What a year 2016 was in regards to IT. Do you remember …
- Windows 10 free upgrade ended
- Presidential elections were overshadowed by private email servers and alleged Russian hacking
- Security breaches affected companies like Yahoo, USDoJ, the IRS, and multiple healthcare providers
- Older security breaches were upgraded in severity, including Dropbox, LinkedIn, and multiple education providers
- Major buyouts such as AT&T buying Time Warner for $85 billion, Microsoft buying LinkedIn for $26 billion, Dell buying EMC for $65 billion
- Apple reports its slowest sales in 15 years
- FBI seeking access to information from Apple on the iPhone 5c to assist with the San Bernardino terrorist attack
- IoT hack on October 22nd that brought down parts of the Internet
- Samsung recalling Galaxy phones that catch fire
So what’s in the 2017 crystal ball? The presidential inauguration is a given. Will nation-wide healthcare be an issue, will unemployment decrease, will manufacturing return to the USA, will interest rates rise?
From the technology perspective, here are some intriguing forecasts:
- Security will continue to expand because hacking is a global business and companies want protection.
- Big data analytics will grow as Customer Service attempts to keep customers.
- Cloud computing’s XaaS (anything as a Service) will continue to expand and force people to consider the benefits and drawbacks of the cloud. On the top of the list will be SaaS (software), PaaS (platform), and IaaS (infrastructure). Hybrid cloud environments offer a balanced foundation.
- Mobility is here to stay since people like the freedom and convenience. Vendors are in a catch-up state to make sure that apps are mobile friendly.
- Backup and restore, Disaster Recovery, and Business Continuity all relate to minimized downtime and 100% uptime. Servicing clients without interruption has become a necessity.
- Virtualization is expanding to desktops, networks, storage, and even mobility.
- Managed Services will encompass more management technologies like phone, mobility, security, and compliance as businesses strive for 100% uptime to be competitive and successful.
The list may be daunting. Focus on the core of your business and let us advise on the technical direction. Not only is it a more efficient use of your financial resources, but a more practical use of your time. Stay ahead of your competition by having a partner that cares how well you and your business are doing.
Have a great year. Call us sooner rather than later.
Regards,
Ron Karabowicz, President
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