5 Hot New Cloud Storage Trends to Watch For
The cloud storage market is booming. It’s estimated that 9 in 10 companies use cloud technology – and half of companies store all of their data in the cloud. It’s easy to see why the cloud is quickly becoming a go-to strategy for businesses.
Cloud storage is much more cost-efficient than managing on-premises infrastructure. As well as this, the cloud’s flexibility, agility and scalability appeal to businesses of all sizes.
Another good thing about cloud storage is that cloud service providers are constantly innovating and improving their services. There’s no stagnation in this market. As more cloud providers pop up, incumbents in this space have realized they need to keep evolving to maintain market share.
This is a great thing for businesses. It means that cloud storage keeps getting better and better. Read on to find out about the five cloud storage trends that will define 2022.
The cloud becomes greener
Sustainability has become a crucial issue for businesses of all sizes – and tech is no different. Increasingly, we’re seeing large tech providers tackle the climate challenge head on, and many have made significant pledges to do their part to reduce carbon emissions.
Microsoft, for example, will be carbon negative by 2030, while Google plans to run on carbon-free energy, 24/7, at all of its data centers by 2030. For SMBs that use the cloud, these commitments are encouraging to see. Using the cloud no longer means harming the environment in the process.
Artificial intelligence is infused into the cloud
Artificial intelligence is another industry buzzword that’s been around for a few years. While larger organizations may have the expertise and resources to deploy their own AI pilots, this technology has often felt out of reach for SMBs.
However, SMBs now have a chance to utilize AI via the cloud. We’re seeing more and more cloud service providers roll out AI-enhanced offerings that can help with everything from budget management to capacity planning to data tracking.
While these services come at an extra price, they’re extremely valuable for companies using cloud storage – especially when it comes to budget management.
In line with this, it’s no wonder that the Cloud AI Market was valued at USD 5.2 billion in 2020 and is expected to reach USD 13.1 billion by 2026.
If you’d like support with deploying AI in the cloud, let us know. We can help you get set up and manage your cloud strategy for you.
Ransomware scanning becomes the norm
IDC research indicates that over 35% of organizations were affected by ransomware in 2021. With the rise of ransomware as a service, we can expect this number to surge in 2022 as more and more cybercriminals launch ransomware attacks.
Ransomware attacks can be devastating, taking businesses offline and costing thousands of pounds in downtime.
To help organizations combat the ransomware threat, we are seeing more cloud service providers launch ransomware scanning as part of their offerings.
This scanning mechanism works by analyzing cloud uploads and downloads for evidence of malware. If a malware variant is found, the cloud service will automatically quarantine the file and raise the alert.
You shouldn’t need to do anything in order to benefit from ransomware scanning. Your cloud service provider should automatically include it in their next update. Chat to us if you’d like to learn more!
Cloud prices stagnate for now
Amazon used to be the dominant cloud player in the market and, to an extent, it still is. But it also has lots of competitors like Microsoft, Oracle and Google. As well as these big tech players, there are also challenger brands that are climbing up the ranks.
As the market has become more crowded, prices have begun to drop. Companies can no longer afford to charge hefty fees for their services. If they do, their customers will simply look elsewhere. This is great news for SMBs as it means that cloud prices will stay steady this year.
Multi-cloud becomes the norm
Another consequence of a competitive market is cloud diversification. What this means is that more and more organizations are picking and choosing to work with numerous cloud providers for different things. For example, they may store some of their data with one provider and other types of data with another.
This strategy helps organizations to avoid vendor lock-in. It also ensures that, in the event that one cloud provider suffers an outage, they can remain online. If you’re interested in exploring multi-cloud, we can help you create a cost-efficient and effective strategy.
Harness the power of the cloud and bolster your security
Getting the most out of the cloud can be challenging for SMBs, who often lack the internal expertise to create a robust cloud strategy. The good news is that we can handle your cloud strategy for you through our managed IT services.
Unbound Digital can help your Johnson City, Tennessee business move to the cloud.
Contact us today to schedule a consultation. Call 423-467-7777 or reach us online.