be subject to the laws and regulations of their own jurisdictions. To address this issue, there is a need to establish policies and regulations that promote digital sovereignty, such as data localization requirements and the development of domestic cloud services, while also ensuring that international data flows are not unduly restricted. In conclusion, the public sector adoption of cloud computing services in EMEA is picking up pace, driven by cost savings, increased agility, and data protection benefits. Although challenges remain, public sector institutions that proactively embrace cloud technologies can gain significant benefits in terms of operational efficiencies, cost savings, and improved security. With the right strategies and investments, the public sector can deliver more responsive and cost-effective services to citizens, enabling them to thrive in a rapidly changing world.