The cloud. We all love it. We all use it. And companies are loving, and using it too.
It has changed the way we function in our daily lives as well as how businesses operate. But if you think this is the height of internet technology, think again. New trends are constantly emerging, and the forecast for 2019 and beyond shows some exciting developments.
Want to know where cloud management is heading? Predictions are scattered, but one thing is for sure: dependence on the cloud is growing.
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Trends in Cloud Management
The RightScale 2019 State of the Cloud Report from Flexera found that, among 786 IT professionals, 94% use the cloud. Organizations utilize an average of five clouds.
As reliance on the cloud grows, the dynamics within corporate structure change also. Recent surveys indicate what transformations and endeavors companies desire most.
Here’s what’s coming up on the horizon.
A Focus on Cloud Cost Management
The first thing on companies’ minds concerning the cloud today is cost management.
There are several financial issues businesses experience when relying on cloud services. One common money muncher is unused services.
Most cloud companies charge clients by how long a server runs, meaning if an employee forgets to shut service off or there are services in the background not being used, the consumer still pays for it.
Finding and purchasing servers and storage tiers that fit company needs is another cost factor. If a business purchases a server or tier that offers more than necessary, it wastes money.
Finally, data transfer fees associated with information that didn’t need to be downloaded or moved are the same as lost funds.
Because more businesses today rely on the cloud, managing these costs is necessary. Eighty-four percent of enterprises and 69% of small businesses point to cost management as the most significant cloud challenge they face.
To remedy this, organizations are utilizing online tools to track lost funds allowing them to create plans which contain unnecessary spending. Many companies are also employing teams to record, forecast, and manage cloud expenses.
Intense Cloud Development
With continually evolving technology, it can be tough to keep up. Many revel in the tools and conveniences the cloud offers, but get overwhelmed when considering how quickly it all changes. In a similar vein to budgeting, addressing the constant flux of the internet world requires experts with IT knowledge and an eye on current trends.
For this reason (among others), more companies want to increase their budgets for cloud operations. As the next couple of years of progress, more companies will invest in teams, tools, and resources to keep up with emerging cloud technology.
More Automation
One of the most exciting prospects of cloud technology is its increasing automation tools. Artificial intelligence sifts through big data to find patterns, and it inserts information in real-time that once required manual entries. It even forecasts predictions.
Automation in the form of new tools in an all-in-one platform simplifies transactions and data, especially for property management companies. Regularly, corporations are turning to cloud automation tools like these to manage the multitude of platforms and plethora of information the company handles.
Expect to see more automated tools enter the cloud in the near future.
A Shift to Public Cloud Use
There are different cloud formats businesses and individuals can use including public and private versions.
Before a few years ago, a majority of businesses utilized private clouds for their functions. However, this trend is slowly changing. Now, private cloud use is on the decline, and public consumption is rising. Spending on public clouds has surged to three times the amount on private usage.
Part of the reason for the switch is due to costs. Because multiple companies run publically, prices are competitive, making it the more cost effective option for smaller businesses.
Rise of the Hybrid Approach
Don’t be fooled into assuming most companies are switching to public-only clouds, however. The risk of cyber threats and heightened security concerns are leading many corporations to take a hybrid approach. An IDC 2018 survey suggested firms want to move away from public cloud use and towards private.
Then why do statistics show public use is on the rise? Because corporations are approaching cloud utilization intelligently, separating what data should be reserved for public domain and what should be confined to private or on-site programs.
All indicators signify more companies are taking this approach, and multi-cloud use statistics remain strong. Unfortunately, this avenue is harder to reach for smaller companies who may not be able to afford private servers.
Heightened Cloud Security
Securing the cloud is difficult enough. However, when a myriad of public and private clouds enter the mix, the task becomes even more difficult.
Add that to the barrage of cyberattacks experienced in the past few years, and it’s no wonder entrepreneurs are concerned about cloud security, making it a focus for primary characters in the cloud industry. The company iStorage, for instance, recently created a security device that offers up to six layers of cloud security.
Increased Use of PaaS
Platform as a Service (PaaS) permits individuals to develop and administer apps without the hassles of doing it all entirely from scratch or on-site. Maintenance, as well as all the software and hardware tools needed, are offered through the PaaS for the individual’s use.
In the public cloud, the use of PaaS has exploded because of its convenience. Serverless, which offers extended services, enjoyed a 50% growth increase through 2018.
Further Exploration into Compliance
Unfortunately, the cloud does come with issues, one being compliance. Managing and comprehending software licenses is only the tip of the iceberg. As soon as any data moves to another party’s internal storage, it’s still up to the original company to ensure every regulation is followed.
Because this is such a prevalent concern, companies offering cloud services and their customers alike must step up to ensure everything is up-to-date with laws and expectations.
A Cloud-Filled Future
Although the future looks bright, numerous changes are coming our way. The next few years will bring further investments into cloud-based services and a greater awareness of security.