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Business in the Clouds in 2012

The year 2012 is quickly approaching, and I would like to add my thoughts about what we might see. I have nothing to add about the supposed end of the world in 2012. My daughter was frantic about it several months ago but now even the teenagers seem to be moving on to the next big thing. I personally believe it will be a new beginning for computing technology, a big year for the cloud.

Of course, the advance of the cloud is well and truly underway, as an infographic from CEO.com suggests: 70% of business are already using cloud computing solutions, and this is expected to increase, both in the number of companies and the number and type of solutions used. So what will happen in 2012?

• Increasing numbers of businesses will adopt cloud computing, with a variety of services. I believe that especially private and hybrid cloud adoption will dominate, as CIOs will start wanting to take advantage of the technological advances and available benefits.
• Security issues will be on the agenda for most businesses and viable solutions will be provided. 2011 has already paved the way for increased security in the cloud, with products such as the new security features in Cisco’s cloud platform.
• The way we work will change. In my article Why the Way We Work Will Never Be the Same Again I have already talked about these changes, and I believe that cloud computing will bring increased flexibility and opportunities in 2012.
• IT departments in various companies will start looking to the cloud for applications, so the shift from enterprise IT to business IT will become more apparent. Enterprise IT professionals will have more complex roles, managing internal and external systems, networks, and business relationships.

Cloud computing, mobile devices and social networks will drive the development of applications for both business and personal use to incorporate and take advantage of all three.

These are just a few of the developments I expect for 2012. Of course, there are more to mention, and I would like to hear from my readers to hear about their predictions. I believe it will be an exciting year, and I am looking forward to a few surprises as well, maybe amazing new technologies or new players in this space.

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