Technology stands still for no man. IT and Data tech is moving at a faster pace than ever before, as digital technology continues to change every aspect of our lives.
In the business world, 2018 is already shaping up to be an exciting time for IT and Data tech – with opportunities for companies of all sizes.
Here are 6 of our top IT and data trend predictions for the year ahead.
Cyber security gets serious
2018 is the year that businesses will need start to take cyber security really seriously, or face big consequences.
With new GDPR and data management regulations coming in, and global cyber threats becoming increasingly prevalent and sophisticated, businesses that aren’t prepared risk massive fines, irreparable damage to reputation and serious disruption to their operations.
In 2018, we expect to see a more proactive approach to Cyber Security across the board. Investment in multi-layered cyber security systems, a return to zero trust access and a greater understanding about the potential threats will help businesses to react to the growing threat of security breaches over the year ahead.
Continued migration to the cloud
Cloud computing has been one of the big buzzwords of the past 5 years, and in 2018, more and more businesses of all sizes will migrate data and mission critical applications to cloud and multi-cloud environments.
As we become increasingly connected, remote working and universal access will continue to grow, providing real opportunities for businesses to work flexibly and across geographical boundaries. Whether its securely backing up data and Office 365 to hosted virtual desktops and extensive cloud infrastructure projects – businesses across the world will continue to embrace the cloud over the year ahead.
Blockchain goes big
Bitcoin and cryptocurrency was one of the biggest tech news stories of 2017. Whilst the news was dominated by wild speculation and price, it’s the underlying technology that will make a big impact in 2018.
The crypto markets might boom or crash, but the underlying technology is developing faster than ever. This will be the year that the technology starts to deliver in terms of its real-world potential and applications.
Blockchain has huge potential to disrupt lots of different sectors, and in 2018 we expect the mainstream finance industry to adopt the technology in a big way. Other industries are already starting to follow, and this year, we’ll see real practical applications and serious growth in the adoption of private blockchains.
AI hits the mainstream
Although AI has been around for decades, it’s only in the past 5 years that it’s really gone mainstream. From SIRI and Alexa, to advanced chat-bots, it’s already an integral part of modern life. In the business world, we expect the advent of big data, machine learning and AI focused processors to come to the fore this year.
We’re only starting to unlock the business potential in terms of automation, analytics, marketing, data processing and cyber security – and 2018 could be the year it starts to make a real impact on the way we do business.
Edge computing
Edge computing will be one of the big stories of 2018.
With the growth of smart connected items and the Internet of Things (IOT), it isn’t always desirable, possible or necessary to send all of a business’ data to the cloud.
With Edge Computing, businesses can process or store some of this data locally, helping to optimise and manage the flow of data to the cloud. It can also help to speed up analysis of data, enabling real-time applications.
As businesses collect, process and utilising more data than ever before– we expect Edge Computing to have a big impact in 2018.
Digital transformation becomes truly essential
Advances in technology drive real competitive advantage, and in 2018 – businesses that don’t embrace the move to digital will be left behind.
Cloud technology, AI, blockchain, IOT and Edge computing applications all have the potential to disrupt industries and entrenched practices. This year more than ever, companies will have to invest in the right IT and data solutions to stay competitive and achieve their commercial goals.
Expert IT support from Intrasource
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