Information Society Statistics Enterprises 2021

Cloud computing is on-demand access, via the internet, to computing resources such as software and data storage. Almost six in ten (59%) enterprises purchased a cloud computing service in 2021, an increase from 51% when compared to the previous year. The most popular type of cloud computing service in 2021 was e-mail with 47% of firms availing of this service, an increase from 43% in 2020. The most popular service in 2020, storage of files, decreased from 44% to 40%. Cloud computing for office software increased from 28% in 2020 to 43% in 2021. Use of cloud computing services for finance or accounting applications increased to 31% in 2021 from 24% the previous year while database hosting decreased from 30% in 2020 to 23% in 2021.

In 2021, 32% of firms indicated that they use cloud computing for security software applications. Almost one in ten (9%) use cloud computing to provide a platform for app development or deployment of an Application Programming Interface (API) while 8% used it to host and manage cloud-based ERP software. See Figure 5.1 and Table 5.1.

More than two-thirds (67%) of Manufacturing enterprises purchased cloud computing services in 2021. In comparison, 61% of Construction firms and 57% of businesses from Services purchased cloud computing.

The most common cloud computing service provided to Manufacturing firms and selected Services firms was e-mail with 54% and 46% respectively. The most common cloud computing service used by Construction enterprises was e-mail and office software, both with 48% uptake. 

Almost half (48%) of Manufacturers used cloud computing for file storage compared to 41% and 39% for Construction and selected Service enterprises. A higher proportion of selected Services enterprises used cloud computing for CRM (16%) compared to Manufacturing (12%) and Construction (4%). Construction firms were less likely to use cloud computing to provide a platform for application development, testing or deployment (3%) compared to 10% for both Manufacturing and Services. See Figure 5.2 and Table 5.2.