Companies are continuing to move along with adopting cloud computing even though they haven't completed their formal strategies for using it, according to ZDNet.com.

Analyst IDC found that nearly three-quarters (69 percent) had already started using private cloud technologies, with nearly half (40 percent) saying they were using public and hybrid cloud.

But while some companies are already taking the plunge, 64 percent of UK organizations said they are still "considering" what to do with the cloud (compared to 60 percent in France and 52 percent in Germany).

Most enterprises' cloud strategies aren't particularly sophisticated, however, and focus on the technology-related drivers for cloud adoption, such as cutting the cost of IT, rather than business-related drivers, such as creating new revenue streams, according to IDC.

EMC to Train 30,000 in Cloud Computing, Data Analytics
EMC Data Storage Systems India plans to train around 30,000 people in cloud computing, data science and big data analytics by 2013 in its new certification course, according to an article on NewKerala.com.

Rajesh Janey, president, EMC India and SAARC, told IANS that the Indian cloud computing, currently estimated at $400 million, was likely to touch $4.5 billion by 2015, and the business opportunity in Big Data is expected to touch $300 million in a couple of years.

"However, there is a huge shortage of manpower in these domains," he said.

According to Janey, the new courses will be a part of EMC Academic Alliance which has been implemented by tying up with over 250 educational institutes in India and to EMC's customers and partners.

"Cloud computing is transforming IT and Big Data is transforming business. But there is a shortage of people with requisite skills. It is estimated globally that there is a shortage of around 192,000 data scientists," Janey said.

CloudNOW Reveals Its 2013 Cloud Computing Predictions
CloudNOW, a non-profit consortium of cloud computing thought leaders, has released its annual predictions for cloud computing.

The predictions, according to Forbes.com, include a particular focus on cloud federation, an accelerated adoption of cloud stacks and greater control over cloud resources through what they describe as enterprise-class features.

According to the report's authors, "a core focus of cloud in 2013 will be around such topics as Big Data and integration of cloud computing infrastructure and applications to realize federation of clouds."

It is predicted that cloud computing adoption will accelerate despite some reservations regarding security and availability. The advantages that cloud computing offers in terms of agility and cost-effectiveness will outweigh such reservations, the report's authors stated.