Three Cloud Trends to Watch Through 2020

UK-based research company Technavio has looked into its crystal ball to come up with three key emerging trends that will impact the growth of the enterprise cloud services market over the next four years.

None of the trends are particularly ground-breaking, but they do offer some insight in terms of what your customers may be considering for the first time or as part of their cloud roadmap.

“Cloud computing services enable rapid deployment and provisioning of IT infrastructure based on changing needs. Enterprise needs to meet day-to-day computing requirements encompass rapid scalability and deployment. The availability of a number of applications to meet end-user needs is another factor driving the adoption of private cloud services,” Technavio lead analyst for cloud computing research Amit Sharma said in a statement.

The three enterprise cloud trends identified by Technavio are as follows:

Hybrid cloud services have been pitched as the best way for an organization to meet regulatory compliance while benefiting from the scalability of the cloud. Hybrid cloud environments also make it easier for organizations to bring their existing infrastructure into the equation by not requiring a total rip-and-replace approach.

Service providers will be critical supports in helping organizations adopt hybrid cloud services. According to a recent report by SolarWinds, only 27 percent of organizations have adequate resources to manage a hybrid IT environment.

“The demand for hybrid cloud has been gaining popularity, particularly among midsize enterprises, including manufacturing companies, regardless of their expensive nature,” Technavio said in a statement.

More and more devices blur the line between personal and professional use, in part because of the flexibility of cloud services, and for this reason organizations should be implementing BYOD policies now.

By having policies in place, organizations protect themselves and their proprietary data.

Shadow IT continues to be an issue for enterprises as employees download cloud applications without the approval of IT. A recent report by Blue Coat’s Elastica Cloud Threat Labs team found that one in 10 documents shared at an organization contain data that is subject to compliance regulations, such as Protected Health Information and Payment Card Industry data.

Being realistic about what cloud apps are in-use at an organization can help create a BYOD policy that protects sensitive data while enabling employees to be productive. Having a BYOD policy framework that can be updated as more and more devices are added to the mix over the next several years will help put organizations in a solid place.

SEE ALSO: Shadow IT: Embrace Reality – Detect and Secure the Cloud Tools Your Employees Use

As the options for cloud services increase, so too will the need for service providers who can help organizations decide which cloud services are best for them and guide them through implantation. This is where a cloud service brokerage comes in.

While cloud service brokerages (CSB) have been around for a few years, bigger companies have stepped into the marketplace more recently, including Accenture, which acquired Cloud Sherpas earlier this year to boost its cloud consulting business.

According to a report by Markets and Markets, “the cloud service brokerage market has been witnessing extensive growth in recent years due to the advancements in integration of various services on hybrid cloud deployment model.”

“Furthermore, the increasing adoption of integration of big data, BYOD, and mobility services on cloud is also encouraging the growth of CSB.”