6 Cloud Computing Trends to Watch

Cloud computing was the backbone of business continuity for many organisations during the Covid19 pandemic. It’s had a huge impact and is forecast to evolve further with ongoing influence in almost every business sector.

1. On-Premises Services

The pandemic increased the pace at which businesses with on-premises equipment reviewed and implemented new options. Many services moved to cloud, co-location or managed infrastructure. Office space is expected to undergo a significant downsizing (with reports predicting that the office market could shed 145 million square feet in the next two years) — and as rent decreases, more funds will be available to support the move to the cloud.

2. Hybrid Cloud Options

Bespoke cloud computing solutions are set to become increasingly popular. Choosing between a public, private, or hybrid cloud environment has proved challenging for some organisations. Each route offers advantages and disadvantages when it comes to flexibility, performance, security, and compliance.

As cloud ecosystems have matured, many have found there’s no magic one-size-fits-all solution on the shelves. Forbes reports: “Hybrid or multi-cloud environments, where users pick and choose the individual elements of service providers’ offerings that suit their needs, have grown in popularity, leading to a situation where those providers have begun to reassess their models of delivery.”

3. Virtual Cloud Desktops

A virtual cloud desktop refers to the software requirements of a device being fully managed by cloud service providers. The user just needs to have a screen and some basic hardware while the rest of the processing power will be seamlessly handled by cloud-based services.

This means organisations can take advantage of ‘by-the-hour’ subscriptions for the time their employees spend working at their machines. This eliminates the cost of hardware updates and the need to dispose of redundant technology. This flexible functionality means virtual desktop services are forecast to become increasingly popular.

4. Remote and Mobile Working

Whilst the initial change was necessitated by lockdown and home working, working virtually proved to be a safe, flexible and cost-effective solution.

This trend is set to continue as employers realise that working from home is a viable long-term option for many employees. This means that networks, applications and devices will all need to be rethought and redeployed. Even voice will move to the cloud. Wi-Fi speeds vary greatly by location, usage and time of day with some larger enterprises reviewing internet connectivity for critical employees.

5. Security Risks

Instead of maintaining a firewall around a tight physical space, the challenge for security professionals will be to begin at the endpoint — wherever and whatever that is — and working backward toward the centre. Security standards for residential equipment and networks are far different than for commercial settings. Plus, as 5G begins hitting its stride, security is even more challenging for organisations based in the cloud. (See our tips about ’How to Prevent a Data Breach’.)

In addition, the increase in remote and home working requires a proactive approach to reducing employee cyber risk. Computer-based security awareness support trains users on key threats like phishing, social engineering and password hygiene, while simulating mock-phishing exercises that analyse employee vulnerability to targeted attacks. This helps mitigate security issues for remote and on-site staff.

6. The Influence of AI

AI will continue to enable technology to adapt to our needs. From user-based services such as language processing and recommendation engines to machine learning… AI will facilitate increased productivity and efficiency. This will impact all sectors from business to healthcare and art!

“Cloud computing is more popular and important than ever,” says Eric Hughes, founder of EMH Technology. “This technology can help both businesses and people. It’s exciting as there’s still so much potential to explore.”

Are you interested in discovering how your business can make the most of cloud technology?

Would you like to know more about training for your employees to combat cyber threats and drive secure behaviour?

Talk to the friendly experts at EMH Technology. We love to talk about the possibilities and there’s no jargon or obligation involved.