It’s hard to believe that cloud adoption only became mainstream a couple years ago. Already, over 85% of businesses use some form of cloud computing, and this figure is only set to rise over the coming years. This radical transformation is far from complete, however, and the fast-evolving world of technology is forcing companies to constantly review their IT strategies to stay relevant and competitive.
As we enter 2018, business leaders need to start thinking about their IT objectives for the next year. To that end, let’s look at five of the most prolific cloud trends we can expect to dominate 2018:
1. Exponential Growth of Cloud Solutions
Cloud computing originally started off purely in the form as software-as-a-service. Web-based apps enjoy a long history too, starting with the invention of web-based email. However, faster internet speeds have enabled the cloud to expand to include entire web-based computing infrastructures and platforms to the extent that minimal computing work needs to be carried out on a local machine.
Although we can expect SaaS to lead the way when it comes to cloud deployments, more companies are migrating toward complete cloud enablement and doing away with their dependence on in-house resources in the process. To that end, we can expect businesses to more aggressively integrate cloud computing models into their IT strategies in 2018.
2. Greater Cloud Storage Capacity
With the quantity of digital data in the world set to skyrocket into zettabyte territory in the next few years, storage demands are growing all the time. Big Data is now very much a thing, which shouldn’t come as a surprise given that every digital process generates data.
Given that the cloud is now responsible for the bulk of computing workloads, we can expect data-center sizes to grow enormously in the next few years. Just last year, for example, the world’s largest data center opened in Nevada. As storage capacities continue to increase, prices will no doubt fall as well, allowing businesses to better take advantage of cloud storage and backup.
3. Integration of Machine Learning
Artificial intelligence and machine learning are two of the biggest factors currently influencing the evolution of technology. Technology behemoths like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google are all jumping on the bandwagon to integrate machine learning into their products and services. While the technology is still in its infancy, we can expect its advances to mold the future of the cloud in the coming years, particularly when it comes to smart document management solutions and big data analytics.
4. Improved Internet Quality
The unprecedented rise of cloud computing is largely down to increasing internet speeds and availability. Before fast broadband connections became standard in the workplace, it simply wasn’t practical to migrate most business applications to the cloud. However, things have changed, just as they will continue to do.
Consumers and businesses alike can expect faster network speeds next year and beyond, including the rollout of 5G. The adoption of 5G will no doubt prove highly influential in an increasingly mobile workforce that relies heavily on the ability to access cloud-based resources while on the move. It seems that the Internet of everything and ubiquitous computing will finally take center stage in 2018.
5. Continuing Security Concerns
One of the main motivators for moving to the cloud in the first place is to reduce reliance on in-house computing resources and, therefore, implement a more robust disaster recovery strategy. However, security and data integrity remains a major concern, and we can expect 2018 to see more high-profile attacks intended to undermine the security of cloud infrastructures. At the same time, cloud providers will be forced to implement an increasing range of security measures able to handle ever greater workloads.
The ability to use technology to your advantage and align it with your company’s goals isn’t always easy. That’s why Founders Tech was established to help guide businesses in the right direction with the tools and expertise they need to succeed. Contact us today to connect with one of our experts.