As we welcome the new year of 2018, information technology and business executives are focusing more on how they can leverage technology to accomplish their business goals and objectives this year. One of the most significant technologies that are taking the corporate forum by storm is cloud computing. In the most basic terms, cloud technology can be defined as hosted services delivery through the World Wide Web. Cloud computing is a framework that allows users to connect to resources of computing. Examples of these resources include endless aisle, computer networks, storage servers, and services applications.
All these services can be provided over the internet without the trouble of going through any of the hassles involved in management. Cloud technology enables small business enterprises and big corporations to process their data using a team of experts with a vast skill set in cloud computing competencies. A company can store its data using a cloud that is privately-owned or a third-party server that is situated in a data center. This makes the mechanism of data analysis very efficient and extra-reliable. Cloud computing relies on the sharing of assets to enjoy the benefits and economies of coherence and scale.
Cloud technology is an emerging trend in the 21st-century global economy which is set to be used even more by business organizations in 2018. This is according to a survey carried out by new global Cloud Index by Cisco. Some of the cloud computing service models include cloud data centers, cloud solutions, and service, Infrastructure as a service, software as a service (SaaS).Another study carried out by Statista; the public cloud computing market is expected to grow up to $159.28 billion by the end of 2020. In this article, we are going to highlight the cloud computing trends of 2018 that any serious entrepreneur should consider incorporating in their business for maximum return on investment.
1. More Storage Capacity in the Cloud
Data storage in the cloud is expected to grow exponentially as cloud computing services continuously become a necessity of doing business in the modern world. More data centers with equipment that has a more significant storage capacity will be brought to the internet by cloud computing service providers to accomplish this. The survey by Cisco predicts that the total amount of data by the end of 2017 will be to the tune of 370EB while the worldwide storage needs will plummet to 600EB. Progressive businesses will be able to utilize the added storage capacity to the achievement of their business goals and objectives as cloud computing service providers increase their storage capacities. For instance, companies that work with big data analytics will take advantage of the added space to store massive data sets and have analytics performed. This will also enable firms to collect insights that are valuable in areas such as strategic financial investment, human systems and consumer behavior, tastes and preferences.
2. The Rise of 5G and Increased Quality of the Internet
In 2018, the amount of information generated and stored by businesses around the globe is set to grow exponentially. Moreover, consumers will also develop an expectation of faster and high-quality internet from their internet service providers. The move to faster internet speeds has been spearheaded by Qualcomm Snapdragon where 2018 is expected to see an increase in the number of business utilizing these improvements for a better consumer brand experience. As technology continues to advance, it is anticipated that companies are going to migrate from gigabyte LTE speeds to 5G networks which will enable us to achieve the capabilities of full 5G systems in a shorter period.
3. The Cloud and Security Challenges
In the year 2017, there were very many incidences of high profile cybercrimes that involved multinational companies. Attacks such as Equifax data breach, CIA vault seven hacks, and WannaCry ransomware are reminders that hacking is a 21st-century reality. 2018 is expected to experience more cyber-security breaches that will compromise the integrity of the business systems owned by small businesses and big corporations. One of the ways of curbing this is by security consultants and analysts becoming more vigil.
