Cloud adoption is set to skyrocket globally over the next five years. The major themes in cloud computing today are cheap electricity to run the cloud data center, low power consuming servers, vitualized servers, and of course most importantly cloud security.

 Organizations from the US Federal government to SMBs are moving quickly to cloud based apps and services to streamline their operations. 

But who is really driving the IT decision making process in electing to move applications to the Cloud? Are the cloud adoption mandates from the top down starting with the CIO and Senior IT management or are they from the bottom up from departments outside the IT department seeking fast deployment?

After closer examination cloud leadership does appear to be both a bottom up and top down driven process in most organizations but mostly from within not outside the IT department.

IT departments are more than capable of finding the best technology solution for their organizations as they are closer to the data than the end users.

There has been a fair amount of discussion over the last year about the rise of “shadow IT,” where end users subscribe to cloud and software as a Services as an IT deparment end-run around. They need it and want it now, and do not wish to wait for the typical IT department to run interference by "putting it on their list" and eventually getting around to it.  It is instant cloud gratification as it has come to known, the end user is empowered to take action without the consent or approval of the IT department.

A look back historically at IT shows that PCs eventually became an IT responsibility not one the end user directly - although many tried and failed in the process. In this same sense it is suggested that IT will be ultimately responsible for the management of cloud of services.

In support of this notion, a recent survey of 257 enterprises was conducted by Information Today Inc. among members of the Oracle Users Group. 

The survey results revealed that with the rise of both public and private cloud adoption, the role of IT departments in managing private and public cloud efforts has increased over the past year. This trend reflects the increasing centralization of cloud efforts within enterprises. 

IT executives, in particular, are increasingly taking on a leadership role in identifying and managing both internal and external cloud resources for their enterprises. Sixty-seven percent say IT either recommends or has a say in public cloud service deployments. In 37% of the cases, IT has final, absolute say over what services are brought into the enterprise from outside providers.

It is good to know that IT is still in control of most of the important corporate IT purchasing decisions. This will ultimately give them one less inherited mess to clean up later on.

IT is still relevant in the future for a cloud based organization.

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