Seven Cloud Computing Trends (Part 1)

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Cloud computing trends this year include an increased look at security, super-sizing the cloud and more.

Olafur Ingthorsson is an IT professional in Reykjavik, Iceland who writes about cloud computing at Cloud Computing Topics.

With 2012 well underway, a few new trends in cloud computing have already been identified. At all levels of implementation, cloud hosting continues to dominate the industry. More than mere storage space, these hosted solutions now offer software-as-a-service (SaaS) and even platform-as-a-service (PaaS) functionality for business.

As more business is accomplished using cloud computing technology, many companies are developing a higher comfort level with these advanced systems and are willing to entrust more of their operations to professional cloud computing providers. Here are four of seven of the hottest trends in cloud computing for 2012.

Security

Security is a perennial issue in the cloud computing industry and will continue to receive in-depth scrutiny through the remainder of 2012. Expect to see new methods for encrypting logins, preventing unauthorized access and increasing the overall level of security for information stored on the cloud. A number of newer companies have begun offering expert consultations and security services directly to cloud hosting providers, allowing them to offer a higher degree of security for their corporate clients.

Super-sizing the Cloud

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems are one of the fastest growing segments in the cloud computing industry. These all-in-one business solutions provide a full line of services for companies including sales management, inventory tracking, accounting and customer service. By administering these systems in the cloud environment, companies can enjoy unparalleled access to their business infrastructure from anywhere with an Internet connection. This convenient access is one of the strongest selling points for cloud ERP implementations and is expected to lead to further adoptions in 2012.

Programming Platforms

Programming platforms are likely to break through to a wider audience this year. These advanced integrated systems provide a fully functional environment for programmers in a wide range of software design fields. Rather than simply running applications and providing storage space, these cloud solutions offer programmers a safe and functional sandbox for testing their designs and fine-tuning applications for a wide range of operating systems. The increased availability of cloud virtual private server arrangements will make these solutions even more versatile by providing multiple operating system environments for testing and implementation.

Mobile Access

The ability to manage cloud-hosted solutions using tablet computers, smartphones and other mobile devices will continue to attract attention in the coming year. Health care providers were among the first adopters of this new technology, as mobile cloud computing offers unmatched convenience in accessing electronic health record management systems in the hospital setting. Many experts believe that 2012 may be the year that this mobile accessibility goes wide in the industry and becomes an integral and expected part of the cloud computing package.

Part 2 of this series will cover three more cloud computing trends. This series was previously published on Olafur Ingthorsson's blog - Cloud Computing Topics.

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