Forecast: These trends will shape IT in 2018

The year 2018 is still young - so there's still time to look into the "crystal ball" for a forecast. Michael Rudnich from Riverbed has also given it some thought and presents the following IT trends and predictions for 2018:

The Internet of Things (IoT) and hyper-connectivity will fundamentally change traditional security measures

In the past, there were only a few ways to gain access to a system. Today, the number of devices and access points, and thus the number of access points, is increasing rapidly. Traditional security measures are therefore no longer sufficient. The idea that the network is protected by deploying a firewall that separates trusted and untrusted traffic is antiquated. Instead, companies can ensure the security of their network by looking at it holistically and relying on solutions that monitor user behavior and capture these deviations.

Forecast: Service providers will be crucial for the success of IoT

The Internet of Things (IoT) is rapidly gaining acceptance: 30 billion IoT devices are expected worldwide by 2020. The devices all need to be connected to the Internet, managed and secured, while also delivering a high quality of service to end users. Service providers offer the most comprehensive set of communications systems. Enterprises, in turn, rely on mobility services, bandwidth or network infrastructure if they want to provide the connectivity they need. Managing the connectivity of IoT devices is a huge challenge for enterprises, which is why service providers will benefit from offering appropriate services.

For service providers, the user experience becomes a competitive advantage

Today, high availability, security and performance determine how valuable the services provided by service providers are to customers. In contrast, little attention is paid to the user experience regarding these services, as it is difficult to measure. Service providers will therefore begin using natural language processing technology to determine users' subjective sentiment in 2018, according to the forecast. This technology can interpret human communication channels (e.g., Twitter, Facebook, message boards, etc.) to measure user satisfaction. These results can then be used to identify problems with applications or the network based on user sentiment. In other words, they complement traditional monitoring technologies. Providers thus gain another source with which to determine how and where to address problems. This, in turn, provides a competitive advantage as they can point to high levels of customer satisfaction.

A positive user experience is only possible with next generation networks

An enterprise is essentially a distributed network consisting of smaller workgroups that are interconnected via the network. The user experience regarding key applications and services may vary from branch to branch and for a variety of reasons. However, the different experiences employees have with applications can negatively impact how those applications and services are valued and how frequently they are used. If applications and services are not used because of poor user experience, the functionality hoped for will not be available, even though budget has been invested for it. The traditional network is hardware dependent and runs on fragmented or even inefficient technologies that result in fluctuating performance. Performance management of applications and services is difficult for enterprise IT in such networks: there is no holistic view of the activities and demands on the network as to why the necessary steps cannot be taken.

Next-generation networks, on the other hand, will be largely software defined. This will allow IT to leverage the optimal network paths, properly prioritize network traffic, and ensure the smooth operation of the network everywhere. These networks also provide integrated, end-to-end visibility into the user experience - from the data center to the endpoints at the network edge. This means that any factors that may be impacting performance can be identified and remediated before users are affected.

Source: Riverbed