Cloud computing is set to remain the top IT priority for 2012 with adoptions rates predicted to increase further, according to a poll conducted by Unisys.com.

The poll, which had 300 responses throughout September and October of this year, revealed that cloud computing will be the main IT priority for 50 per cent of respondents.

Cyber security (21 per cent), mobile and social computing (also with 21 per cent), and big data (8 per cent) were the other top IT priorities for 2012.

Colin Lacey, vice president of data centre services and solutions at Unisys, said: “Over the past two years cloud computing has moved into the mainstream of IT investment decisions.

“Business decision makers are embracing both private and public cloud computing models. They now see the cloud as a vital way to obtain IT services that enable them to provide solutions for clients and deliver competitive products to market quickly and cost-efficiently.”

The results of the Unisys poll are also reflected in other recent news which highlights the value and importance of cloud over the coming 12 months. Over the weekend it was revealed that SAP had shelled out $3.4bn (£2.2bn) to acquire the human resources software firm SuccessFactors, while yesterday Cisco announced the launch of CloudVerse, its new cloud-based hardware and services platform.

Cisco has predicted that by 2014 more than half of all data centres will be cloud-based and that global cloud data traffic will reach 1.6 zetabytes by 2015.

At the 2nd Cloud Circle Security Conference last Friday (2 December), when asked for their predictions of what 2012 had in store for the cloud industry, delegates and suppliers alike stated that they believed adoption rates would soar. As the hype fades and the cloud becomes demystified, more and more organisations are now tipping their toes into the water while the frontrunners are ready to take an organisation-wide plunge.

Unisys is a Pennsylvania-headquartered technology company specialising in designing, building, and managing mission-critical environments for businesses and governments.