With so much hype surrounding cloud, we love to see some real data. According to a recent online poll of business and IT leaders conducted by IDG Research Services, almost all enterprises have adopted or are planning to adopt a hybrid cloud model for at least a portion of their computer applications. Makes sense, right? It certainly seems like a good deal to get the best-of-both-worlds, but it brings us to a critical question: how do you deal with separate internal and public infrastructures?

Security is obviously a top concern when it comes to cloud adoption plans. After all, what CIO wouldn't worry about a threat in a public environment spilling over into his enterprise network? Plus, couldn't this bring about additional complexities?

We all know that security is the No. 1 concern for enterprises considering cloud computing. Technology decision makers must balance risk management strategies with the high availability and performance of cloud-based resources.

In the second of four roundtables between Qwest cloud experts and Nemertes Senior Analyst Ted Ritter, we focus on public, private and hybrid clouds and the security considerations enterprises must keep in mind, including:

• What risk management strategies to consider
• How to evaluate which resources and processes should move to the cloud.

When we heard that Microsoft used its B2B Worldwide Partner Conference to show off phones, an iPad-like slate, and motion sensors for the Xbox video game system, it confirmed one of our latest theories and one of our customers' biggest challenges: Consumerization has hit the corporate mainstream.

Jason Hiner, editor of TechRepublic, calls the consumerization of IT one of the industry's key trends. When the topic first arose, 'It was primarily an annoyance involving a few power users who were bringing their own Palm Treos into the enterprise and using some unauthorized Web tools to get their work done.'

But these days, corporate IT

Employees can be demanding. They want to be able to access all their favorite applications from any device, anywhere, and it's hard to deny this request when it's actually making someone more productive. But what is the norm? All too often, only email is approved for use on nontraditional corporate devices, which puts significant limits on true mobility.

Take sales reps as an example. Imagine what they could do if they could access their CRM and ordering systems while at a customer visit - faster quotes, faster order placement and faster service or product delivery. Seems like the way to become a well-oiled, customer-centric machine.

But put this scenario in front of IT managers and notice the fear in their eyes. Far from utopia, it represents pure chaos and risk. Visions of issues start running through their heads:

• Security and privacy concerns

During the downturn, you streamlined operations to make them truly lean. Now, with economic conditions brightening, you don't want to take your eye off the ball. But, during all this belt-tightening, did you let things go that exposed you to risk?

Network security often lands on the back burner when the going gets tough. We hear about security risks every day and understand what could happen...but dismiss the likelihood it will happen to us.

The truth is, the risk is just too high and now is a good time to evaluate your security strategy. But how do you know what's right for you?

Let's break down the options:

Do it yourself: Hire or train staff to secure your business through tools such as firewalls and web filters.

Pros: No worries about handing ov