Cloud is already here-and thriving. Today, twenty-three percent of total IT spending is devoted to cloud, and the increase in cloud's share of IT spending is expected to increase by 17 percent over the next three years. Yet as we transition into the next phase of IT evolution, Cisco and its partners will need to know how to adapt and seize opportunities in a rapidly changing ecosystem.

In our most recent "Winning in the Cloud" partner webcast, we discussed a groundbreaking new study, "Impact of Cloud on IT Consumption Models." That study, conducted in collaboration between Cisco? Consulting Services (CCS) and Intel?, explores the forces transforming IT organizations, and determines just what skills our IT leaders and service providers will need to succeed.

The study is based on customer-focused surveys of more than 4,000 IT decision makers, from enterprise and midsized companies, spanning 18 industries and nine key economies in developed and emerging markets alike. It presents a detailed analysis of what IT organizations of the future will look like - and what their leaders need to do today to ensure their future success.

Some of the report's key findings include:

• Security concerns remain the chief brake on cloud growth
• Satisfaction with cloud providers is high, but so are expectations
• The influence of lines of business (LOB) on IT consumption is increasing. IT will need to partner with LOBs across all stages of IT decision making.

The "Impact of Cloud on IT Consumption Models" study provides insight into the decisions of midmarket and enterprise customers as those customers explore the right cloud strategy for their businesses. Armed with this insight, cloud providers and cloud builders - just like you - can make better informed decisions when building a cloud strategy that is expansive, flexible, and ready for the deep changes that continue to disrupt the future of IT consumption.

And don't forget, the report and webcast all tie in nicely with the Cloud Business Transformation Playbook, which we recently announced at Partner Summit. The playbook helps you prepare your business for cloud opportunity as well; so use these resources to help you plan your IT spending accordingly.

I encourage you to share your feedback on this latest study and the takeaways from our webcast.