As some companies are still looking toward the cloud as an option, like many lawyer firms, others are ready for the next phase in cloud technologies. Many analysts are considering 2017 to be wave two of cloud evolution. The basic structure has been tried and proved to be successful, but now is the time to expand on that infrastructure. A good managed service provider, like TOSS C3, can help you make the decisions you need for the next cloud advancement.

Mobile Security

BYOD, or bring your own device, is becoming more of a necessity for corporations and smaller businesses that deal in sensitive data. Insurance companies and law firms are on the top of the list when it comes to devices that are mobile and secure. According to TechTarget, a secure device, or secure container, is “a third-party mobile application that is used to separate and secure a portion of a device’s storage from the rest of the device.” Currently some of these containers are protected by passwords, third-party apps, PIN locks, and even fingerprint readers.

Many of these types of protections are great to stop someone from getting into the device, but not necessarily stopping the data from getting stolen. This is one of the many new enhancements coming to the cloud for 2017.

The Internet of Things (IoT)

The devices are coming, the devices are coming. IT departments everywhere are hearing the call, and many are not ready to handle the impending IoT. The IoT represents the accessibility of the Internet to all electronic devices. Sure we know that cars, planes and traffic cams can be accessed from the Internet, but what about coffee pots, refrigerators, and even toilets. Granted, many of these things may not be in a typical office, but in 2017 more items that are actually useful for office employees could be added to that list. Each of these things may need extra support from IT.

Computer Weekly reports “that 30% of IT professionals are preparing for IoT with 68% investing in hardware infrastructure and 55% expanding bandwidth.” As IT is dealing with more Internet connected devices, the need for cloud services is expanded.

An Unstoppable Growth

Large enterprises have moved to the cloud. What this means for the rest of the world is more technological advances in cloud infrastructure. As big companies keep investing in the cloud, other companies continue to come up with better features. The smaller companies then have a chance to come in to the cloud with much more options at better rates. Cisco points out, “At the aggregate cloud level, we find that SaaS workloads maintain majority share throughout the forecast years, and by 2020 will have 74 percent share of all cloud workloads.”

The next three to five years are going to spread the cloud out far and wide, and 2017 is the start of this cycle. If you haven’t yet thought about the advantages of the cloud, then this is the time to hop on. The competition is strong and the new advances in technology are making affordability a nonissue.