Virtualization and Cloud executives share their predictions for 2013. Read them in this VMblog.com series exclusive.
Contributed article by John Engates, Chief Technology Officer, Rackspace
Five Cloud Predictions For 2013
Last year, in my cloud predictions for 2012, I
focused heavily on how open source code will become the standard and how the
future will be mobile. In 2012, we at Rackspace officially launched our open
cloud effort built on OpenStack; and mobility now dominates day-to-day work and
life.
As we look ahead to 2013, the cloud computing market
is yet again undergoing a major shift. Big Data will be a huge topic of
discussion next year, as will the massive explosion in the number of connected
devices.
Here are my five cloud predictions (in no particular
order) for 2013:
Year
of Big Data
This is the year when Big Data makes its way into
enterprise conversations. Gartner predicts that Big Data will drive $232 million
in IT spending through 2016. Companies will begin looking for ways to leverage
Big Data solutions to create business value and a competitive advantage. For
example, more companies will implement Big Data solutions to help analyze
website traffic and to gain a deeper understanding of their customer base by
identifying key trends in online viewing and purchasing behaviors. As the
interest in Big Data increases, so too will the realization that these
solutions are complicated and difficult to deploy. As a result, there will be a
big initial focus on looking for ways to take the time and complexity out of
Big Data implementations.
Internet
of Things
The PC used to be the center of the universe. But
now there are myriad devices and the PC is only one of many. In fact, now it's
becoming more of an Internet of things as opposed to an Internet of people. How
many of our devices will have no screen and automatically do things on behalf
of humans? The vast majority is my guess. These devices will include electric
meters, sensors, surveillance cameras, cars, etc. Everything we have will be
connected. The power meter in your home that's connected to the smart grid will
constantly stream and store data in the cloud. The camera with Wi-Fi that
streams photos will be connected to the cloud via Wi-Fi or 4G. Everything will
have a connection to cloud services, as the cloud is the backend that makes it
all possible.
This Internet of things also means the cloud is more
important than ever. The cloud provides the central hub for all of these
devices, as well as context about the user that can be tapped into and shared
to make the product or service better. The cloud is also where the analytical
data from all of these "things" is processed and stored, which again speaks to
how important Big Data solutions will be in the year ahead.
Disaster
Recovery Gets Cloudy
Whether it's the catastrophic Tsunami in Japan, the
deadly tornado outbreaks throughout the Mid-West or the devastating hurricane
that just hit the East Coast, companies are being challenged to figure out how
to maintain business operations in the midst of natural disasters. It's
happening more frequently and it's a trend that will likely continue in the
year ahead. The cloud will help these companies respond more quickly. The
frictionless nature of moving workloads between clouds in the face of a
disaster is huge, as it gives companies the flexibility they need to adapt. The
cloud will be a key component of disaster recovery plans moving forward.
SSD
Comes to the Cloud
We started to see this trend evolve in late 2012,
but in 2013 companies will use SSDs for their cloud storage needs at an
increasing rate. SSDs will be embedded into more devices, laptops and data
centers. While standard drives for storage will continue to be used, SSDs will
offer a higher performance option that is fast, super low energy and contain no
moving parts. As more SSDs are used, costs will come down and create a virtuous
cycle. This cycle will kick off in 2013, as we will begin to see many more options
for SSD in the cloud.
Broader
IT Skill Sets Required
As the tech industry
continues its shift towards cloud computing and companies continue to implement
public, private and hybrid clouds at an increasing rate, the typical IT
manager, system administrator and even the CIO will soon be forced to develop a
much broader skill set. This trend will help create a new job market that is
ripe for those who have a generalized skill set vs. deep experience within one
specialized area.
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About the Author
John
Engates has played an active role in the evolution and evangelism of Rackspace's
cloud-computing strategy and cloud products. John meets frequently with
customers to hear about their needs and concerns, and to discuss Rackspace's
vision for the future of cloud computing. John currently serves as Chief
Technology Officer
John is a graduate of the University of Texas at San
Antonio and holds a B.B.A. in Accounting.