What is the future of the internet and cloud computing in general? Where do we see big changes coming in the next decade?

In this article, we talk to industry insiders and leading thinkers to explore their predictions for how networks, storage, applications and more will evolve in the years ahead.

The cloud computing business is booming.

 Today’s forward-thinking enterprises are looking to cloud providers like Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services (AWS) for support with their technology infrastructure needs.

 With the cloud on the horizon, we thought it was a good idea to get a peek into what’s coming up ahead.

With the advent of virtualization technology and server consolidation, 

cloud computing has become one of the leading methodologies for delivering IT services. 

The fact that it is relatively inexpensive and scalable through automation is a double-edged sword – 

it allows IT departments to scale resources quickly and cheaply, but there are only two major players in the space.

Although AWS has grown significantly since its inception in 2006, 

Microsoft Azure

 has won more customers over by focusing on key areas such as on-demand storage and virtual machines in order to build sustainable revenue streams.

Essentially, what we’re seeing here is the rise of “two horses” in a race. 

Two horse racing has been around for a long time with many organizations taking part in these traditional events. 

In theory, it makes sense because the properties of two horses are vastly different from each other –

 one horse might have a high short-term performance, while the other might have a longer track record and stamina. 

This means that there is no guarantee to bet on one horse or the other.

As we move forward into the next decade, we expect to see more choice in cloud pricing and offerings

 as well as more vendors competing with each other to deliver better products and services at lower prices. 

If a vendor can be cheaper than its competitors, it will have the upper hand.

One of the first things that will change is storage solutions in the cloud. 

Right now, a storage provider like Amazon or Microsoft takes care of almost everything for you including network connectivity,

 data transfer speeds, and disk cache for optimized performance on the fly. 

As we move forward into 2017 and beyond, we can expect to see more complexity arising in terms of how end users are customizing their data-storage solutions

 because they will want to take greater control over their IT infrastructure and ecosystem.

Storage providers are going to have to give end users greater flexibility and control over the data-storage services

 they purchase in order to hit their maximum profit margins. 

Otherwise, customers will begin searching for lower-cost storage solutions elsewhere. 

We’ve seen this happen with other cloud providers like Google and Dropbox, 

who have started offering unlimited storage options at a fixed price. 

As a result, they have grown larger because they can offer their services at a lower cost than their competitors.

While the cloud is still relatively new and emerging, we will continue to see more players enter into the space as time goes on. 

Vendors

 such as VMware and Cisco are already working hard to build out a new generation of storage systems

 that offer greater network connectivity and flexibility. 

We will begin to see more of these new models from established vendors, as well as more upstart competitors.

It is also worth noting that there is going to be greater competition between IT departments in the near future. 

For example, there are thousands of IT managers who have been using their specific vendors’ products since their inception. 

Centralizing

 on a single vendor means that IT departments have been able to control costs and capabilities over time by using the same software products over the years.

Because of this, there will be a greater need for data-center consolidation. 

In fact, the Federal Government recently pushed forward with initiatives to have departments consolidate their cloud computing platforms 

 replace outdated systems with new simpler technology. what is a challenge for cloud computing that could cause employee performance to decrease?

When the government looks at large IT systems, they look at them as a whole – they consider cost,

 performance and security along with ease of management and future upgrades. 

Other departments also face similar challenges. Over time, this type of centralized approach to IT comes with fewer problems 

because financial resources are being directed towards key capabilities that offer maximum value for businesses.

Some of these roles can include network and storage integration along with user services such as security management and business applications. 

AWS has taken this approach by providing services and products that are fully integrated together in order to provide a greater value.

 In doing so, they have enabled their clients to focus on their applications which is significantly easier than managing your IT infrastructure from scratch.