Cloud Tech Predictions for 2021 and Beyond: Get Acquainted

Are we all living in an information bubble that can burst out anytime without warning? Is our private data as secure as we’re expecting it to be? And what the big tech companies can do for ensuring their users’ privacy? These are just a few questions that pop into the head while we’re thinking about data storage.

Why this issue is so important in 2021? The answer is hidden in the interrelation between cloud computing and global trends changing its nature, tools, and customers’ needs. That’s why cloud tech should inevitably reflect all these transformations to live up to the businesses’ and end users’ demands. Among the companies who take the lead in the cloud computing market, Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, IMB Cloud, and Alibaba Cloud should be named first. And as for the country’s dominance in the sphere, China, the UK, Japan, and Germany are the ones that solidly invest in cloud services within the last 3 years. But, whoever calls the shots in the industry, their progress affects all of us. So, not to be ambushed, let’s define the key 5 future tendencies that will seep into the cloud tech soil on a global scale!

Trend 1: Office Evolution

The development in any sphere cannot happen without the proper understanding of the predominating work models and employees’ anticipation from the employer. Being divided into 3 main camps — office, remote, and hybrid — the present-day workers have a different vision of their work routine and data operation. Nevertheless, as the COVID-19 aftermath, a case-based hybrid model remains the desired employment mode that suits both parties: the employer benefits from the considerable real estate costs reduction, while the employee appreciates more freedom and mobility. Isn’t perfection? Well, it’s not that simple!

First, whether it’ll succeed or not is a matter of realization. It starts with the new look of the office that acquires the status of the temporary ‘come in’ workplace. No assigned desks are required anymore! Instead of them, it’s necessary to create a collaborative space for colleagues coming there: more two-person seating places, cozy lounge zones as well as phone booths for one-to-ones. All of this stirs the positive atmosphere for work-related and private conversations, which is in short supply right now, as a result of the pandemic.

Second, the flexible hybrid work model should overhaul and combat the duality of the company’s staff. While the part of the project’s community is attending the office on the regular basis, the ones who preferably work remotely and only occasionally arrive there would form the two opposites. The first camp usually gets more perks by being placed right in the center of the action: it’s not about mutual pizza or lunch eating but also about occasional talks with the manager, deeper awareness of all the events, and tighter bond with the colleagues that can be easier achieved through daily face-to-face interactions. In a way, it can be solved through inclusive policies: even those who are far away should be invited into the company’s activities all the time. Meanwhile, will their online joining be so effective as it’s wanted? Questionably!

Finally, closer to the topic of our discussion, handling of data is another possible difficulty to emerge within the hybrid work environment. Are you sure that solving this issue is a piece of cake for your company? The around-the-clock tracking system will be in need there, but would a lot of workers like it and willingly agree on this thorough management? And another thing to think over is how the company’s data should be accessed. If you don’t have the confident answers for these questions, don’t even expect to rock your business through the hybrid work model!

Trend 2: Cybersecurity and Data Privacy

As we’ve already mentioned before, the remote work spreading is often accompanied by security chaos. No surprise, the cybercrime attacks are now growing with the speed of the jet engine. In this light, data loss and data breach are the principal concerns the modern world should learn to oppose, resist, and ultimately win. But despite the displayed rebellion, the recent statistics show the obvious massive failure in that, especially in the cloud security sphere.

Namely, the picture of the crimes weigh in the following: 68% of enterprises report the misconfiguration of the cloud platform, 58% of them complain about unauthorized access, and half admit the hijacking of accounts and external data sharing. That’s what is happening on a global basis, and we can also inform you about the state of affairs in the US. Here, there’s a total of 1001 data breach registered cases in 2020 alone. If translating this into the suffered victims number, it’ll be 155.8m individuals. Sound terrifying, isn’t it? Can it be so in the high-tech society? Yes, it is, but should it be?

Even these pieces of evidence already lead us to the need of ensuring more qualitatively safe data handling systems and tools. Everyone should feel secure when disclosing their sensitive information and bank credentials, and it’s in the first place the business community’s task to guarantee data security. Thus, if you’re curious how to approach it, welcome to read our blog article and clear things up!

Trend 3: Code-First Perspective

Do the terms DevOps and CloudOps ring the bell to you? If yes, then you’re already acquainted with some of the cloud-based principles, and this time we dwell on the whole code-focused open network architecture as the future cloud tech decision. Why is it acquiring groundbreaking power? Price, speed, and risk reduction are the answer’s constituents.

Correspondingly, infrastructure as code (IaC) is the new cloud computing approach that allows using the maximum of the available resources effectively by minimizing the probability of human error. In simple words, IaC executes the most important mission-critical software tasks instead of being concentrated on routine manipulations. In the end, the developers have an opportunity to create the apps and other data products lighting fast.

Compared to the traditional approach, the code-first perspective doesn’t rely on the configuration from the documentation. In contrast, the gist of the IaC lays in the description of the new product’s desired state and its related automatization till the system’s convergence. This way, the infrastructure can be managed through source control and is easier tested. What’s more, we skip the stage of written documentation as the code is already a part of the machine’s state. And finally, stronger cooperation between development and operations is provided. Overall, IaC brings a solid advantage to the organizations implementing it by cutting the costs and improving the ROI indices.

Trend 4: 5G Is Far above Wi-fi

Though the discussion over this possibility has started years ago, today it gains more relevance, especially within the corporate boundaries. It’s almost likely that 5G will be the decent alternative to the Wi-fi connection here because of its refined security and smart data operation. These perks magnify their global value under the condition of the current remote or semi-remote offices and peak of the internet services usage. From this point of view, the affordability of 5G should initiate another wave of digital disruption all over the world.

However, let’s look at the above-mentioned 5G’s advantages closer! First comes security. And despite 5G’s positioning as the simplified and advanced quality connection, some tech experts hold the strong opinion that it’s not so. To be exact, 5G networks are blamed for their data spoiling (busyness of AI and ML data processing can sometimes fail to identify the system’s weak spots) and software and devices compromising (the whole system appears in the hands of the fraudster). Meantime, these outcomes can be prevented in large part by a combination of several working practices. Among the best ones, start with investing in cybersecurity: small companies are the usual victims of the cyber attacks exactly because of their saves on this expenditure. Then move to the AT and ML protections: though these perks can also open the door to the new data breach actions, their application is logical to combat machines with the help of machines. Ultimately, one more mandatory step is to inject security into the product/service already at the stage of development and operations launching.

Backing to the second head start of 5G, which is a shrewd data operation, it’s necessary to consider the example of China. As a country that is already placing 5G under the test, it’s spotted in affecting the users’ behaviour patterns against the will. Due to immediate data transfer to tech companies, consumers’ interests, preferences, and other related information are becoming a matter of marketing interest. As a result, their purchasing decisions can be manipulated in favour of the specific brands, and even their beliefs in political and social life can be remade. So, whether users are truly safe in a 5G world is a big question.

Nevertheless, one significant perk of 5G remains totally intruder resistant. This is 5G’s easy adjustment to the traffic exchange among the networks. Why does it matter? Just imagine a client ordering smth via the home 5G hotspot and leaving the place in the process. If it was Wi-fi, the operation won’t seamlessly go on, right? In fact, that’s the major plus of operating anywhere and anytime where a 5G signal can be found.

Trend 5: New Requirements to the CIO

As this article is devoted to data handling, it’s natural to look at the updated image of the Chief Information Officer (CIO). In reply to the modern changing realities, such as IoT, AI, flexible work model, speedy apps creation, and cloud tech development, his role is at last shifted from the operations tasks to the implementation of innovations. Literally, from now on, the CIO acts as the ‘tech nucleus’ of the organization who not only ensures the well-run flow of operations but also realizes the tech needs and translates them to the user’s and employee’s levels. And what’s interesting is that the demand for such specialists is notably high in Q1, 2021.

So what the fresh requirements for the CIO position are? Normally, it’s a well-versed technical specialist plus a business strategist who knows how to make investments in technologies cost-efficiently and deliver fast results, and is good at crisis management. Besides, the good CIO can outperform the rivals, being aware of the emerging cyber threats and ways to deal with them. But this task is impossible without the architectural vision. By this, the comprehension of the elements and layers of modern architecture is meant. It’s clear that having a knowledge gap there, the CIO won’t succeed in meeting the high data security standards and making the smooth transition to cloud tech.

Is it all? Definitely no! The present-day CIO is the one who worships and transmits diversity and inclusion as that’s the path to the rivals’ defeating and the business survival. And last but not least condition is the revenue generation. Though this duty is rarely defined as part of the CIO job, some companies already add this up into the list of the candidate’s desired portrait, explaining it through the link between the technology implementation and its result efficacy.

Altogether, it becomes apparent that the expectations from the future CIO will become even more functionally diverse and higher in terms of responsibility taken. But is it any other way to face the digital transformation decently?

Are you ready for closing arguments?

Cloud computing, along with the whole data management stuff, is expected to change greatly in the coming years. If you’re attentive to the digital alterations around you, you probably already feel the particles of the described trends in the air. But in case not, Dashdevs will kindly inform you about them! Just follow our blog, and you won’t skip anything important!