96% of decision makers believe a cloud model can make it easier to democratize data, according to our latest global research, ‘Data strategy and culture: paving the way to the cloud’. But there isn’t a single solution that will fit every organization. Choosing the right deployment option is critical to delivering results for your data strategy – so where do you start?
Get your priorities right
Today’s businesses are at a critical crossroads when it comes to how they work successfully with data. There is an understanding of the importance of the insights that can be derived from it and the need to find the right technology to make operations more agile.
So flexibility is crucial. But before you can choose the right deployment model, you need a thorough analysis of your organization’s data strategy, culture and its data democratization process.
According to our latest research, just 32% of data teams can always extract the insight they need and almost half (46%) of organizations believe that the democratization of data simply isn’t feasible for them.
Something needs to change.
Clarify your data strategy first
Decision makers consider several factors when deciding on their organization’s data strategy and technology infrastructure.
However, employees and management view their organization’s data strategy differently according to the findings in our new report. Many employees are unsure of how it will benefit them.
This is cause for concern – a data strategy is worthless if employees don’t buy into it. And choosing the right deployment model significantly impacts how people within the business feel about working with data.
Democratize data
While the cloud is often considered king, it’s important to remember that there is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to deployment models.
According to our research, democratizing data is essential to instill an effective culture that underpins a data strategy. Almost four out of five respondents say their current IT infrastructure makes it challenging to open up access to data across their organization.
This means businesses need to find a way to create a sustainable deployment plan and model to make better decisions and uncover new opportunities.
Choose the right deployment model
Once these key steps are in place, the time is right to consider the best deployment model. There isn’t just one option – on-premises, cloud or hybrid, and multi-cloud options are all available. A cloud model, for example, removes data silos, and data can be shared at scale in a secure and cost-effective way. Organizations have to consider which deployment model will suit certain workloads – what is best for one business, may not be for another.
We do know that the performance of software and services is a key factor driving an organization’s decision to invest in a specific deployment model for their data strategy according to our findings in the report.
This is where a hybrid approach really delivers – sensitive data can be managed on-premises and less-critical information is kept on public cloud offerings. This delivers cost efficiency and greater agility while enabling a business to quickly adapt and change as it evolves.
There are many factors to consider to ensure that a data strategy yields the best results. Our report, ‘Data strategy and culture: paving a way to the cloud’ highlights the four key steps to take and shares insights from your peers that will help you choose the right deployment model for your organization.
To learn more, download the full report here.