Many of us would agree that the roles of chief information officers (CIO) continue to evolve with the need to deliver more data to more people on more platforms. 

They have become more like "cloud integration officers," with their heads in the cloud(s) and their feet firmly implanted in the terra-firma of data accessibility and security.

The increasing roles of CIOs can encompass a company's complete infrastructure. If he or she is up to the task, the CIO can ensure the company's relevance 10 or 20 years into the future. Chief executive officers, chief financial officers and boards of directors are all making demands on CIOs: to increase agility, to drive competitive advantage, and to optimize risk and costs throughout the enterprise.

Unfortunately, many CIOs today are aware of only 50 percent of the SaaS/cloud solutions used in their enterprises. This leaves companies exposed to security risks and without a plan to manage it.

Additionally, CIOs today are leveraging the cloud in the delivery of services to all parts of the company.  But most are challenged with the work to integrate these cloud solutions and the inherent security risk of their key IP, PII, PCI and other business-critical data being in the cloud.

It's imperative that today's CIOs:

• Know where their data is stored and what SaaS/cloud solutions are used in their enterprise.
• Understand what security measures are needed and how to implement them.
• Work with corporate management so they understand where their data is, the risks associated with using the cloud, the security measures in place and how best to leverage for benefit.
• Manage the day-to-day issues that occur when making data available on the cloud and are able to solicit ideas on how to manage it better.
• Are able to work with others and encourage them to implement plans for leveraging the cloud in a secure manner.

Moving data to the cloud and managing it there can be a daunting task for those that don't understand the process, are unable to communicate well and are unable to cooperate with other members of his or her team or company. 

But, those CIOs that do understand what is needed to create a smooth transition to the cloud, and use the tools and people available to them, will always know where their data is, how to access it and gain the benefit.