IT
A couple of months into 2016, it is time to look at the year ahead, to analyse current and future trends, to be prepared for them, to remain at the forefront of technological innovations...
With new technologies coming into play, and the reliability, and cost, of existing services improving, IT managed service companies are required to strike a balance between new ideas and stable solutions. Below are the top 5 IT provider trends that we foresee affecting the industry in 2016.
1. Virtualization and the Cloud
Virtualization and cloud computing are more than just buzz words, last week we wrote an article about the top ten benefits of app and desktop virtualisation, and it did not take long to think of ten. The technology is thriving, with the user experience constantly improving while the prices are quickly falling, providing better solutions at a lower cost. When adopting a hosted desktop solution, organisations no longer need to be concerned about the perceived need to purchase, manage and maintain costly and complex infrastructure, as rapidly evolving technologies has made the solution much more affordable and flexible.
2. Device Variety & BYOD
As many IT departments struggle to keep up with yearly technology changes, company employees increasingly want to use their own devices to access corporate data.
It’s part of a growing trend called Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) that empowers workforces through the so-called ‘consumerisation of IT’. While it’s true that it’s becoming easier to work anywhere and on any device, for a lot of companies a BYOD policy would pose a whole host of new security threats that need to be prepared for and dealt with.
3. Security & Data Protection
We hear about countless high-profile data breaches and DDOS attacks happening all the time, and this has made security a priority for modern organisations. Cloud computing is a thriving technology that is now used in everyday business operations, both transforming the way business is run, and creating new security challenges for IT professionals. While high end encryption and server redundancy keeps data safe, the full impact of the security vulnerabilities present in cloud computing remain to be seen in 2016 and beyond.
4. Contextual data drives value
There has been a huge growth in amount of devices used by the employee, both in the workplace and at home. With data coming in from both software and device monitoring, analytics will play a major role in optimising the user experience and cost efficiency by IT services firms. Using contextual data such as device, location or language can help IT companies develop improved insights, personalize products and protocols and improve security.
5. Workforce Mobility
In 2016 companies will continue to expect greater agility to accommodate rapidly-changing business goals and responsive seizing of opportunities. A mobile workforce is better able to respond to incoming challenges, as well as having the flexibility to be productive on the go. While the benefits are there, the technological advancement that make a mobile workplace possible are also new and untested, thus posing significant new risk and challenges.
2016 is going to be an exciting year, with a rapidly-changing hardware and software landscape, the way we work is changing, and IT companies need to be prepared and stay on the cutting edge of innovation to provide their clients with the latest and best.
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Article written by Enterprise Solutions