Dimension Data, the global ICT
solutions and services provider, published its top IT predictions for 2017, and the focus on
digital is set to remain the key trend in the industry for the next 12 months.
solutions and services provider, published its top IT predictions for 2017, and the focus on
digital is set to remain the key trend in the industry for the next 12 months.
Dimension Data’s Chief Technology Officer, Ettienne Reinecke says digital is about building truly customer-centric
business models on IT including the network, data centre, applications, and
other infrastructure – which may be on-premise, or cloud-based. “Today,
there’s no such thing as a digital strategy – just strategy in a digital world.
And while the digital age is creating a degree of uncertainty for some
organisations, it’s also opening the doors to exciting possibilities and
ushering in an era of infinite potential.”
business models on IT including the network, data centre, applications, and
other infrastructure – which may be on-premise, or cloud-based. “Today,
there’s no such thing as a digital strategy – just strategy in a digital world.
And while the digital age is creating a degree of uncertainty for some
organisations, it’s also opening the doors to exciting possibilities and
ushering in an era of infinite potential.”
Reinecke cites
ownership and access to data – and metadata – as a key theme. “In the year
ahead, control and ownership of data and metadata will emerge as a point of
discussion – and indeed contention.
ownership and access to data – and metadata – as a key theme. “In the year
ahead, control and ownership of data and metadata will emerge as a point of
discussion – and indeed contention.
That’s because data
and metadata are the ‘gold dust’ that allow organisations to glean rich
insights about customer behaviour. In addition, metadata allows organisations
to identify specific behavioural patterns, derive business intelligence, and
make informed business decisions,” Reinecke explains.
and metadata are the ‘gold dust’ that allow organisations to glean rich
insights about customer behaviour. In addition, metadata allows organisations
to identify specific behavioural patterns, derive business intelligence, and
make informed business decisions,” Reinecke explains.
As a result,
organisations are becoming increasingly protective of their metadata, and wary
of who has access to it. “Organisations don’t just want ownership and control
of their data for compliance reasons: they want it to perform analytics. We
expect that this will trigger some interesting discussions between businesses
and their cloud providers. For example, where are the boundaries with respect
to ownership, especially around metadata. We foresee this issue resulting in a
bit of ‘push and pull’ among the various parties.”
organisations are becoming increasingly protective of their metadata, and wary
of who has access to it. “Organisations don’t just want ownership and control
of their data for compliance reasons: they want it to perform analytics. We
expect that this will trigger some interesting discussions between businesses
and their cloud providers. For example, where are the boundaries with respect
to ownership, especially around metadata. We foresee this issue resulting in a
bit of ‘push and pull’ among the various parties.”
Other IT trends that
Dimension Data predicts will make their mark in 2017 include:
Dimension Data predicts will make their mark in 2017 include:
Cybercrime is big
business. Over the last few years, cybercriminals have been re-investing much
of the ill-gotten gains into developing more sophisticated capabilities, using
more advanced technologies. Despite ongoing innovation in the cybersecurity industry,
much of the effort remains reactive. Cybersecurity will become more predictive,
rather than proactive.
business. Over the last few years, cybercriminals have been re-investing much
of the ill-gotten gains into developing more sophisticated capabilities, using
more advanced technologies. Despite ongoing innovation in the cybersecurity industry,
much of the effort remains reactive. Cybersecurity will become more predictive,
rather than proactive.
A new generation is
starting to show up at work, and they’re not millennials, or even Gen Z:
they’re machines. And it won’t be much longer before holographics,
augmented reality, and virtual reality begin to move from B2C into B2B. Also,
over the next two to three years these technologies will drive a fundamental
transformation of the workspace.
starting to show up at work, and they’re not millennials, or even Gen Z:
they’re machines. And it won’t be much longer before holographics,
augmented reality, and virtual reality begin to move from B2C into B2B. Also,
over the next two to three years these technologies will drive a fundamental
transformation of the workspace.
IoT will deliver on
the promise of big data. Increasingly, big data projects are going through
multiple updates in a single year – and the Internet of Things (IoT) is largely
the reason. That’s because IoT makes it possible to examine specific patterns that
deliver specific business outcomes, and this has to increasingly be done in
realtime. This will drive a healthier investment, and faster return in big data
projects.
the promise of big data. Increasingly, big data projects are going through
multiple updates in a single year – and the Internet of Things (IoT) is largely
the reason. That’s because IoT makes it possible to examine specific patterns that
deliver specific business outcomes, and this has to increasingly be done in
realtime. This will drive a healthier investment, and faster return in big data
projects.
In 2017 we’ll see more
widespread adoption of containers, but the transition to a fully containerised
world will take few more years. In addition, we’ll see increasing adoption of
network function virtualisation (NFV) when cloud-enabling existing networks,
and for new networks to be architected with hybrid cloud in mind.
widespread adoption of containers, but the transition to a fully containerised
world will take few more years. In addition, we’ll see increasing adoption of
network function virtualisation (NFV) when cloud-enabling existing networks,
and for new networks to be architected with hybrid cloud in mind.
