2013: The Year IT Becomes as Invisible as the Internet

How often do you hear someone say, “I’m on the Internet”? Probably not as often in recent years, as the Internet has evolved to become such an essential part of our daily lives that we take it for granted.  In other words, the Internet has become invisible (or unnoticeable)… and before long, IT services will become just as invisible.  Our SVP of Strategy and CMO Scott Crenshaw recently discussed the future of ‘invisible’ IT in both Data Center Knowledge and VMblog, noting that the exciting reality and full business value of trends like the cloud, big data and BYOD will finally emerge in 2013. In the New Year, invisible IT will offer users unprecedented data access through more scalable, reliable and cost-efficient IT services.

Below are a few more ways IT will evolve in 2013:

• IT becomes invisible – the way the Internet has already. Virtualization is a commodity, and it’s everywhere. Now, virtualized environments must ensure data is on hand and accessible. If the Internet delivers instantly from everywhere and on demand, so should virtualization and, therefore, IT. Fundamentally, this is about end-point access and guaranteeing a seamless user experience. 2013 is the year virtualization means invisible IT.
• Big Data becomes highly available – Companies can be ‘Big Data biased,’ prioritizing data to ensure accessibility and availability for business critical functions, while preserving costs and resources. This involves a tiered storage strategy, with strategic implementations of physical, virtual and cloud infrastructure components. 2013 is the year organizations become data-organized.
• Cloud storage becomes a reality –The first generation of cloud addressed the nuts and bolts: virtualization, application mobility and hardware optimization. The new paradigm of the cloud is availability, access and assurance. A Forrester study has already found that companies can cut costs as much as 74 percent by storing data in the cloud. 2013 is about making sure the cloud is ready to help sustain organizations.
• The enterprise accepts Apple – The record millions of Apple products that entered the market this Holiday season means employees will be working on their own personal devices in 2013 whether IT likes it or not. BYOD is here to stay, and the enterprise must adapt and be Apple-ready, allowing users to connect, share and collaborate in a secure environment.
• The backup market shrinks – In 2013, more nimble disruptors will leapfrog the old guys that have difficulty handling new trends, to gain share and shrink the market. They’ll do it by emphasizing data access and availability and not just security.

In 2013, IT will follow in the Internet’s footsteps, becoming invisible while simultaneously creating a more seamless user experience. The forward-looking enterprise isn’t hiding from IT trends that aren’t going away: virtualization, cloud, Big Data and BYOD. On the contrary, they are embracing these trends and finding ways to make them work for their business. 2013 is the year invisible IT makes data highly accessible, available and secure.