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If keeping up with IT changes is a full-time job, then trying to stay ahead of the curve is like working two full-time jobs. With that in mind here are 10 critical IT trends that you may want to keep an eye out for over the next 5 years.

  1. Disruption: businesses expect the same level of performance and support from IT as they do with other services
  2. Software Defined Networks: this is a means to abstract the network just as server virtualization abstracts the server
  3. Bigger data and storage: data growth continues and it is an issue that needs to be prioritized
  4. Hybrid clouds: it is important to use the hybrid cloud for increased capability and capacity
  5. Client server: today the operating system and application can be executed and streamed when needed
  6. The Internet of Things: the internet will continue to expand as physical aspects are added to it
  7. Appliance madness: organizations desire appliances that offer hands-off solutions, functional requirements, and a cost-effective application solution
  8. Complexity: IT is a very complex field and it will only becoming increasingly complex over the next five years
  9. Evolution toward the virtual data center: reshaping the IT infrastructure with more virtualization and modernization
  10. IT Demand: with an increase of awareness of the environmental impact data centers have, there has been an increased demand for computing

Will keeping these 10 critical IT trends in mind help you prepare for IT changes over the next 5 years? If so do you agree these are ripe? If not, do you believe they are hype?

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