Does digital transformation come easily to companies in APAC?

BUSINESSES in the APAC region are turbocharging their digital transformation efforts by deploying the latest in cutting edge technology and processes.

According to one recent study, about 41 percent of organizations in the region are using container-based applications to deliver smarter solutions fast, as well as taking advantage of the agile development methods, effectively unlocking new opportunity for automation and increased efficiency.

However, rapid adoption also will pose new challenges to the organizations, primarily concerning security and maintaining consistent performance standards, among other things.

The report, which surveyed 1,863 professionals in the APAC region explored the business impact of the organizations’ digital journeys as well as how they leverage application services to gain an advantage over their competition.

Embracing the latest tech

With a heavy focus on adapting emerging technology, digital transformation remains a critical regional driver with up to 66 percent of businesses surveyed are either currently in the midst of or planning to embark on a digital journey.

Within the region, ANZ and India were leaders in embracing digital transformation, scoring 93 and 94 percent respectively.

Further, more than half of businesses in the APAC that responded to the survey also stated that they are already deploying emerging technologies such as container platforms.

The speed of adoption in the region indicates a future business environment that is filled with cloud-based apps which will provide organizations agile, efficient, and scalable solutions to unlock new business opportunities.

Constant security and visibility

Security across all applications, however, is still a significant cause for concern in the region, especially with accelerated multi-cloud adoption as the study found only 34 percent of companies were confident in weathering an application-layer attack.

And, as an average company utilizes up to 765 web-based apps, security is a key concern.

Accordingly, businesses should explore a more comprehensive approach when it comes to securing their network as a standalone network firewall may not be able to provide sufficient protection.

The study found that multi-pronged security measures that integrate features such as web application firewall (WAF), behavioral analysis, and access control are better suited for a cloud-based environment.

Further, it is also imperative to establish application performance visibility to ensure digital health and the success of businesses.

As a result, the adoption of big data analytics, AI, and real-time threat analysis has become a priority for enterprises in the APAC.

Increased automation, in the face of challenges

According to the report, APAC organizations are leaders in automation and orchestration — 60 percent of respondents have already integrated such solutions. Deployment, however, is done in spite of continuous challenges.

Further, talent remains a key challenge for the region. In the ASEAN, 52 percent of the companies surveyed admitted to struggling to cope with the lack of a skilled workforce.

Beyond that, stricter regulatory policies and data privacy laws also affect companies in ANZ (58 percent), ASEAN (51 percent), and India (51 percent), whereby compliance makes the companies vulnerable to IP thefts and data loss.

Other than that, tight budgets and lack of resources, continue to be a significant obstacle for tech adoption in the region.

In conclusion, despite their challenges, companies in the APAC region are rapidly adopting digital solutions and continue to seek out emerging technology to improve their business.

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