Industry executives and experts share their predictions for 2024.  Read them in this 16th annual VMblog.com series exclusive.

2024: Tech's Biggest Cloud, Business Resilience, and Security Trends

By TJ Houske, CEO of OTAVA

Technology never ceases to evolve, advance, and reshape the landscape of cloud computing, business resilience, and security. As we approach another new year, three areas stand out as those that will have the biggest impact on how enterprises will evolve, operate, overcome challenges, and thrive.

1. Maturing Public Cloud Offerings

The public cloud has become ingrained in modern business operations, with levels of scalability and flexibility never seen before. In 2024, one of the biggest ongoing trends will be the maturation of public cloud offerings. Managed cloud services like Azure, AWS, and others, are becoming increasingly robust, addressing the complex needs of businesses. We can expect companies to take greater advantage of new features and developments.

This means that IT departments will place a heavier focus on shifting towards establishing a mature multi-cloud management approach. This recognizes that businesses often use a combination of cloud platforms like VMware-powered private clouds, managed Azure, and managed AWS. To manage the inherent complexity, consistency is key. Companies will need to establish new standards that address a consistent theme across these platforms, including cost control, complexity management, and, most importantly, security.

Managing data across multiple cloud environments is a growing concern from a security standpoint. Additionally, the expenses associated with data egress fees and export costs are factors that will demand more attention. In 2024, businesses will be more determined than ever to find cost-effective solutions while maintaining data integrity and security.

2. Moving Up the Stack

While Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) remains a steady market, in 2024 we will see IT departments start to start shifting towards moving up the stack. As organizations are now looking at more higher-level services, they will need to transition to new application services like containers as a service and microservices.

VMware Tanzu is a great example of this trend, as it allows businesses to abstract infrastructure complexities and hone in on specific elements of their applications. This shift leads to increased efficiency and cost savings, as businesses pay only for the services they use, rather than maintaining idle resources. The transition to moving up the stack also requires skilled personnel who understand the details of these technologies.

3. Stepping Up Security

Security will of course remain a serious concern in 2024, and data protection will become further prioritized. Many businesses are now realizing that cloud (whether single or multi-cloud) and security are inherently linked. And this is especially true when it comes to protecting data within cloud workloads.

Watch for advanced security services, such as forensics and incident response to continue to gain importance in the coming year. We expect that more and more organizations will add services like Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) and Security Operations Center (SOC) capabilities to strengthen their security postures. File integrity management, endpoint protection, and even immutable storage are becoming key components in safeguarding data and ensuring the resilience of backup systems.

The technology trends of 2024 present exciting opportunities and challenges for businesses. The maturation of public cloud offerings, the movement up the stack towards application services, and the increasing focus on security underscore the need for businesses to adapt and innovate continually. By embracing these trends and staying at the forefront of technology, organizations can enhance their competitiveness and ensure they are well-prepared for the dynamic and ever-evolving digital landscape.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

TJ Houske is OTAVA's CEO. For over 20 years he's held senior and executive leadership roles in engineering, architecture, and strategic business development. He's been an IT executive, consultant, entrepreneur, and the head of one of the industry's most dedicated technology operations teams. A visionary with a down-to-earth approach, TJ is on a mission to make service providers, enterprises, and public sector organizations successful in the cloud.