Top Five Cloud Computing Trends to Watch Out For in 2021

Right from enabling global supply chains to managing remote workforces, Cloud services have underpinned businesses across the world in various ways. They have undeniably emerged as the digital business ecosystem’s backbone. Emerging technologies like AI and IoT have made it easier to generate, process, and analyse data for better business performance. But, Cloud computing services have ensured seamless access to this data anytime from anywhere with zero-disruption.

Thus, Cloud Computing will continue to be an essential asset for businesses in 2021. Companies will look for ways to lay a foundation for increasing agility and business profitability.

Here’s what you can expect in the Cloud domain in 2021:

1. Growth in worldwide public Cloud end-user spending

In 2021, businesses will continue to migrate the workload to the Cloud. They will use more PaaS (Product-as-a-Software) resources to facilitate seamless remote working environments and gain maximum financial advantage. With the amount of IT spending shifting to Cloud services, the global Public Cloud infrastructure market will grow. As per Gartner, worldwide end-user spendings on public Cloud services (USD 257.5 billion in 2020) is projected to grow 18.4% in 2021 to a total of USD 304.9 billion!

2. Multi-Cloud approaches will rise

Cloud providers will slowly realise that they can partner to upsell greater Cloud capacity and additional services to meet their customers’ requirements. Thus, 2021 will see the rise of multi-Cloud and joint provider Cloud offerings. Big public cloud providers like Amazon, Microsoft, Google, and IBM, among others, will invest and adopt a more collaborative approach. This will enable customers to leverage the advantages of the fast-growing multi-Cloud trend. It will also allow organisations to share and access data with partners, who all may be working across diverse data applications and standards.

3. Edge is the new Cloud

Edge Computing refers to a distributed computing infrastructure that brings the data centers and computation closer. With the increasing need for digitalization across industries, as well as 5G coming into the scene; Edge Computing will become a crucial part of computing in 2021. According to the New IDC Spending Guide, global spending on Edge Computing is projected to reach USD 250 billion by 2024. In 2021, new business models will emerge that will expedite the deployment of Edge Computing through Cloud platforms, while AI and 5G will facilitate the expansion of Edge users.

4. Growth of SASE adoption

Chief Information Security leaders are also looking to take a Cloud-first approach to network and information security. Secure Access Service Edge (SASE), delivered as a Cloud-based service, combines software-defined WAN capabilities and Cloud-native network security services to ensure Cloud information security. As per Gartner's research, 40% of enterprises will have explicit strategies to adopt SASE by 2024.

5. Rise In Virtual Cloud Desktops

A Virtual Cloud Desktop is where the entire workstation environment is delivered and managed as a Cloud service on a laptop or desktop. It is also known as the Desktop-As-A-Service (DAAS). Amazon’s ‘Workspaces’ and Microsoft’s ‘Windows Virtual Desktop’ are a few examples of DAAS. This computing model allows organisations to take advantage of ‘by-the-hour subscriptions’. Thus, it reduces the cost of hardware updates and disposing of redundant technologies. According to Research And Markets, the global Virtual Desktop Infrastructure market will grow by USD 3886.52 million by 2024.

With companies adapting to advanced digital models, there has been a significant shift to Cloud Computing in the past years. The rise in the adoption of Cloud Computing is due to the ease of use and the technology's scalability. These top five trends in Cloud Computing will help in shaping a new Cloud-powered future. With new advancements and innovations transforming the business world, Cloud Computing will play a vital role in creating a better digital space.