Computing and business have formed a symbiotic relationship over the decades, but nothing compares to the trends of 2012 when it comes down to cloud computing. If your company has sought an alternative to the time and expenses of setting up and maintaining IT systems in-house, it is among a growing force driving a major trend. The state of cloud computing after 2012 positions it as a major business driver. Some experts predict it will continue to expand in 2013 and provide major sources of revenue and employment, throughout the world, within a couple of years. 2012 Cloud TrendsBusinesses having moved to the cloud in 2012 primarily voice their approval, and the trend seems to be on the path to the mainstream. At the beginning of 2013, major platforms are being released which support cloud deployments on a corporate level, building on the trends that took place in 2012. These include:
- Applications in the cloud such as CRM, BPM, and ERP, among others, have proliferated. Not only did the confidence in these increase, but the market demand for them flourished.
- Growth in the pubic cloud services market was expected, but new reports from industry research show the market is expected to grow faster than previously anticipated.
- New service offerings go beyond simple applications. Many service providers are releasing platform-as-a-service and infrastructure-as-a-service solutions in complete packages ready for enterprise deployment. In some cases, these are provided as part of mixed services.
- Many businesses are implementing a mix of in-house systems and those deployed in the cloud, reflecting the growing phenomenon of hybrid clouds.
- Cloud applications are taking advantage of unlimited resources to manage huge datasets and support the analysis of enormous quantities of data simultaneously.
A Look Ahead to 2013Despite the changing computing climate in 2012, most enterprises continued to view themselves as 9 to 5 businesses. The growing popularity and acceptance of remote access and fewer space requirements at the office is fitting well with many companies.
- Companies will have an easier time embracing a 24/7 work format, with the flexibility allowing for an increase in employee productivity.
- Sophisticated new technologies related to CRM, ERP, and PBX will be deployed in the cloud. The evaluation and implementation of these in a cloud model has the potential to reprieve IT of budgets mostly spent on maintaining existing infrastructure.
- For businesses more weary of moving their data into public domains, the private cloud is a growing entity. Open source platforms are expected to emerge to help these enterprises make full use of cloud computing.
Not every business is ready to jump into the cloud. The trends of 2012 and the expert predictions for 2013, however, suggest that cloud computing is here to stay. New innovations promise to help make the cloud appealing to nearly every business. In addition, regulatory mandates may have the effect of standardizing many aspects of the cloud that are still evolving. Cloud computing holds promise of becoming the mainstream force for the enterprise in just a few short years. 