Top Information Technology Trends for 2016

A new year is here and it’s time to think about what’s trending for 2016. Some will be continuing trends from last year while others are just evolving.

Here are trends we expect to see in 2016:

Cloud computing

This is certainly no surprise to anyone. Cloud computing is growing exponentially due to its inherent attributes of scalability, mobility, and cost control.

Security

With highly publicized cyberattacks on government agencies and businesses of all sectors, security will be at the forefront in the minds of CIOs, CEOs, shareholders, and customers. IT will need to play a proactive role in addressing security concerns. The IoT further exacerbates the security issue with employees using their personal devices to access corporate business systems potentially in unprotected environments.

BYOD

Speaking of security, the “bring your own device” (BYOD) dilemma will remain an elusive issue for IT technologists. Changing technology and device capabilities will make this a constantly evolving challenge.

Beaconing

This technology for communicating from kiosks or even storefront signage to a smart device in proximity is just beginning to take hold, and the imagination appears to be the only limit to its application. Already hotels are implementing the technology in the form of automated concierge services and other guest services. Many other applications are rolling out as well, such as shopping mall kiosks that push special offer and sale information to consumers passing by.

Software-Defined Networks (SDN)

This technology finds its way more into cloud architectures than enterprise data centers, but this too is evolving with new developments from communications giants such as Cisco. With the flexibility offered from SDN technology it will likely realize considerable expansion in 2016.

PaaS and SaaS

Companies are enjoying the flexibility and cost control provided by platform-as-a-service and software-as-a-service providers. Even the naysayers who previously were skeptical of relying on outside vendors for essential services are moving in this direction.

SSD Storage

Solid state drives are gaining ground by leaps and bounds. In the past they were used primarily in such devices as laptops and smartphones where mechanical drives were too large and fragile for practical use. Today servers and massive data centers are implementing SSD arrays for handling huge amounts of data for reliability and ease of implementation. SSDs are more expensive initially, but have no moving parts to fail and require less power to operate, which is a consideration for large data centers.

Business Intelligence

Big data has been a buzzword for quite some now but the advantage of capturing this information is putting it to effective use. Predictive analytics will experience growth in providing accurate forecasts and customer behavior based on historical information contained in existing business systems.

Efficiency and Cost Reductions

CIOs will continue to be charged with demonstrating their ability to expand services while also reducing corporate costs of IT. This will result in further consideration and evaluation of cloud computing and SaaS/PaaS potential for businesses.

Social Media

Although many companies have already established a presence through social media outlets this will become a more relevant source for marketing products and services and making initial contacts with consumers.

Mantralogix consultants possess the experience and knowledge needed to help our clients achieve the maximum value from their software investments. Our professional services can help you navigate through evolving technologies and IT initiatives that add value to your business. Leverage Mantralogix’s expertise to identify strategic opportunities that provide a competitive advantage to your company.

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