Industry executives and experts share their predictions for 2024. Read them in this 16th annual VMblog.com series exclusive.
Trust the Network; Consolidate, Responsible AI
By Kelly Ahuja, CEO of Versa Networks
Is it that time of the year already? It seems like just yesterday we were making predictions about 2023. Now, here we are reflecting on all that happened this year and looking ahead to what’s in store next year. Below are our top predictions for 2024 that will drive C-level decisions:
GenAI Everywhere, but it’s all about the Data, not the Algorithms
While AI technology has been around for many years and embedded into many products, 2024 will see an explosion in the adoption of Generative AI and other AI tools. AI tools can process data much faster than humans, meaning that the insights gained from using AI to process tasks are much quicker and typically more accurate, making it easier to act on decisions quickly. While there has been a lot of focus on LLMs in 2023, at the end of the day everyone has access to the same algorithms. We predict that 2024 will be all about the data you need to drive AI models and apply AI responsibly. In addition, we expect every industry will define a robust data governance framework to define data quality standards, processes, and roles in order to maintain data integrity.
Trust Your Network Again
Over the past year, the concept of zero trust has emerged as a way of securing users, devices and data. BUT these solutions are add-ons bolted onto the network. Why? Why not embed zero trust into your network? We predict that in 2024, companies will shift their focus away from bolt-on approaches to security, to platforms that natively embed security in the network. Posture-based privilege or conditional access, secure access, and identity access will all come together across all networks in solutions that can bridge these gaps and unify your infrastructure, deployment and operations.
User Experience Matters
Work is no longer a place – today we have a hybrid workforce that is highly collaborative and works from anywhere. In 2023, this hybrid workforce started voicing their frustration about the inconsistent user and application experience across office and remote locations – saying they have a better experience when they are at home or on the road. We predict that 2024 will be the year IT teams will need to focus on delivering a consistent and optimal user and user-to-application experience, no matter the location.
Converge, Consolidate and Simplify
The toil of too many point products and tools has created cost and complexity, and has reduced IT agility. As we predicted last year, the age of using point products to build and operate your infrastructure ended in 2023. Enterprises started looking for ways to simplify their infrastructure to stay ahead of business needs. Some early adopters started their search and journey for simplification in 2023. Early indications are that with a platform approach, reducing the number of tools, and leveraging AIOps and automation, there will be less chance of error, lower attack surfaces, and easier integration of applications. We predict that in 2024, there will be an acceleration in the pace and the number of organizations shifting to platforms to reduce their toil and automate their infrastructure.
Go Beyond GDPR – Data Sovereignty
Many countries around the world have now established some form of international privacy laws for data protection to ensure that citizens and their data are offered more rigorous protections and controls. We predict that in 2024, data sovereignty will drive the creation of private, localized infrastructure and operations to comply to these regulations, challenging the traditional model of a cloud delivered model that has data exported out of country.
We enter 2024 with a tense geopolitical environment, macroeconomic uncertainty and concerns about the environment. But it’s not all doom and gloom. The accelerating pace of tech innovation should bring exciting opportunities for growth and expansion across all industries.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kelly is the president and CEO of Versa Networks. He is a seasoned industry veteran with more than 20 years of experience in networking and telecommunications.
