I believe the remaining objections to cloud computing will be overcome, and, again, I am not alone in my belief. In an article for ZDNet, Jason Hiner listed his ‘Four reasons why business will take to the cloud’ (Hiner, 2009). I am in agreement with Hiner, and I also have four more predictions of my own to add, so I have listed below eight reasons why I think cloud computing will eventually become the standard way for businesses to procure IT services:
- Separation of data from applications will mean that applications can run in public clouds while the data can be stored (optionally) in private data centres.
- Offline access for online applications – where data and applications can be cached on a local device and synchronized with online systems when connectivity is restored – will remove our complete dependency on the internet.
- Ubiquitous mobile internet access and high-speed wireless connections will bring broadband connectivity to cars, buses and trains; and our mobile devices will continue to get smarter, too.
- The financial benefits of moving capital expenditure to operational expenditure with pay-per-use services will still be the key reason for using cloud computing.
- More service providers will adopt open standards for cloud interoperability.
- Service providers will be expected to comply with information security standards and data protection legislation.
- The environmental benefits that come with sharing resources and reducing business travel will make cloud computing the socially acceptable green alternative.
- The success of small, agile, progressive businesses that iterate their IT systems and processes – using public clouds to quickly develop new and innovative ways of doing things – will make other businesses take notice.