2020 Cloud Predictions - Are you ready to be 'cloudified' ?
The cloud was the new kid on the block in the 2010s. Presumably, it was a decade of innumerable trials and errors as organizations and technologists tried to uncover the full potential of this remote infrastructure. Thanks to all the experimentation, though, the next ten years look like they belong to the cloud. Starting 2020, cloud’s reach and transformative power are expected to bring under its wings many more loyalists with a more concretized approach to efficiency, security and agility underway.
So, here go my top predictions for the cloud in 2020…
Prediction 1: Despite epic digital failures, the future only looks more 'cloudified'.
McKinsey’s report reveals that a staggering 70% of digital transformation efforts have been failing, yet this data does not seem to affect the optimism that organizations have about the cloud. In 2020, almost 83% of enterprise workloads is expected to be on public and private cloud platforms. Theorists and experts suggest that the technology is going to have an unshakeable center-seat in board meetings this year. In turn, the growing popularity of the cloud will become a soft bed for a number of new cloud services to emerge. The fact is, the cloud isn’t an infrastructure strategy anymore. It has evolved to become an application and business strategy. And it is through this lens that the CIOs will effectively plan their cloud-based strategies, primarily revolving around the need to manage costs, governance, and compliance while facilitating innovation. Goes without saying that 2020 will bear witness to a redefinition of IT command centers to cloud excellence centers.
Prediction 2: Kubernetes takes home the trophy
Kubernetes could be a big answer to the ongoing issue of cloud interconnectivity. Just imagine Microsoft Azure’s services running seamlessly across Amazon Web Services or Google Anthos. Yes, it is true. In fact, the aforementioned big names are already piloting and studying the scope of such flexibility which has been made possible by Kubernetes. Kubernetes makes it possible to incorporate policy, security, and traffic management capabilities in containers across the multi-cloud network. Let’s just say, organizations will be seen working towards a stronger Kubernetes proposition to stay competitive in the market.
Prediction 3: Give it up for cloud-native!
Cloud-native is going to be a word that will be repeatedly spoken and written about this year, especially given its ability to help realize the full capability of a multi-cloud approach. As cloud-native stacks gain momentum, the manner in which organizations consider their operations and IT teams’ view their application-building process will transform. Let’s just say that cloud-native development and architecture will generate a lot of buzz with the increasing success of multi-cloud use cases.
Prediction 4: Cloud takes the leap from 'infrastructure operations' to 'digital impact'
Cloud’s given an all-new meaning to measurability. What was once a manual and endless process of arriving at the ROI has gotten simplified, to say the least. What one can expect to witness in this area this year will be a major shift from the primary drivers of the cloud – the cost economics, agility, and faster deployments – to a greater focus on innovation, simplification, and security. This pretty much means that some new digital experiences are underway in 2020.
Prediction 5: From accidental to intentional: Multi-cloud will pave way for omni-cloud.
Multi-cloud was a mere accident. But such has been the beauty of this accident that it has become an indispensable part of the IT framework of many organizations. This year will be about exploring multi-cloud further but with a lot more intentionality. Overcoming some critical lacks in this setup will be the foremost priority in mastering the multi-cloud. Topping that list would be the much-needed interconnectivity between the various cloud environments, a challenge that the big players have already made a note of and are piloting solutions to address. On the other hand, larger organizations are expected to take the expert advice of hyperscalers and some niche suppliers to continue to stay ahead of the curve while keeping the risk of vendor lock-in at bay.
Prediction 6: Tame the complexity of the cloud - Explosion of cloud management tools
There is no pretending that the cloud was implemented at most organizations with no strategy in place. However, as cloud technologies and infrastructures offerings are maturing, it becomes imperative to take planned control. The need to keep the cloud simple and contextual will be a crucial goal for IT teams this year. This typically means the demand for cloud management tools will rise significantly, with a momentous change in the way IT manages all its moving parts.
Prediction 7: Private cloud is out, public cloud is in.
Public cloud will surpass private cloud in 2020 or so say the reports. Pretty believable given the fact that the rate of public cloud adoption was three times that of private cloud in the last year. This year, a growth to $299.4 billion is expected from SaaS, PaaS and IaaS combined. Among other things, leaders in the public cloud space will form newer alliances while refocusing on their core strengths.
The bottom line to all this is, the future belongs to the cloud. And this year is going to mark a swift transition from a decade of experimentation to a new decade of implementing and witnessing the full potential of this technology.