The disparity in levels of hybrid and multi-cloud maturity among companies in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region is a critical theme explored in a recent report by the Enterprise Strategy Group commissioned by Infoblox. The study, which involved 1,000 networking and security decision-makers, including 300 respondents from APAC countries like Australia, India, Japan, New Zealand, and Singapore, underscores the challenges and opportunities facing these organizations. One of the most glaring findings is the significant gap in cloud maturity between APAC firms and their global counterparts. While 51% of APAC organizations fall into the least mature cohort compared to 46% globally, only 14% of APAC companies are leading in cloud maturity versus 11% worldwide. This disparity highlights the potential for APAC companies to grow and catch up to their global peers by adopting more advanced cloud practices.
The report reveals that lower levels of collaboration between network and security teams are a major factor contributing to this lag in cloud maturity in APAC. Only 37% of companies in the region report high levels of collaboration during cloud strategy development, and just 36% during incident management. These figures are significantly lower than the global averages of 46% and 42%, respectively. Despite these gaps in teamwork, APAC organizations demonstrate strengths in other areas, such as using common tools across network and security teams (33% versus 27% globally) and relying more on Cloud Service Provider (CSP)-specific DDI tools (41% compared to 31%). Still, there is a pressing need for APAC firms to enhance their collaboration to maximize the potential of their cloud investments.
The Impact of Cloud Maturity Disparities
The stark contrast in cloud maturity levels has substantial implications for organizational efficiency and innovation in the APAC region. Mature organizations—those classified as Leaders—report significant benefits from their advanced cloud practices. For instance, they achieve substantial improvements in cross-cloud visibility (76%), stakeholder satisfaction (71%), and accelerated service delivery and innovation (63%). Furthermore, these mature companies experienced a 20.5% larger reduction in cloud costs and a 25% decrease in downtime incidents. They also showed higher efficiency in restoring services, detecting suspicious activities, investigating anomalies, and responding to attacks. These outcomes illustrate the tangible advantages that come with higher cloud maturity.
In contrast, companies in the least mature cohort struggle with numerous challenges, including limited visibility across their cloud environments, dissatisfaction among stakeholders, and slower service delivery. The lack of effective collaboration between network and security teams exacerbates these issues, limiting the potential to optimize their cloud deployments. As a result, less mature APAC organizations miss out on the efficiencies and cost savings that come with more sophisticated cloud operations. Addressing these disparities is crucial for these firms to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Leveraging Common Tools and Advanced DDI Solutions
One area where APAC organizations outshine their global counterparts is in the use of common tools and CSP-specific DDI tools, which help streamline operations across network and security teams. For instance, 33% of APAC firms use common tools, compared to 27% globally, and 41% rely on CSP-specific DDI tools, versus 31% worldwide. These tools can play a crucial role in bridging the gap between network and security teams, fostering better collaboration, and ultimately enhancing cloud efficiency. By leveraging these tools more effectively, APAC organizations can improve their cloud operations, enhance security, and drive innovation.
Advanced DDI solutions and leveraging DNS for security are highlighted as essential components for achieving these benefits. These technologies aid in managing IP addresses, DNS, and DHCP services, which are critical for cloud infrastructure. By integrating these solutions into their strategies, APAC organizations can enhance visibility, improve security posture, and ensure more resilient and agile cloud environments. However, to fully capitalize on these tools, it’s imperative that APAC firms foster a culture of collaboration between their network and security teams. Enhanced cooperation can lead to more cohesive and efficient cloud strategies, yielding substantial gains in operational efficiency and cost reduction.
Steps Towards Improved Collaboration
The disparity in hybrid and multi-cloud maturity levels among companies in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region is a key focus of a recent report by the Enterprise Strategy Group, commissioned by Infoblox. The study surveyed 1,000 networking and security decision-makers, including 300 from APAC countries like Australia, India, Japan, New Zealand, and Singapore, highlighting the unique challenges and opportunities these organizations face. A standout finding is the significant cloud maturity gap between APAC firms and global counterparts: 51% of APAC firms fall into the least mature cohort, compared to 46% globally, while only 14% of APAC companies lead in cloud maturity versus 11% worldwide. This indicates potential for APAC firms to advance by adopting more sophisticated cloud practices.
The report underscores that lower levels of collaboration between network and security teams are a major factor contributing to APAC’s lag in cloud maturity. Only 37% of companies in the region report high collaboration during cloud strategy development, and just 36% during incident management. These numbers are below the global averages of 46% and 42%, respectively. Despite this, APAC organizations show strengths in areas like the use of common tools across teams (33% vs. 27% globally) and higher reliance on Cloud Service Provider (CSP)-specific DDI tools (41% vs. 31%). However, boosting collaboration remains essential for APAC firms to fully leverage their cloud investments.
