AVT Question: Please share insights and trends on AV/IT in the cloud, including the benefits and cautions.
Thought Leader: Nancy Knowlton, Chief Executive Officer at Nureva
The debate over whether on-prem systems or the cloud are better has been running for years. The advantages of the cloud—scalability, flexibility, and the ability to deploy and manage systems remotely—are well understood. For many organizations, these advantages enable faster innovation and lower the burden on internal IT teams.
And yet, hesitation around cloud-based solutions remains.
Concerns about security, cost predictability, data sovereignty, and simple loss of control often hold organizations back. These are not irrational fears, especially for those with regulatory requirements or long-lived infrastructure investments. But avoiding the cloud altogether can also come with risks: missed efficiencies, slower response to change, access to fewer leading-edge apps, and growing technical debt.
Ask suppliers of cloud-based applications for trials and detailed explanations of how their solutions address security, reliability, and long-term cost concerns.
Nancy Knowlton, Chief Executive Officer at Nureva
Rather than treating the decision as all-or-nothing, a more productive mindset is to explore how cloud solutions could work in practice.
One approach is to start with a small pilot project. Pick something low risk and noncritical, and use it to understand how deployment, management, security, and costs actually play out. A pilot project can turn assumptions into evidence.
It’s also worth involving people early. Survey staff who will use or support the system to understand their reactions and concerns. Talk with peers in other organizations about how the cloud is working for them. Ask what went well, what surprised them, and what they would do differently. Benefit from their experiences.
Vendors can play a role, too. Ask suppliers of cloud-based applications for trials and detailed explanations of how their solutions address security, reliability, and long-term cost concerns.
The key is to get started—to do something. Getting started, even in a small way, creates insight that no amount of debate can replace.
