Industry executives and experts share their predictions for 2023. Read them in this 15th annual VMblog.com series exclusive.
Uncovering opportunity as the industry shifts
By Michael
Hollander, Founder and CEO, MOD Mission Critical
As we emerge one more year removed from the after-effects of
a global quarantine, it's been a mixed bag for the technology sector. On one
hand, concerns regarding economic sluggishness, inflation, supply chain issues
and even global recession looms, on the other, there are still plenty of
opportunities for MSPs and the channel to perform well - and even thrive. In many ways, it's about the adjustments that
these companies will have to make as needs and resources shift.
There are always constants. Organizations continue to crave
new and innovative ways to communicate and collaborate in a cost-effective
manner. There's been an emphasis on cloud and 5G services, which offer numerous
opportunities to streamline operations while offloading many of the associated
headaches.
And while it hasn't all been perfect, the general perception
is that things can - and ultimately will - improve with time.
More bundling than ever
As corporate belts
tighten in 2023 (almost a given with the marketplace and inflation), you can
expect many providers to bundle their services to make them more comprehensive
and cost efficient. Multiple packaged options will come together as part of a
comprehensive services suite that will at least temporarily quell notions of a
la carte opportunities. These bundles will include critical areas of concern -
cybersecurity, disaster recovery, colocation and IP services, among dozens of
other opportunities.
Every day,
competitive organizations strive to uncover new lines of business, however
possible. Bundling, many will soon discover, will be just the recipe to help
them remain profitable, all while giving customers new levels of integration
and support.
Higher cross-connect
charges
Of course, it's not all so rosy. As access to critical services become more
costly, and thus less available at times, providers will likely pass on some of
this cost. And certainly data center operations will be no different. Take, for
example, the concept of "cross-connect." This tech refers to the physical
hardware that lends a straightforward, point-to-point connection within the
data center. Cross-connect is also critical to a network's ability to transfer
data between providers - be they telco, internet or cloud. This need will
translate to upcharge.
More direct connects to
public clouds and other popular destinations
In recent years, many companies have turned to pay-per-use "aaS" options that -
while offsetting cost and management - do little to support scalability via the
cloud. Now that the major cloud providers are further mobilizing their services
to increase availability, direct connections should play a huge part. AWS,
Microsoft and Google are among the many providers to support this form of
private, secure connection. Expect many more to follow suit. MOD Mission
Critical, for example, is an AWS Direct Connect delivery partner, meaning that
it is equipped to support connectivity between AWS and your end location,
wherever and whatever that is.
More managed
infrastructure
Managed infrastructure has many benefits. There are options
to streamline performance, decrease hands-on management, increase support and
cut cost. And, as the market for cloud and other on-demand services increase
with time, we'll certainly see more managed infrastructure deployments as well.
In fact, IBM noted that approximately 71 percent of businesses [1]
see IT infrastructure as a "competitive advantage" that "optimizes business
performance." I concur.
These are, of course, just a few observations. As new trends
emerge at a rapid pace, it's logical that we'll see even more developments this
year. From our perspective, MOD Mission Critical has the portfolio of partners
and services to thrive despite constant shifts in the tech landscape.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Michael Hollander is the
Founder and CEO of MOD Mission Critical, a worldwide network integrator. After
a four-year stint with Allegiance Telecom, (later XO Communications) at 27,
Michael Hollander began a venture of his own by co-founding global data network
service provider WBS Connect, where he was a managing partner receiving
accolades from the Denver Business Journal and INC 500 for triple digit growth.
In December of 2009, WBS Connect was purchased by Global Telecom and Technology
(GTLT), where he is still a shareholder. Since the integration completion of
WBS, Mike has been able to focus all of his efforts on MMC. In the afternoon
most days, Mike can be found trail running along the Front Range of Colorado or
spending time with his wife Carissa and 3 daughters. He attended Colorado State
University where he earned his B.A. in Communications. He and his wife are also
the proud owners of three small dogs, Moxie, Jasper and Dolly Parton.
[1] “The IT infrastructure conversation.” IBM Global Business Services. Accessed November 2022.