One of the most challenging aspects of migrating to cloud computing environments is determining which underlying technology will power the hosted services. In today's business world, many decision-makers are choosing to the deploy private clouds to manage and secure the virtual environments more effectively, but not all companies and clouds are equal, according to an InfoWorld report by David Linthicum.

When first considering implementing the cloud, IT managers should determine how workers feel about the technology. If there is a lot of resistance, the process of deploying the cloud may be too costly or timely, Linthicum asserted, as inhibitors will need to be persuaded and convinced of the benefits.

Decision-makers also need to figure out where they currently stand from a technological viewpoint. If infrastructure and applications are planned well and operate efficiently, the migration to the cloud may be straightforward, Linthicum said. On the other hand, poorly deployed technology will make the transition to a public, private or hybrid cloud more difficult.

Many experts believe the cloud market is approaching a tipping point at which time companies must adopt the technologies or face being outperformed by competitors, according to a SYS-CON Media report. As a result, decision-makers must develop cloud strategies if they wish to remain relevant.