5 cloud space trends to watch in 2023

The past few decades have seen the cloud evolve from a nebulous concept to an essential component of our increasingly data-anchored lives. Recently, the adoption of cloud-based offerings has skyrocketed thanks to hybrid work models emerging, AI technologies gaining traction and the rapid deployment of automation tools, all of which play an ever-more important role in business strategies.

Here are five ways the cloud space will evolve in 2023 and beyond.

1. Cloud adoption will continue to experience significant growth.

Remote work was already on the upswing before it was accelerated by the pandemic as countless companies scrambled to shift their operations to accommodate employees working from home. And, as hybrid work models are here to stay, companies will continue to adopt cloud technologies as an essential tool in keeping business running smoothly across dispersed workforces. In fact, according to Fortune Business Insights, the global cloud computing market is projected to grow from $480 billion in 2022 to more than $1,712.44 billion by 2029.

The uptick in adoption isn’t limited to large companies with global workforces. Small and mid-sized businesses are also moving toward cloud-based services -- sometimes even when they claim otherwise! Think about those family-run mom-and-pop shops that use SaaS tools for product orders or two-factor authentication processes to book customer appointments. All cloud-based offerings, of course.

The enormous growth in the market paints a promising picture for the future of cloud spaces. But it also means staying abreast of the latest tools, resources and best practices to leverage the fullest potential out of cloud technologies.

2. AI advancements will continue to drive cloud adoption.

Along with the trend toward hybrid work models, AI technology is a key driver of growth in the cloud space. The continued adoption of AI in industries such as automotive, retail, fintech and manufacturing, just to name a few, is projected to increase exponentially. In each of these sectors, cloud-based offerings play a major role, paving the way for massive growth. Cloud computing will play an integral role in helping these industries continue to expand and innovate, as its key value propositions -- scalability, flexibility and rapid deployment -- are ideally suited to their landscapes.

3. Deploying robust migration and automation tools is more essential than ever.

The cloud is a powerful business tool when it’s set up and utilized correctly and a huge vulnerability when it’s not. That’s where secure, reliable migration tools and the teams that deploy them become crucial to success. Any successful migration must have them as part and parcel of the project (otherwise, proceed with extreme caution).

Another key component of any migration project is robust automation tools. They’re a must-have in managing mind-boggling amounts of data in large, multi-cloud environments. Migrating to cloud environments without having trusted, established mechanisms and automation processes put a company at tremendous risk. Never before have such protocols been more essential in maintaining the health and well-being of an entire IT infrastructure -- and, in turn, your business.   

4. Cloud-based computing will play a role in sustainability and carbon-intelligent initiatives.

By switching to the cloud, many companies have watched their flexibility and scalability increase while cutting costs. But there’s another increasingly important benefit: the environment. Traditional data centers, by contrast, are notoriously bad for the environment. A 2016 Berkeley laboratory report for the U.S. government found that data centers in the U.S. consumed an estimated 70 billion kilowatt hours in 2014, representing about 1.8 percent of total U.S. electricity consumption. That figure will surely increase as our lives become more tethered to data. Cloud-based services, however, save a tremendous amount of energy use, making their carbon footprint much smaller than traditional data centers.

Increasingly, there’s been a mindset shift in buying more sustainably. And that’s an all-around win for the environment, for the companies saving money and resources and for prospective employees seeking to partner with like-minded organizations.

5. Cloud-based offerings are poised to weather economic downturns.

Among all the speculation over rising inflation and sweeping economic downturns, many organizations are, not surprisingly, scaling back on some of their IT investments -- but they shouldn’t! Cloud-based technologies are poised to weather any storm for several reasons, the most important of which is it allows companies to do more with less. By migrating to the cloud, companies boost their flexibility and reach, plus supercharge their scalability. In other words, they are getting plenty of bang for their buck. Speaking of which, cloud-based offerings have no need for massive capital investment upfront, which is a game-changer for companies savvy enough to leverage the immense potential of the cloud in 2023 and beyond.

Image credit: thaisign/depositphotos.com

Rob Reinauer is currently the director of data products at IDERA in Austin, Texas. In this role, he leads an incredibly talented team of product managers driving the product features and technical decisions for the BiTitan MigrationWiz and Perspectium Cloud data migration services as well as the IDERA suite of SQL Management products. The BitTitan services utilize a worldwide, highly scalable and redundant cloud infrastructure to provide several market share-leading Software as a Service (SaaS) offerings in multiple cloud data migration segments across: email, collaboration, On-Prem and cloud drive stores as well as IT operations management.