Managed hosting is an IT service model that provides companies with dedicated, single-tenant, leased infrastructure from a managed services provider . The solution includes servers, software, storage and networking and can also include specialized services like managed security1 . Companies choose their OS, and the service provider handles the administration, management, support and security . Resources are not shared, so companies receive the full performance capabilities of the infrastructure they lease . Managed hosting offers the strategic benefits of IaaS2, cost reduction and of moving on-premises IT infrastructure, systems and applications to the cloud3 . Its enhanced security and protected environment make managed hosting a logical choice for companies regulated by PCI DSS, SOX, HIPAA and FISMA . As proof, over half of all companies recently surveyed by Tech Pro Research reported a risk decrease following an IaaS implementation2 in the cloud.

The Cost of Cloud Expertise report was developed by Rackspace to explore the importance of expertise to an organization’s cloud evolution and the impact the current technical skills gap is having on businesses. In collaboration with LSE academics and Vanson Bourne, we surveyed more than 950 IT decision makers and 950 IT pros from across the globe to better understand the barriers to increasing cloud usage, the impact this has on innovation and business growth, and the skills organizations require to compete in our technologically driven world.

According to EY, 85% of banks cite digital transformation as a priority this year. One of the main barriers to change is the ability to demonstrate the business case and the cost benefits of transforming your IT. This white paper helps you gather and evaluate the hard data that you need to get buy-in. Combining actual numbers and expert insights with the nuts and bolts of assessing the economics, this white paper helps you compare both the hard and soft costs of managed cloud against an on-premises environment.

Financial services organizations around the world are modernizing IT to drive top-line growth and streamline compliance burdens. From multinational brokerage houses to local branch banks, digital transformation initiatives are moving financial institutions toward more secure, agile, and cost-effective infrastructure and applications, empowering workers and improving customer experiences.

The investment in and power of a private cloud requires deep thought and planning before making the move; so, before you decide what to move to a private cloud, watch our new debate-style webinar to get advice from Rackspace experts.

Poor planning is the top mistake organizations make when approaching public cloud adoption. With the pressure to transform while maintaining IT operations, public cloud projects often suffer from rushed implementations, lack of expertise and inadequate organizational support. Before the first chunk of data ever moves to the cloud, there are a myriad of decisions to be made.

Our white paper, 10 Steps to Success in the Public Cloud, boils those decisions down to ten milestones to guide your strategy and planning activities.

Whether you’re starting out or stalled out, review these important considerations to get on track. The white paper covers:

• Planning frameworks and best practices
• Ways to foster education and communication
• Tips on building your business case and selecting pilot workloads
• Strategies to address security and governance
• Automation and migration methodologies

The conversation about “Why Cloud?” has long since passed for many businesses and the question has transitioned into “How Cloud?” and “Is it safe?” The value the cloud brings to a business is measured in many ways — from speeding innovation and reducing time to market to streamlining operations and reducing capital expenditures. However, one of the largest inhibitors to cloud adoption is concern around the security of leveraging a service provider in a multi-cloud world. Much is at stake protecting your customers and your business, and naturally, you should be cautious. Although some of these concerns are beginning to subside over time as cloud technologies continue to mature, traditional controls and processes must adapt to new platforms, new development methodologies, and advanced technologies.

In study after study, security is noted as a top concern in moving to the cloud.

• 1/3 of surveyed central IT professionals still call cloud security a significant challenge.
• 52% of surveyed technology decision makers have concerns around the risk of unauthorized access, data integrity and protection in the cloud.
• 62% of surveyed IT security professionals say their top cloud concern is unauthorized access to data by outsiders.

Despite the widespread concern, security can be one of the core benefits of moving to the cloud. According to the Alert Logic Cloud Security Report, in a cloud environment you’re actually safer from incidents like Trojans, brute force attacks and other suspicious activities.

This white paper compiles industry data and expert insights to discuss the opportunity to leverage private cloud while maintaining — or exceeding — your data security requirements.