According to Forbes magazine, businesses can expect several enterprise technology trends in 2017, and some of them may or may not surprise you.
It’s no surprise that mobile technology continues to progress; people are addicted to their smartphones and notepads. What might surprise you, however, is how much this advancement will help you market your business and sell your goods.
Here are nine trends that will get you even more excited about enterprise technology for business.
1. More Businesses Will Jump on the Cloud
Just as many homeowners jumped onto Voice over IP (VoIP) technology to save money when Donald Burns founded magicJack, more businesses are sticking their heads in the clouds. Cloud migration is predicted to be huge in 2017.
Companies who adopt cloud-first strategies save money on equipment and hosting costs and increase their data storage capacity. Cloud computing also enhances collaboration which increases productivity and streamlines operations, reports Forbes.
2. Enhanced Cybersecurity
There’s a catchphrase in enterprise technology and that is the “internet of things”, or IoT. As more business is conducted, marketed, and branded on the internet, security becomes a more crucial piece of enterprise technology.
As discussed by Forbes, “Designers must consider IT security early in the development of applications, solutions, and enterprise architectures This means IT professionals will design security measures that are based on behavior analytics and layered across multiple enterprises.
3. Marketing and Data Centers Will Be Automated
Although many people fear losing their jobs to automation, many consider it to be an, “investment in the future,” says Forbes. Automation will create new jobs in different business sectors, and it will streamline marketing and data centers.
Open source automation tools are already in demand in data centers throughout the world, and business owners can expect to see more data centers adopting automation in 2017. Marketing centers are also predicted to jump on the automation bandwagon.
4. Rise of the Machines
Okay, not literally terminators, but apps are expected to become even more intelligent in 2017. If you use Cortana or Siri, you already know what a virtual personal assistant is. Expect an increase in intelligent apps designed to streamline the workplace and its processes.
In fact, Forbes predicts that intelligent apps will expand beyond virtual assistants, so you can expect smarter software that has artificial intelligence built into it, including your office and anti-virus applications.
5. Humanizing Data
You may have heard of humanized data but not paid attention to what it was. As evidenced by the Edward Snowden/NSA fallout, there is an unbelievable amount of data out there on every human being throughout the world. You cannot leverage all it, but you can leverage most of it, and you should.
Using what you know about the humans who solicit your business and your demographic, you can better meet their needs and market and sell to them.
6. Hyperconvergence Systems
What if you could have your computing, networking, storage, and virtualization through one vendor? This is called hyper-convergence, and Forbes is predicting 2017 to be its year.
There are a few kinks to work out of this enterprise technology, such as expense and speed, but hyper-convergence is becoming more and more mainstream. Many businesses find that having everything in one place makes resource acquisition easier.
7. Increased Mobility
It’s no surprise that mobility continues to reign supreme in enterprise technology. One exciting prediction for 2017 is ROBO, or Remote Office/Branch Office.
More companies are expected to take advantage of doing business remotely, and, as such, the tools used in mobile technology will increase. This challenges information technology experts to enhance business mobility on all levels, including business interface on mobile devices.
8. Stay in the Fog
“Fog computing” is an extension of cloud computing, and, according to Forbes, it “extend[s] cloud computing and cloud services to the edge of the network What does this mean, exactly? It means it brings your cloud storage power closer to you.
Fog computing reduces your data transport, which makes storing your data offsite more efficient. Fog computing will also be used to improved the technology behind smart buildings, cities, and grids.
9. XaaS Anything as a Service
What do trends one through eight tell you? They tell you that the biggest trend in enterprise technology for 2017 is “anything as a service Information technology experts like to call this XaaS, and it means there will be significant advancements in how businesses utilize cloud, data, hardware, and all other technology as a service.
Putting these tools to work for your business will increase your capabilities, which is why there are so many enterprise technology trends predicted for 2017.
Enterprise technology is changing the face of business. It is not only changing how businesses interact with each other and their customers, it is also changing how businesses operate.
With ever-expanding technology solutions that streamline everything, including automation, data storage, and virtual assistance, it’s a sure bet that more companies will look into what enterprise technologies can do for them and jump on board.