A new survey by Node4 has revealed an interesting shift in the psychology of IT managers.

The study, conducted among customers of the cloud and data center operator, suggests that the majority of companies are now happy to let go of their IT infrastructure, as long as it doesn’t move too far away.

Node4 quizzed its customers at an open day this week, held in an attempt to gauge the levels of confidence in hosting.

The survey found an unprecedented appetite for outsourcing IT management, as levels of trust in the business model have increased dramatically in the last year.

Feedback suggested that 86% of IT decision makers are using or are now planning to use cloud-based business systems and storage in the near future.

However, 80% of those same IT decision makers revealed that they wanted their servers to be within easy access.

Four fifths of them wanted the peace of mind that comes from backing up their organization’s data in a hosting facility near their offices.

A quarter of attendees do not trust providers that store data overseas and a significant number of companies don’t want their IT systems going abroad.

Most said they want to know where their data is at all times and some would only store information with organizations that are based in the UK, according to Node4.

However, the majority of attendees were fully aware of the benefits of cloud computing with 33.3% believing that it will support their business growth and expansion.

Companies know that their IT will mature and eventually find a new home, according to Paul Bryce, Business Development Director, Node4, but for many it is hard to let their servers go.

“Savvy organizations understand and appreciate the cost-savings and business growth that comes when the cloud gives employees access to state-of-the-art technology,” Bryce said.

“But they still like to know exactly where their data is. They don’t want highly sensitive company information on a server that could be anywhere in the world. They want it stored in a nearby location with access to a local support team”.