Enterprise IT today is changing dramatically. Shifts in device management, networking, and storage are just a few areas of transformation, with many others in the infancy of their evolution. A few trends have begun to rise to the top and are predicted to be significant movers in the field of enterprise storage in 2016.
IoT Stands up to Be Counted
Big data has been a common topic over the past year, and will continue making headlines. The next trend will be the inclusion of analytics from Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Considering the variety of “things” that now produce data, this presents interesting new knowledge of user routines and patterns.
Since so much data will be coming from so many sources, data management will quickly experience elevated importance. Storage of these huge data sets must be highly accurate and speedily accessible. Data may also need to be retained nearly indefinitely. Storage methods that can manage such a complex network of data collection and analytics will be in high demand.
Greater Flash Potential
Flash memory has been around for a while, but costs to allow an enterprise to use it for everything have historically been prohibitive. The next year will bring about a variety of technologies that can use flash more effectively through use of intelligent compression, virtualization, and hybrid caching techniques. In addition, flash prices should see a steady decline. The result will be increased use of flash across the enterprise.
Cloud Optimization
Data is everywhere now, coming from both traditional and unexpected sources. Enterprises are struggling to manage such massive data sets using on-premise hardware. This strategy is being largely abandoned in favor of cloud storage and processing, with this trend growing even stronger in 2016.
Public, private, and hybrid cloud arrangements will allow enterprises to store, move, and analyze data efficiently, whether active or cold. Security is imperative in all cloud, on-premise, and hybrid models. It’s expected that data management will be a key topic over the coming year, with more data centers beginning to specialize in enterprise-grade storage and cloud solutions.
Software Defined Networking
Software-defined networking (SDN) has made controlling multiple devices a much more manageable process than it was in the past. Considering how rapidly device count expands as each minute passes, it would be nearly impossible to reroute traffic, add capacity on the fly, or optimize software delivery without SDN.
In 2016, data centers will need to be almost completely virtualized and managed via centralized SDN. Every step from provisioning to management will need to be governed via software. Eventually, everything from applications to network and data retention will be provided using as-a-service models that can be implemented nearly instantly.
Expansion of DevOps
DevOps has experienced a major shift in the past few years to become a service and strategy entity rather than simply delivering chunks of code. This will continue to be the case in 2016, allowing enterprises to rapidly deploy new technologies and see a prompt reward in doing so. Innovation efficiency will be the name of the game, and DevOps will play a key role.
If there’s one fact that can be stated of the IT industry, it’s that it changes daily. This time, increased data storage and processing needs have begun to highlight old weaknesses and demand their mitigation. Technology professionals are responding loudly with innovative solutions and tools. The coming year will show major advances in storage methods, helping to finally address the data boom in effective ways.