Cloud computing is on-demand access, via the internet, to computing resources such as software and data storage. The most popular type of cloud computing service in 2023 was e-mail with 52% of firms availing of this service, followed by cloud computing for office software (48%), storage of files (42%), finance or accounting software (41%), and security software (39%). More than one in ten (14%) enterprises used cloud computing to host and manage cloud-based ERP software while 11% used it to provide a platform for application development, testing or deployment.
The most common cloud computing service provided to enterprises in the three sectors, Manufacturing, Construction, and selected Services was e-mail with 59%, 56%, and 51% respectively.
More than half (53%) of Manufacturers used cloud computing for office software compared with 49% and 47% for Construction and selected Service enterprises. A higher proportion of selected Services enterprises used cloud computing for CRM (19%) compared with Manufacturing (17%) and Construction (8%). Construction firms were less likely to use cloud computing to provide a platform for application development, testing or deployment (4%) compared with 12% for Services and 7% for Manufacturing.
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