The future of the cloud
The transition to the age of virtualisation and the cloud is one of the most profound changes IT has seen. But where do we go from here? Let’s have a look at some of the trends that are shaping cloud computing in a big way.
Hybrid cloud
At the IDC FutureScape: Worldwide Cloud 2015 Predictions Web conference, the International Data Corporation (IDC) predicted that more than 65% of enterprise IT organisations will commit to hybrid cloud technologies before 2016.
The hybrid cloud combines private and public. It means adopters can make the most of both, if they have a solution that lets them manage all their apps together: those running on-site in the private cloud and outside in the public cloud.
Unlike using purely public cloud, hybrid and private clouds give you a much greater level of control. That includes more control over security, because your data can stay safely behind your firewall, with a far higher level of visibility than if it was all stored away in the public cloud.
Open source
There’s another trend that’s shaping the cloud of the future: open source. Platforms like OpenStack allow you to simply and quickly develop your own new features and services. That means you can ensure they do exactly what you need them to, rather than relying on proprietary services that are on the one-size-fits-all end of the spectrum.
With a flexible open source platform, developers can be more responsive and innovative, and service providers can bring new services to market quicker. That makes a big difference in today’s disrupt-or-be-disrupted world where it’s crucial that your organisation is agile and able to adapt to your changing needs and those of the market.
There is already a strong and growing demand from developers for open source environments. In fact, IDC predicts that by 2017, 20% of enterprises will see enough value in community-driven open source standards/frameworks to adopt them strategically.
Scalability
The Internet of Everything means that in the future people, processes and smart devices will create an unprecedented amount of data. To meet the new business demands and deliver the new services needed to stay competitive, organisations will need to be able to flexibly scale their cloud capabilities.
Organisations also need to be capable of managing their clouds at scale. IDC stated: “IT needs to deliver a range of consistent, compliant services as hybrid cloud architectures become more complex and dynamic”. And although open source platforms provide the flexibility and scalability required for the future, taking a do-it-yourself approach means you’re relying solely on community-based support – which may not be robust and comprehensive enough.
However, it is now possible to deploy an OpenStack-based cloud with continuous engineering, operations, and support, so that IT staff don’t have to carry the load of maintaining your cloud. It’s a solution that truly captures the best of both worlds. And, moving forward, it ensures you have the edge.
To find out how you can offer a public cloud experience with all the benefits of a private cloud, check out our infographic.
