Top Trends in Cloud Computing Technology - Research Paper

Introduction

Information technology is an industry which is concerned with the use of computer systems for various activities such as storage and transfer of data (Mendelson, 2000). These systems are used to process and distribute data effectively, and as a result, proper maintenance of such systems is required (Mendelson, 2000). Information technology is a significant industry since its one of the critical determinants of the success of global organizations. Proper flow of information is required for such organizations to be successful in the global market. This market is comprised of multiple sectors which must be improved through the appropriate flow of data. Due to the size of the market, significant trends have been experienced in this industry, some of which have been aimed at the improvement of the entire industry. Such trends have been aimed at the development of various hardware and software components to improve their overall performance.

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Cloud computing is part of the IT industry which has experienced significant trends in recent years (Furht and Escalante, 2018). Storage and access of data over the internet is a process that has evolved over recent years due to various factors such as security concerns and the expansion of business organizations. Most business firms are finding it more convenient to employ cloud computing while storing their data since it's a safer way compared to the use of hard drives. Furht and Escalante (2018) suggest that cloud computing has been considered as a cheap way of storing data by most individuals and business organizations. In this paper, some of the significant trends that are being experienced in this section of information technology will be discussed in detail. After a discussion of the top trends in the industry, a brief analysis of an issue in one of the trends will be provided. It will be later seen how an organization would address the issue to its own advantage.

Expansion of Cloud Storage Capacity

Modern firms are employing the services of cloud computing technology in their operations due to factors such as expenses and guarantee for expansion. The rise in the number of business firms using this form of technology has demanded an increase in cloud storage capacity, and this is considered one of the major trends being experienced in this industry. Data storage has grown exponentially as a result of increased demand from both local and global firms. Service providers have therefore been forced to increase and improve the number of data centres to ensure that they have the capability of holding more data. According to Puranik (2018), the total number of data that is currently being stored in various data centres is approximately 375EB. A survey conducted by Cisco in 2017 showed that global storage capacity had reached 610EB, a clear indication of the expansion that is being experienced in the cloud storage capacity (Puranik, 2018).

Growth in the cloud storage capacity is expected to continue growing due to the continued expansion of both local and global business organizations (Buyya et al., 2018). Growth in this capacity has also allowed business firms to come up with more objectives for their operations. Global organizations are taking advantage of the expansion in cloud storage capacity to gain a more competitive advantage in the global market. These firms are obtaining this advantage through an increase in their long-term and short-term objectives since they can be able to access and store more data with great ease over the internet. Puranik (2018) states that businesses that have been able to work with big data have managed to expand their operations due to an introduction of more projects in their operations.

Expansion of cloud storage capacity has also occurred since small businesses have identified cloud computing as a form of technology that can allow them to expand their businesses at a small operation cost. Storage options have therefore been beneficial to business organizations, and this is the primary reason why the expansion of cloud storage capacity has been one of the major trends in this industry. This expansion is expected to continue growing and results from Cisco survey conducted in 2017 shows that total storage capacity could be more than 1.1ZB by the end of 2018 (Puranik, 2018). This storage capacity will result in the introduction of more firms in the global market.

Continued Rise in Cloud Services Solutions

Both SaaS and PaaS are cloud services that have continued to rise in recent years, and this is one of the best examples of the top trends in this form of technology (Furht & Escalante, 2018). These services have grown exponentially, and this has made cloud computing more flexible and attractive to more business firms. IaaS is another type of service in cloud computing technology that has also grown, and it has increased the number of solutions to the businesses that continue to employ cloud computing in the storage of their data. Furht and Escalante (2018) suggest that both the public and private sectors have been offered with more cloud solutions as a result of the rise of these services. This rise has made the understanding of cloud computing easy, and firms have therefore been able to take advantage of this form of technology to gain a competitive advantage in the market.

The rise in cloud services solutions has allowed companies to establish more goals that can guarantee their expansion and dominance in the market. The desire to expand operations and become dominant in the diverse market have forced service providers to improve their cloud services, and this is the primary reason why the exponential the exponential growth has been experienced. According to a survey conducted by Cisco, SaaS will continue to be the most employed form of cloud service, and by the end of 2018, it will account for more than 65 percent of all cloud services (Puranik, 2018). PaaS will also continue to grow though unlike SaaS; its growth will be limited to approximately 5 percent by the end of 2018. The reliability of SaaS makes it preferable to most business firms, and this is the primary reason why it will continue to rise rapidly in the coming years.

The Growth of the Internet of Things (IoT)

This is a trend that has affected cloud computing technology in terms of simplification of various activities. Currently, more data is being stored and accessed over the internet due to the growth of business firms. The rise in the number of data that is dealt with has made it more complex, and as a result, service providers have continued to employ IoT to simplify interactions. IoE is a form of technology that relies on communication between machines. This communication has grown rapidly, and the processes involved in such communication continues to be conducted effectively. Research shows that IoT has become a complex system and cloud computing has been an effective tool in the simplification of this system (Buyya et al., 2018).

This trend in cloud computing technology has also been caused by the desire of human beings to interact intelligently. This interaction has been employed to improve the security of data since it can be stored safely, and crucial details are required to access any stored data. The growth of IoT has allowed people to integrate various devices such as cars and phones to the internet with great ease. Secure databases have been developed where people can store and share data with precaution since losses can be experienced in case such data falls in the wrong hands (Buyya et al., 2018). Introduction of headsets that can translate different languages is a clear indication of the growth that has been experienced in IoT. Growth in this technology has also allowed companies to predict changes in customer preferences.

These trends show the significance of Information technology in the modern world. Cloud computing technology has been a vital innovation that is being employed in various fields. It has allowed businesses to expand their operations and, in the process, they have been able to become dominant in the market due to the provision of better services. Better storage of data has allowed most business firms to handle their operations effectively since they have been able to come up with more objectives and goals (Tabassam, 2017). Cloud computing continues to an essential part in the storage of data for various organizations across the globe. Some of these trends have been faced with emerging issues that have been a major challenge in the industry. One of the trends that have been faced with an emerging issue is the expansion of cloud storage capacity.

Emerging Issue in Expansion of Cloud Storage Capacity

Even though the expansion of cloud storage capacity has been associated with numerous advantages, security issues continue to be a major concern. Some companies have not been able to adopt cloud computing in the storage of data because of security concerns. IDCI survey conducted in 2017 showed that 74 percent of the business organizations that have failed to adopt this form of technology cited security risks as the major reason (Tabassam, 2017). Some clients have found it difficult to trust the system of cloud computing due to cases of services attack. With the expansion of cloud storage capacity, more data is being stored in these systems. Growth in the number of data stored in such systems continues to increase the possibility of attacks since there is a wide range of data sections that can be targeted (Tabassam, 2017). Most business organizations believe that systems used in cloud computing cannot be trusted and this has been an issue in this trend.

Cloud infrastructures continue to be targeted by various personnel, and the expansion of cloud storage capacity continues to be associated with this issue. Research shows that an increase in the number of cyber attacks is associated with the expansion of the storage capacity (Tabassam, 2017). The fact that this expansion has attracted investment from several business firms means that cloud storage systems have become the major target of cyber-attacks. Security of data has become a major concern since it can contribute to huge losses for global organizations. Data theft can be considered as the major challenge that is facing the expansion of cloud storage system in this technology (Tabassam, 2017). Some of the service providers are unable to guarantee complete safety of the data they store and this results to lack of confidence in their systems.

According to Tabassam (2017), security analysts have been forced to be more careful while dealing with this form of technology. This security concerned has forced such analysts to employ the most recent form of technology to guarantee more safety of data. Data security technologies have been used together with encryption to offer more security, and in the processes, some of the business firms have been able to trust in the safety of cloud computing (Tabassam, 2017). Hybrid cloud computing has been used to solve this emerging issue which is associated with the expansion of cloud storage capacity (Puranik, 2018). This form of computing has minimized attack since it provides customers with more control of their data compared to other forms of cloud computing.

Conclusion

Some of the top trends discussed in this paper show that cloud computing has contributed to a great impact in various sectors specifically the business environment. Mendelson (2000) suggests that most of the technological advancements that have occurred in this field have transformed most businesses both locally and in the global market. These trends have allowed companies to expand their operations and some of them have managed to break into the global market (Tabassam, 2017). Businesse...