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The Future of Cloud Computing Trends in 2022

May 12, 2022
Cloud Computing Trends

The wave of digital adoption driven by the last two years of the global pandemic has similarly driven the increased take up of cloud computing. This year, we expect this accelerated adoption and growth to continue as the shift towards increasingly sophisticated virtualization and cloud based services grow.

As is the case globally, the cloud computing revolution looks to be taking over Australia. Gartner’s research expects Australian companies to increase their public cloud spending to $18.7 billion – that’s a 17.6% increase in 2022!

The deployment of cloud platforms and related tools will move towards holistic strategies that boost the enterprise-wide cloud migration. While the benefits of hybridized and remote workplaces – virtual environments – are the key trend, we’re expecting to see innovations in cloud infrastructure with a focus on enhancing cloud platform capabilities through various technologies.

What is Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing gives organisations access to necessary computing resources via the internet, saving significant IT infrastructure costs. It gives access to scalable and secure computing resources virtually, without the need for an on-site server room or physical servers. As cloud services continue to evolve to meet the ever-changing consumer demands, the list of cloud-based platforms and software online will continue to expand.

Cloud computing has given rise to virtual workplaces through cloud collaboration platforms and Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) to create hybrid working models. Organisations can choose between running their IT infrastructure in a secure cloud environment or simply implementing accessible cloud-based solutions to target specific operations. In either case, users pay for the resources they use – usually on a subscription or pay as you go basis  – ensuring flexibility, without the waste of idle resources.

Cloud computing trends show the evolution of technology, business operations, and IT budgets. Public cloud users can avoid the cost, time, and IT specialist skills, required to purchase and maintain on-site infrastructure or manage IT upgrades. With cloud computing, the cloud vendor is entirely responsible for the infrastructure and its ongoing maintenance and support, allowing .  organisations to focus on their business.

Cloud Computing Trends

The access to on-demand computing resources, scalable and secure platforms, and flexible IT spending, have shifted the cloud from an emerging trend to an indispensable IT resource. Here’s an overview of the cloud computing trends in 2022 that will shape the future of cloud computing:

Cloud Delivery Models

Cloud services are delivered in various ways – according to the delivery model. The organisation will choose a delivery model based on its IT requirements, data governance needs, and business operations. While Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) is one of the best known cloud platform, Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) and Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) are expected to be the fastest-growing cloud platforms in Australia over the near term.

Cloud computing continues to grow with more use cases

Gartner’s research has provided exciting predictions for cloud computing in 2022. While global spending on cloud services reached $313 billion in 2020, research expects it to rise to $482 billion this year. Cloud infrastructure is the virtual spine of the delivery model for almost every digital service – including social media, streaming, internet of things (IoT) infrastructure, and more.

Faster networks – 5G and Wi-Fi 6E – allow faster data transfers and availability of new cloud-based platforms – including cloud virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR). Cloud technology continues to grow, with more use cases, making other technology developments and innovations faster, more accessible, and secure, for end-users. That is the driving force for many organisations as they migrate to the cloud.

Sustainability – A prime concern

A responsible organisation also acknowledges the impact of their actions on the environment. Sustainability isn’t limited to climate change and recyclability.  The IT industry also has its specific sustainability challenges to overcome.

Sustainable technology practices focus on the reduction of energy usage typically associated with powerful computing servers, increasing data storage requirements, and the energy costs of 24/7, ‘never turned off’ infrastructure. More attuned to improving their sustainability performance, large organisations are increasing turning to cloud computing as a means to optimise physical IT resources while also reducing energy costs through avoidance of  unnecessary idle resources and infrastructure.  All this without compromising flexibility and the ability to scale on demand – as required.

Hybrid Cloud – The Balance between Public and Private Clouds

As businesses migrate their workloads and sensitive data to the cloud, various options are available to them – depending on their business needs and objectives.

The public cloud offers an easily accessible service, open to anyone based on an affordable  pay-as-you-go model. Private clouds, based on the same overall principles, provide services to a more limited, designated audience, typically for a range of specified services. An organisation might opt for, or build, a private cloud to meet its specific business needs.

Hybrid cloud models offer the benefits of both – public and private clouds. Users – typically customers – can easily access relevant data available on the dashboard, applications, and other tools. Meanwhile, private servers store more sensitive organisational data with authorised and monitored access, for added security. The driving force behind the hybrid cloud is the additional use cases that allow organisations to maximize efficiency while still carefully managing specific workloads.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Cloud Computing

Cloud computing is increasing crucial for AI services. Machine learning platforms demand huge data bandwidth and process power to process data – a feature of at scale, enterprise strength cloud implementations.   .

A majority of the conventional AI that users see around them, exists in the cloud. The development of AI and the evolution of the cloud are intertwined and this year and beyond will continue to prove that. The latest AI trends involve creative algorithms, AI training, generative machine learning, language modelling, improving accuracy, and more. Cloud computing plays a key role in the delivery of these services and the infrastructure needed to deliver them effectively.

Automation & Cloud Computing

Automation is the driving force for cloud computing and achievement of efficiency gains. When organisations have data and workloads centralized in a secure cloud environment, they can easily automate a range of internal operations, including maintenance updates, automated scaling up and down based on demand parameters, and turning VMs on and off as required. This reduces reliance on physical IT resources, this reducing human resource costs, as well as maximising the pay as you go cost model.

Better Cloud Security

The cloud also offers several crucial security advantages.  By their nature cloud providers need deep cyber security expertise to operate. Securing data is their core business. This is not the case for many organisations that host their own applications, data etc.

Strong physical and logistical security with multi-layered defences specifically built to protect data are fundamental to operating a secure cloud service that users will trust.

Privacy and security of the data held by cloud providers is a core competitive feature among providers. As the ‘value’ of data increases, service providers are subject to an increasing range of standards, regulations and compliance requirements they must satisfy. Loss, damage or breach of data not only results in heavy financial penalties but also serious reputational damage.

Importantly, cloud services are more resilient to security threats. First, they are regularly patched and kept updated. Second, they leverage more pervasive and sophisticated security tools. Relatedly, they keep pace with contemporary security architectures – something that is much more difficult and costly to do when hosting your own hardware and software on premise

Cloud-native applications

Cloud-native applications are a step ahead of conventional cloud applications that run on a single software or hardware hub.  Cloud-native applications allow organisations to build, develop, test, and deliver new software to their customers much more dynamically. It speeds up the process, enables iterative feature and capability updates and seamless functional releases.  Since cloud native services are built as a network of microservices and distributed containers, multiple developers can work on the application simultaneously – maximizing efficiency and accelerating the development.  Individual services can also be updated or retired without requiring the whole system to be re-architected.

Shift to the Cloud today

As more organisations migrate to the cloud to leverage the increasing benefits on offer, they’re looking for more efficient ways to shift years of workloads and data. VMware tools ensure seamless, quick, and, most importantly – secure – migration. It’s crucial to keep up with the latest technology trends and migrate your workloads and sensitive data directly to the cloud quickly, easily, and under your control.

AUCloud, the only VMware Sovereign Cloud Provider in Australia, delivers scalable, agile, and secure Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) that improves efficiency, minimizes downtime and reduces IT costs.

Try our services before you commit to them. AUCloud is offering a 30 Day FREE trial for our premium sovereign – Storage-as-a-Service (STaaS) & Disaster Recovery-as-a-Service (DRaaS). Contact one of our team representatives today on 1800 282 568 or email us at [email protected].

Cloud Computing Trends 2022Cloud ServicesCyber SecurityGovernmentSovereign Resilience
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