As the cloud market surges, so does the opportunity for innovation. Unpack three top trends and learn how they can propel your business forward.
With the cloud market buzzing with innovation and projected to be worth a whopping $600 billion in 2023, understanding the key trends is a must for businesses looking to stay ahead of the curve. So, let's unpack three of the hottest trends in the cloud and how you can take advantage of them to boost your efficiency and agility.
cost optimization — making your dollar work harder
One of the most compelling benefits of cloud services is their flexible pricing models. The pay-as-you-go approach means you only pay for what you use, often leading to significant cost savings for enterprises. This efficiency trend is here to stay.
Given the uncertainties in today’s economy, leaders are ramping up their use of cloud-based services and products. A Google Cloud Brand Pulse Survey from the fourth quarter of 2022 showed that 41.4 percent of leaders are increasing their use of cloud-based services. In addition, 33.4 percent plan to migrate from legacy enterprise software to cloud-based tools, while 32.8 percent are shifting on-premises workloads to the cloud.
To take advantage of this trend, start by evaluating your business's cloud usage patterns and needs. Adopt a cloud strategy that aligns with your financial goals and projected growth.
hybrid and multi-cloud approaches — diversifying your portfolio
The shift toward hybrid and multi-cloud strategies is reshaping how enterprises manage their digital assets. This approach, involving a blend of on-premises, private cloud and public cloud services, allows businesses to strike a balance among cost, performance and security needs.
According to a recent survey by the Enterprise Strategy Group, we're seeing a rise in diversified deployment strategies. Most organizations are spreading their applications across multiple on-premises data centers, colocation providers, Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) providers and Platform as a Service (PaaS) providers. The study also notes that this trend will continue, as 87 percent of organizations agree that their application environment will become distributed across more locations over the next two years.
These developments signal a shift in how cloud providers are chosen. Once a task left solely to the IT department, selecting a cloud provider has now become a decision made strategically at multiple levels of the enterprise. IT, information security, the C-suite and other stakeholders all play an integral role in making the selection, factoring in a wide range of considerations from cost efficiency to data security and business objectives.
To make the most of this trend, it’s not just about saying “yes” to a hybrid or multi-cloud approach. It’s about cultivating a cross-functional, collaborative approach when making decisions about cloud services. This team effort ensures your strategy aligns with your organization's unique needs while maximizing the potential benefits of cloud technologies.
automation and AI integration — future proofing your business
Automation and artificial intelligence (AI) are no longer buzzwords. They’re practical tools being integrated into cloud services, saving time and money. IT leaders should actively seek cloud infrastructure capable of supporting AI and machine learning (ML) workloads.
That said, having the right infrastructure isn’t the whole story — the people who use it matter just as much, if not more. And the road to AI isn’t as simple as just recruiting a fleet of data scientists. Organizations are realizing that filling AI talent gaps requires a more strategic approach. That means identifying upskilling or reskilling opportunities that enable your workforce to exploit AI capabilities to the fullest.
The world of cloud operations and infrastructure is incredibly dynamic, and these trends are just the tip of the iceberg. Your readiness to embrace change and adapt will be critical to keeping your business competitive and innovative.
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