Wagstaff implored the members of the Storage Networking Industry Association (SNIA) who already have experienced virtualisation to explain the technological and strategic benefits of the technology to those who "have missed a step in terms of productivity gains".

In order for cloud technology to take off in organisations, IT leaders need to be in complete alignment with business objectives and priorities, according to Wagstaff.

"You need to ask yourself whether what you are implementing for the next three years supports the business vision of your company," he said.

Business leaders are looking at cloud computing as a way to increase productivity, reduce cost, and mitigate risk. "So, the conversation with them is not to rain on their parade, but put on a critical thinking hat and introduce issues with a dose of reality. You need to ask whether we have thought about data integrity, the privacy issues, and even having a disaster recovery plan in the cloud," said Wagstaff.