Networking Your Business In 2015

Happy New Year! Are you ready for another year of technological innovations, more hot trends, more exciting developments in the world of IT? Well, ready or not, here they come. Technology doesn’t stand still, and neither should today’s businesses, especially if they want to remain competitive.

Keeping track of the new technology as well as getting some advance word on what to expect is a good strategy for any professional. After all, if you know what’s coming, your business can be put into the best position to make the most of the new developments. It pays to stay informed and be prepared, since this will be a year where more businesses and organizations finally realize the potential of new technology, a point which is touched upon in the article “What’s Up For Networking In 2015?”.

Here are six hot new trends your business should be aware of for 2015.

The Internet Of Things

The Internet of Things, where assets such as appliances, vehicles, even household pets, have a unique IP address and Internet access independent of human intervention, is set to explode, with over 26 billion connected devices by 2019. The sheer outpouring of data will result in an increased demand for IT resources.

Surrounded By Computers

Mobile devices continue to proliferate, causing increased demands in reliable networking to handle the additional loads. The rise of smart phones and tablets, to the detriment of traditional desk-based systems, means a greater challenge for IT departments to manage these endpoint devices.

Presenting Web-Scale IT

Here’s one that really bears watching especially closely. Web-Scale IT is how large organizations such as Facebook, Amazon, CenturyLink, or Google leverage technology in such a way that they can accomplish large-scale deliveries of content to customers. It’s putting large cloud service capabilities into the framework of enterprise IT settings. But rather than acquiring the traditional architecture of expensive computing, storage and networking resources, companies and organizations that practice Web-Scale IT are focusing on low-cost software and hardware.

The Machines Are Getting Smarter

Thanks to the advent of advanced algorithms that let machines get a sense of their environment, learn, and act independently, the time is ripe for smart devices to step into the spotlight. There has already been news online recently regarding the Google self-driving car, and that’s just for starters. Machines of all types are starting to think for themselves, and that means a crushing demand on IT resources.

The Rise of 3D Printers

Speaking of news stories, the Internet has been positively rife with articles about all sort of accomplishments achieved by 3D printers. But what is starting out as something extraordinary and new is rapidly becoming commonplace. Shipment of 3D printers worldwide is expected to skyrocket this year by 98 percent, and a doubling of unit shipments in 2016. 3D printers will continue to show their versatility across a wide spectrum of industries, offering a cost-effective, efficient solution for today’s businesses and organizations.

Redefining Security

If there’s one thing that 2014 showed us, it’s that security remains a hot issue. There are no solutions that offer total and absolutely perfect security. With that knowledge in hand, organizations will begin focusing on mitigating tools and more advanced risk assessment. Expect to see less of the burden of security placed on firewalls and perimeters, and more of it shouldered by the individual apps. In other words, security will be built into the apps themselves, making them self-aware as well as self-protecting. Firewalls won’t go away; they simply will lose their role as the first and only line of defense.

These are just a handful of trends to keep an eye on for the new year; there are more out there to discover. But regardless of the number of trends that come along, there can be little question that the demands these innovations will put on IT departments world-wide will be formidable. Businesses that adapt quickly will stay competitive and healthy. Those slow to evolve will go the way of the dinosaur.