Despite years of discussion around cloud computing, only 31.65% of Spanish companies currently use cloud services, according to the recent Cloud Nation 2025 Whitepaper by Grupo Aire. Even more striking: over 50% of companies store less than 25% of their data in public clouds.
A Trust Gap Still Exists
For Roberto Alfonso, Managing Director of Glintt Next in Spain, this slow adoption is primarily due to a lack of trust and understanding:
“Many companies—especially SMEs—still fear for the security of their data in the cloud. They prefer the familiar over what they perceive as a risky leap. The real challenge is to build trust. Once businesses realize that the cloud helps them manage their data better—not lose it—they begin to embrace it.”
Misconceptions and Cultural Barriers
According to Yribarren Muñoz, CIO at QDQ, cloud adoption is also hindered by a widespread lack of education:
“Most people don’t fully understand what ‘the cloud’ is or how it benefits them—personally or professionally. There’s a belief that cloud services are only for big tech companies, even though people use them daily in social media and streaming platforms.”
What’s Holding Cloud Back?
For Pablo Gil, Account Manager for Datacenter & Cloud at Altia, the barriers are a combination of technical, cultural, economic, and regulatory factors:
- Legacy infrastructure: Many critical systems still run on-premise due to outdated software, perpetual licenses, or fully amortized hardware.
- Security concerns: Despite hyperscalers investing billions in cybersecurity, many businesses fear “losing control” of their data.
- Operational complexity: Cloud models require new skills (DevOps, FinOps) and governance practices. Fear of vendor lock-in slows down decision-making.
- Misunderstood cost models: Pay-as-you-go introduces operational cost volatility. Without solid FinOps practices, costs can spiral and fuel the myth that “the cloud is too expensive.”
- Talent shortage: The lack of certified cloud professionals makes large-scale projects difficult to execute.
Muñoz also points to organizational resistance:
- Fear of change
- Lack of internal digital leadership
- Cost perception vs. optimization strategy
- Difficulty migrating legacy systems to cloud-native architecture
Vision, Strategy, and Smart Execution
As Jaime Balañá, Technical Director at NetApp Iberoamérica, explains:
“Cloud growth is undeniable—98% of companies are already in migration—but that doesn’t mean challenges are resolved.”
NetApp’s latest Data Complexity Report reveals that 55% of Spanish companies still cite security as their top cloud concern, followed by cost control and architectural complexity. In fact, 75% of workloads remain hosted on-premise.
“Migrating to the cloud is not just about moving workloads—it’s about doing it with intelligence. Managing hybrid and multicloud environments requires unified architecture, operational visibility, and specialized talent,” Balañá concludes.
Glintt Next: Cloud Transformation with Purpose
At Glintt Next, we help organizations across healthcare, pharma, and technology sectors bridge the gap between innovation and execution. Through hybrid models, compliance-led design, and localized support, we guide each client through a secure, scalable, and strategic cloud journey.
Cloud adoption is growing—but success lies in how it’s done.
Source: Computer World
