Growing number of IoT devices calls for enhanced data storage solutions

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When the Internet started gaining prevalence in the workplace two decades ago, it would have been hard for most users to imagine how big a role it would end up playing in business. From our almost non-stop use of Wi-Fi to the growing list of smart devices that are able to connect to Wi-Fi networks, the Internet is changing the way end users interact with devices to accomplish tasks. The next step in the evolution of the Internet, however, is changing the way devices interact with one another.

The Internet of Things is creating a vast web of machines that are able to communicate and share information with one another, changing the way we use devices and the data they create.

"The Internet of Things revolves around increased machine-to-machine communication; it's built on cloud computing and networks of data-gathering sensors; it's mobile, virtual, and instantaneous connection; and they say it's going to make everything in our lives from streetlights to seaports 'smart,'" explained Wired contributor Daniel Burrus. "The Internet of Things really comes together with the connection of sensors and machines. That is to say, the real value that the Internet of Things creates is at the intersection of gathering data and leveraging it. All the information gathered by all the sensors in the world isn't worth very much if there isn't an infrastructure in place to analyze it in real time." 

"By 2020 the number of IoT devices will reach 38.5 billion."

According to a recent study conducted by Juniper Research, the number of devices connected to the IoT is expected to grow dramatically in the next few years. By 2020 the number of IoT devices willreach 38.5 billion, a 285 percent increase from this year. Juniper's report, The Internet of Things: Consumer, Industrial & Public Services 2015-2020, also found that one of the biggest hurdles businesses will have to face due to the massive influx of IoT devices is how to handle the increase in storage space necessary for the newly created data, as well as gathering and analyzing that information.

The IoT is changing the way data is used.The IoT is changing the way data is used.

Breaking health care barriers with the IoT
The IoT is having an impact on practically every industry, but its effects are being felt especially strongly by businesses within the health care sector. The problems associated with data collection, storage and analysis can be especially difficult for medical organizations because of strict security regulations and limited budgets. In order to make the technology behind the IoT work in the most effective way possible for health care companies, industry experts have identified some key elements that need to be addressed by IT administrators.

  • First, employees and users need to start adopting an IoT mindset so they will become more comfortable using the technology.
  • Second, operability between IT systems needs to be increased, so devices and programs will work seamlessly with one another.
  • Third, IT administrators need to think about moving forward and how current technologies will work with and influence future innovations.

The best way to address all of these issues is to implement a cloud-based data management solution. Cloud computing has proven to be the most beneficial way to leverage enterprise data. The IoT already utilizes cloud-based applications to interpret and transmit data coming from all of the sensors on connected devices, so using cloud storage services and other cloud applications to manage the data greatly increases interoperability. Using a cloud environment will also help end users become more comfortable with the technology, as many employees already use the cloud to accomplish a variety of tasks throughout the day and are familiar with the platform. Finally, working with the cloud to store, manage and analyze data being collected from IoT sensors will help health care organizations transition more easily into the future as the cloud can be leveraged for a variety of technologies.

Enterprise cloud adoption continues to grow as companies see benefits

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Since it was introduced nearly a decade ago, cloud computing has been changing the way companies do business by being perhaps the most transformative technology since the Internet itself. The cloud is becoming so important within the enterprise that market research firm IDC has predicted spending on public cloud services alone will reach $70 billion this year. The five industries investing the most on cloud deployments are discrete manufacturing, banking, professional services, process manufacturing and retail, according to the IDC report.

"Spending on public cloud services will reach $70 billion in 2015."

The study found that the biggest opportunities for success with cloud deployments are in "the development of intelligent industry solutions, which are built on top of a new platform that includes cloud, big data and analytics, mobile and social."

"We have already seen such platforms and innovation communities in place in retail, financial services, media, and other industries," said Eileen Smith, Program Manager of IDC's Global Technology and Research Group. "This will reshape not only how companies operate their IT but also how they compete in their own industry. Technology suppliers will continue to see significant demand for their industry-specific solutions."

So what kinds of benefits can businesses expect when they deploy a cloud solution?

Increased mobility
By hosting IT assets in a cloud environment, information and applications can be accessed and synced from anywhere with an Internet connection. The ability to access information remotely in the same way you would in the office makes it possible for businesses to enable their employees to work from just about anywhere. This also dramatically increases the available talent pool companies can draw from and it makes it  much easier to open and maintain satellite offices around the globe.

Improved collaboration
Because cloud services make accessing data remotely so much easier, collaborating is greatly improved as well. Contractors, remote team members, clients and any other interested party can access the necessary files and programs through a cloud portal instead of through massive attachments on needlessly complicated email chains. Anyone with the appropriate access to information can view, edit and share files, making group projects and collaborative efforts simpler than ever.

More companies are adopting cloud services than ever before because of the competitive advantages it offers.More companies are adopting cloud services than ever before because of the competitive advantages it offers.

Enhanced online backup services
Outages, system failure and unplanned downtime are all a part of working with technology, but how a business comes back from such disruptions is what sets it apart from other companies. With files stored in traditional digital solutions, users typically can't access them if the network goes down, bringing work – and revenue streams – to a grinding halt. With the cloud, however, critical IT assets are still accessible through off-site storage features allowing business to continue even after a disruptive event.

Reduced storage and hardware needs
One of the most expensive parts of enterprise IT infrastructure is the equipment and storage capacity necessary to run a business. Using cloud storage services means organizations do not need as much hard drive space. As a result, hardware requirements are reduced because necessary components are maintained by the cloud service provider.

By partnering with a trusted third-party service provider like ISG Technology, companies can create a customized infrastructure that works for them. Innovative as-a-service options enable CIOs and other IT decision-makers to control the enterprise environment while still being able to access the necessary flexibility to move business forward.

More companies starting to see benefits of desktop virtualization

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One of the hardest IT assets for organizations to shop for are those that control employee access to software and other network applications. There are so many new technologies emerging all the time that it can be hard for enterprise IT decision-makers to pick which ones are ideal for their business. When choosing the solution that is best for a company, it's important to look at a few key factors: price, functionality and security being chief among them. No matter how fancy and new a technology may be, if it's too expensive, doesn't work the way it needs to all the time and doesn't keep information secure, there's no reason to invest in it. Luckily, the search is over, as desktop virtualization solutions offer businesses all of the access they need with the management and security options necessary to keep critical information protected.

Desktop virtualization solutions are technologies that separate traditional desktop environments from the application software associated with them from the physical device that is used to access them. For companies looking to centralize control over critical information and offer central access to desktop applications for employees working remotely or on the road, hosted desktops or desktops-as-a-service are the most reliable solution. When it comes to the deciding criteria of price, functionality and security, desktop virtualization meets all three.

Price
Desktop virtualization is a cost-effective solution for businesses in two different ways. First, using a virtual desktop infrastructure can save organizations money if they deploy thin client devices in place of desktops. Thin clients usually cost between $200 and $300, whereas fully equipped PCs can cost thousands of dollars.

"VDI technology could save companies more than $150 per desktop every year."

The other way desktop virtualization saves enterprises money is by reducing administrative and maintenance costs. Utilizing VDI technology can reduce costs between 30 and 50 percent for IT administrators by decreasing the need to manage, patch, upgrade and support employees' PCs in a traditional client/server environment. Some vendors have estimated that VDI technology could save companies more than $150 per desktop every year, Forbes reported.

"DaaS is continuing to grow steadily, primarily in the SMB space," observed Kevin Rhone, senior partnering consultant in the Channel Acceleration Practice of Enterprise Strategy Group. "It's all about a lower [total cost of ownership] and the view that managing desktops is not core; it's a 'relatively' low-value task [that] they can and should outsource."

Virtual desktops offer businesses the functionality and security they need at a good price.Virtual desktops offer businesses the functionality and security they need at a good price.

Functionality
One of the main reasons many business turn to desktop virtualization is to provide improved access for employees that work outside of the office. VDI technology allows staff members to easily use the same programs and applications they would in the office from their personal devices while IT administrators are still able to manage and secure network activity from these remote locations. Utilizing DaaS allow companies to have their PC experience delivered and maintained by a third-party cloud provider. In such a scenario, cloud service providers are in charge of installing the necessary back-end infrastructure to support VDI technology as well as the maintenance and management that goes along with it.

"Another key advantage of DaaS solutions is their ability to provide a very fast desktop experience without the maintenance and cost of an on-site data center — these efficiencies comes through the availability of more reliable — and faster — network connections," said Matthew Hopkins, a research associate with VDC Research, in an interview with TechTarget.

Security
Desktop virtualization and DaaS solutions offer companies greater security by allowing employees a way to access critical enterprise information that can be managed and monitored by IT administrators. Where businesses once had to deal with the consequences of shadow IT that cropped up when impatient staff members wanted to access programs, hosted desktops enable workers to use the same applications and software remotely as they would in the office, cutting down dramatically on the number of unauthorized programs being used and the likelihood that a data breach will occur.

When businesses are looking to adopt new technology such as desktop virtualization, partnering with a trusted third-party service provider is one of the most reliable ways to ensure a smooth and successful transition. Organizations like ISG Technology offer decades of industry experience that allows them to create customized programs that will work for each individual business. ISG​'s knowledgeable staff enables companies to access the support necessary for a successful deployment.

Hybrid cloud solutions provide the best of both worlds for enterprise data storage

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The cloud has been making quite the splash in the enterprise recently, providing businesses with a better solution for data storage and mobile working opportunities. As more organizations implement cloud strategies, it is becoming clear that a large number of IT administrators are choosing hybrid environments to make the most out of their cloud investments and experience improved elasticity, availability and security at a reasonable price. Hybrid cloud adoption is growing so quickly, in fact, that the number of businesses implementing a hybrid environment is expected to triple in the next three years, according to Data Center Knowledge contributor Toby Owen.

"Businesses implementing a hybrid environment are expected to triple in the next 3 years."

A major part of the appeal of hybrid cloud deployments is that they offer the best of public and private cloud environments. While many organizations enjoy the convenience and cost-effective aspects of public cloud infrastructure, it can be difficult for IT administrators to approve placing business-critical applications and sensitive data in a public deployment. Private cloud environments offer improved security, as they are managed by the company itself. However, they are less agile than public platforms and can make it difficult for businesses to run efficiently.

"When you look at cloud in general, and you say 'I'm going to take my data, I'm going to store it somewhere that's outside my own data centers,' that already is a big hurdle to cross for many companies," said Rani Osnat, vice president of strategic marketing at data protection hardware provider CTERA Networks. "What you need to do is wrap enough security around it for that company to feel at least as comfortable with that concept as they do with storing it in-house."

Hybrid cloud is a rising star in the business world.Hybrid cloud is a rising star in the business world.

Enterprises see benefits with hybrid cloud solutions
Hybrid clouds merge both of those aspects together, creating an ideal deployment by offering the best of both worlds. Applications that need to be easily accessed can be kept in a more open public environment while sensitive systems and files can be kept in more secure private environments, ensuring all assets have the level of security and accessibility necessary. However, while the security and agility benefits of hybrid cloud deployments have made the option increasingly popular, a number of factors have played a part in the hybrid cloud boom, including price, performance and capacity.

Cost: According to research conducted by technology market research firm Vanson Bourne, cost is consistently reported as being a major factor when IT administrators are deciding on cloud investments. Since cloud computing is able to lower costs by reducing the amount of physical equipment necessary, the choice has become popular with many enterprises. Hybrid cloud infrastructure helps organizations reduce costs even more by offering businesses the ability to choose cloud features à la carte, picking everything from the operating system to the firewall protections. When companies customize each piece of their cloud environment, they are able to have total control over the cost, resulting in significant price reductions for most enterprises.

Performance: The technology that goes into a hybrid cloud deployment has grown increasingly sophisticated over the last few years, offering improved functionality and accessibility as well as enhanced capabilities. Today's hybrid cloud solutions are starting to incorporate many advanced offerings from infrastructure and software providers. Because these environments incorporate sophisticated features like disaster recovery, bare metal and virtual servers, online portals and HPC capabilities, service providers are able to offer hybrid cloud solution bundles that can meet the specific requirements of individual businesses. With more use cases and wider applications, hybrid cloud is a natural solution for businesses of all sizes.

Capacity: One of the most pressing reasons so many organizations are turning to hybrid cloud solutions is due to a need for more data storage capacity. A growing number of enterprises are now utilizing big data analytics, and Gartner has predicted that 80 percent of business processes and products will be reinvented, digitized or totally eliminated due to big data by 2020. Dealing with such a massive amount of information requires companies to utilize a cloud solution that is not only agile enough to handle processing such large amounts of data, but has the capacity to store the information in the first place. Hybrid cloud is the reliable answer, melding security and agility into one ideal platform.

Introducing second wave Wi-Fi

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In the world of technology, a lot can change in just a few years, with new innovations emerging all the time. With users employing a growing number of devices to connect to the Internet while also demanding increasing speed and download capabilities, a lot has changed with the way wireless Internet connections are expected to function.

When the first Wi-Fi certified ac products came onto the scene two years ago, they implemented core features of the IEEE 802.11ac standard. While those products – known as "first wave" 11ac – used more spatial streams, wider channels and higher-density modulation triple the speed of comparable Wi-Fi certified 11n products, the necessary features to meet the standard's full potential of 7 Gbps were left out because the technology was still immature and there were a variety of engineering challenges that had to be overcome before moving forward.

With the rapid development of Internet capabilities and Wi-Fi engineering, the Wi-Fi Alliance has announced that it is currently evaluating features that can be added to the "second wave" 11ac products for an updated certification program that will be available in mid-2016.

The next wave of Wi-Fi products will greatly improve capacity and functionality.The next wave of Wi-Fi products will greatly improve capacity and functionality.

What will second wave Wi-Fi have to offer?
In an article for TechTarget, contributor Lisa Phifer noted that the first wave of 11ac products built off of the technology used in products on the IEEE 802.11n standard.

"The first wave of 11ac was built upon the same technologies used by 11n — most notably, multiple input multiple output (MIMO) antennas that transmit data along several spatial streams, optionally combined with double- or quadruple-wide channels to achieve faster data rates," wrote Phifer. "But unlike 11n, 11ac focuses exclusively on 5 GHz band transmission, leaving the congested 2.4 GHz band for use by older, less capable devices and other technologies, such as Bluetooth. Similarly, the second wave of 11ac will build upon the first wave features."

"Second wave Wi-Fi will double capacity and add support for 80 80 and 160 MHz channels."

Just as the first wave doubled the maximum channel width available at the time, second wave will double it again and add support for 80 80 and 160 MHz channels. The amount of spatial streams expected from access points will also grow, rising from three to four transmit and receive streams. While these changes may seem small, they have the potential for major improvements. The enhancements in the second wave Wi-Fi offer the possibility of quadruple the maximum data rates currently available under favorable conditions.

The other big difference with second wave Wi-Fi is the introduction of MU-MIMO (multi-user, multiple input output) technology. It offers the ability to dramatically increase the throughput of wireless networks and make a noticeable difference in dense, high capacity networks. Previous wireless standards like 11ac and 11n were able to improve data rates, but only for individual users. MU-MIMO, however, allows for multiple streams to be sent from access points to multiple users simultaneously, creating a greater impact across the network.

"Wi-Fi has always suffered from density and capacity issues, especially in the small and crowded 2.4GHz band," explained Network World contributor Eric Geier. "Using 802.11n or 802.11ac in the 5GHz band helps by providing many more channels and faster data rates. However, MU-MIMO helps even more as multiple devices can be served simultaneously. This leads to increased throughput, frees up more airtime, and allows access points to serve larger crowds of devices."

The first devices featuring second wave Wi-Fi and MU-MIMO are already starting to appear on the market, offering improved capacity for business-class access points and smartphones, as well as laptops and routers.

Having trouble managing data volume? Try converged infrastructure

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As a growing number of businesses across just about all industries adopt new tech trends like bring-your-own-device policies, big data analytics and the Internet of Things, the volume of information stored by such organizations is reaching increasingly high levels. The ability to collect and share data is more important than ever, but traditional information management systems have difficulties handling the rising workloads. In an attempt to manage the growing amounts of data, many companies have scaled their existing IT infrastructure by incorporating disparate systems on outdated technology. This creates overly complex IT environments and puts even more strain on storage setups and IT administrators.

So what are enterprises to do? The current business environment calls for faster and more agile access to critical data, and the systems being used now are complicated and detrimental to the health of a company. To gain the competitive advantages necessary to stay ahead of the game, many organizations are now deploying converged infrastructure.

Growing volumes of data can be better managed with a converged infrastructure. Growing volumes of data can be better managed with a converged infrastructure.

Moving to a converged infrastructure

“The integrated infrastructure market increased by nearly 34% in 2014.”

Instead of buying one-off machines and separate CPU, storage and network components and having to configure them all, converged infrastructure allows IT administrators to access an preconfigured, integrated experience in a box. A growing number of enterprises are seeing the advantages to implementing converged infrastructure, according to research firm IDC. In the second quarter of 2014, the integrated infrastructure and platforms market increased by nearly 34 percent year-over-year and revenue for the first half of 2014 rose 36 percent.

Converged systems scale out performance and capacity by virtualizing computing and storage power across multiple nodes. Data protection and failover are managed between the nodes, and clients typically must start with a minimum of three to account for availability. Once the system has been implemented, users can add nodes on an individual basis in order to increase storage and computing resources.

There are a variety of benefits to converged infrastructure:

  • Faster Provisioning: By employing a converged infrastructure model, a job that may have once required a provisioning time of three weeks can be cut down to less than an hour in some instances.
  • Lowers costs: With convergence, fewer single-use components are needed, and fewer components will be used in the data center overall. This decrease means fewer components to manage, troubleshoot and operate, as well as a reduction in the physical footprint of the data center or other IT facility.
  • Simpler management infrastructure: A converged infrastructure centralizes the management of servers, networks and storage, creating more streamlined daily maintenance. This requires less personnel and a lower knowledge base as opposed to traditional upkeep, freeing up skilled tech workers for more business-critical functions.
  • Quicker IT response: Creates a more agile way to respond to changes in the marketplace or with business priorities.
  • Reduced siloing of IT teams: Instead of managing storage and CPU separately, everything is done together. Fewer overall IT resources are needed with converged infrastructure and more knowledge and cross-training becomes available throughout the business.
  • Improved control: Control is now centralized and management of multiple functions and devices can take place at one time.
  • Scalability and flexibility: Allows the capacity of the entire data center or IT footprint to be quickly adjusted to meet client demands.

Converged infrastructure offers business considerable savings as opposed to traditional approaches. As the market continues to evolve, systems will become simplified and more third-party integrators will emerge to take over the task from in-house teams. This will lead to increased options and lower costs. Modern converged systems focus management on virtual machines, moving commodity computing resources and disks to the background. As the market continues to grow, more options will emerge that offer both options in combined nodes, enabling improved scalability. Sometimes referred to as hyperconvergence, this unites storage, computing a networking in a single unit around a hypervisor that takes care of all of the management duties.

With enterprise data volumes increasing all the time and as the need for reliable, agile and secure management solutions become more important, working with a third-party service provider to create a converged infrastructure solution is more often than not the best way for business to access competitive advantages.

Hybrid cloud market grows as CIOs embrace the platform

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With cloud computing becoming an increasingly important part of enterprise IT infrastructure, service providers are beginning to offer a growing number of custom or semi-custom options for businesses interested in creating a unique environment to store their sensitive data. Hybrid cloud solutions, which mix both private and public platforms to give organizations the benefits associated with both environments, are realizing increased popularity as more enterprises want to create solutions unique to their operations.

According to a recent report from market research firm MarketsandMarkets, hybrid cloud platforms offer businesses high-end solutions like integration, networking, consulting, cloud management and security. Because of these benefits, nearly half of enterprises surveyed said they were planning to adopt a hybrid cloud solution in the near future. Hybrid cloud services are becoming so popular, in fact, that the report estimates the market will be worth nearly $85 billion in 2019, increasing at a compound annual growth rate of 27 percent for the next four years. The biggest regional market for such services is expected to be North America, with all other regions except Europe expected to increase their share rapidly with high annual growth rates.

Researchers working on the report noted that adoption rates would likely be even higher than they currently are if not for data security concerns from consumers and worry about technological constraints causing problems with performance for networks and applications. While all forms of cloud computing have their downsides, innovations in the industry and improvements to security, functionality and operability are constantly being introduced.

Hybrid makes the transition to cloud easier
Making the move to a hybrid environment allows IT administrators to gain a better understanding of what elements they like and dislike from each type of platform and decide how to meet the company's needs. As Cloud Tech contributor James Butler noted, adopting a hybrid cloud strategy in which workloads are moved over slowly from one platform to another, companies are able to take control of their IT infrastructure and encourage real change.

"Taking an incremental approach to hybrid cloud gives CIOs a platform to lead real business change from the center, and avoid being bypassed or replaced," said Butler. "By driving the strategy and promoting the positive benefits of cloud, CIOs will reduce risks and maximize investments; rather than simply ignoring cloud and falling behind."

Using a hybrid strategy offers enterprises the ability to test new ideas in a secure environment before moving them out into a public arena, dramatically reducing development time and costs and improving troubleshooting efforts. At the same time, moving workloads to a public cloud environment in incremental stages helps companies avoid the challenges presented by traditional IT infrastructures and experience agile and cost-effective service. Benefits can also be realized in a much shorter time frame – in as little as 12 to 18 months with a hybrid platform as opposed to five to 10 years with traditional approaches.

Yes, your company's data is safe in the cloud

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Despite its growing presence in the business world, there are still IT administrators that are hesitant to deploy cloud initiatives because of concerns about data security and privacy.

It is smart to be concerned about the security of enterprise information, especially when it is being hosted on a relatively new infrastructure. However, an increasing amount of research has shown that not only is the cloud safe, it may even be more secure than on-premises platforms. Any data that can be accessed externally – whether cloud-based or on-premises – is at risk from hackers.

A report by Alert Logic on the state of cloud security revealed that businesses utilizing on-premises storage environments experienced more security incidents than those without cloud solutions, more than twice the amount, in fact. The lower rate of cyberattacks targeting cloud-based solutions is likely due to the fact that service providers are able to focus more on security and governance than organizations that build their own data environments.

Consider all aspects of security
A main component many IT decision-makers forget when discussing information security is confidentiality. As long as the proper access controls are in place and data can only be seen by those who require it, it remains safe. The cloud seems to fly in the face of this idea, as it involves handing over control of information to a service provider. But in reality, using cloud storage services causes businesses to take a harder look at who has access to what data, improving the overall security of enterprise information.

Private cloud environments allow users to keep their data away from that of other companies, and some providers even go so far as to keep encryption keys on client devices so only the data’s owner has access. Many data breaches IT decision-makers believe are caused by the cloud are actually the result of insufficient data security policies and a lack of oversight by in-house IT staff.

Implementing a private cloud storage solution allows sensitive enterprise information to be kept in an environment with integrated security measures, increasing data defense. Only one company’s information is stored within a private environment, which eliminates the chance of outside eyes prying on sensitive data. Working with a knowledgeable service provider is a great way to craft a solution that is tailored to your organization and ensure business-critical information is protected.

Making it through extreme weather with your network and business intact

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It is hard not to get excited about the start of summer. With its warm weather and longer days, summer brings with it a sense of freedom and happiness that is greatly anticipated after the harsh cold and endless nights of winter. However, summer does not just bring along sunshine and smiles. It also brings strong storms – lightning, hurricanes, tornadoes, etc. – that can severely disrupt businesses and their technological infrastructure.

"40% of small businesses won't reopen after being affected by a weather-related disaster."

With extreme weather on its way, businesses need to get a jump start on their disaster recovery and business continuity planning. Enterprises can be severely affected by natural disasters, leading to lost revenue and major repair costs. Storms can have such a negative effect on companies that 40 percent of small businesses will not reopen after being affected by a weather-related disaster this year, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Luckily, organizations with a strong business continuity solution in place can weather the storm and come out just as well as they went in. Here are a few tips to help enterprises put together the best disaster recovery plan possible:

Businesses need to put recovery plans in place before severe weather disrupts operations.Businesses need to put recovery plans in place before severe weather disrupts operations.

Understand how a disruption will affect different assets
There are a variety of different variables that must be considered when putting a business continuity plan in place. How will employees access company programs and files? What information is critical? Who needs to be made aware of a service disruption or office closure? All of these things and much more must be addressed by a recovery plan.

In a severe weather event, the majority of employees will be accessing files remotely, so a cloud-based solution is the most reliable option to keep operations running smoothly. A cloud disaster recovery as a service option will keep business going after a disruption, but not all files will be available immediately, nor should they be. Non-essential data should be given low priority in DR solutions, saving space for files crucial to daily operations. Utilizing the cloud will also provide administrators a way to contact employees, vendors and any other necessary personnel that the office has experienced a disruption.

Test your plan beforehand
It is important to identify any problems or gaps in your DR plan before it needs to be put to use so any issues can be fixed. Scheduling periodic tests ensures the most reliable business continuity possible. Make sure to test each necessary system – phones, computers, data recovery, servers, etc. – separately and as a whole to discover any pain points before the real thing happens.

Work with a trusted industry partner
Putting a reliable DR plan in place can be difficult, but working with a knowledgeable service provider can make everything run smoothly. Companies like ISG Technology offer cloud-based solutions customized for the client that address the specific needs of each organization. ISG's expert staff take care of the maintenance required to keep a DRaaS solution running, letting users focus on other critical functions in times of emergency. Not only is ISG's staff prepared to keep your business running during extreme weather, but its infrastructure is ready as well. ISG's Missouri data center is located within a limestone bunker, shielding it from practically every kind of extreme weather event that might come its way. With such a strong network of facilities and staff, disaster recovery services from ISG are the most reliable choice to keep enterprises running no matter what mother nature brings. 

Cloud IaaS market growing

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The cloud Infrastructure-as-a-Service market is growing at an accelerated rate, with providers bringing in increased revenue, according to IT analyst firm Gartner.

A recent Gartner report found that global spending on cloud IaaS solutions will reach almost $16.5 billion in 2015, an increase of more than 32 percent from last year. As more businesses move an increasing number of workloads to the cloud, the market is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 29 percent through 2019.

"10% of CIOs consider cloud IaaS their default infrastructure option."

Last year the absolute growth of public IaaS workloads surpassed on-premise workload growth of any type for the first time, the Gartner report revealed. According to a survey of CIOs conducted by Gartner, cloud IaaS is considered an infrastructure option by 83 percent of CIOs and 10 percent already consider it their default choice.

This growth in the IaaS market is also causing a consolidation of service providers, according to Gartner vice president and distinguished analyst Lydia Leong. The market is rapidly revolving around a small number of trusted service providers, so IT buyers will need to select their vendors carefully.

"We urge buyers to be extremely cautious when selecting providers; ask specific and detailed questions about the provider's roadmap for the service, and seek contractual commitments that do not permit the provider to modify substantially or to discontinue the offering without at least 12 months' notice," said Leong.

The cloud IaaS market is growing and providers are consolidating.The cloud IaaS market is growing and providers are consolidating.

IaaS proves a versatile tool
Cloud IaaS solutions can be put to work for practically any use case that can reasonably be hosted on virtual servers, but the most common are development and testing environments, high performance computers and batch processing, Web-based apps and non-mission-critical internal business applications. Gartner suggests that businesses adopting a cloud IaaS solution operate in two essential modes, otherwise known as bimodal IT. This allows them to keep sight of what is needed to maintain IT operations while at the same time innovating with new, digital possibilities.

"Cloud IaaS can now be used to run most workloads, although not every provider can run every type of workload well," said Leong. "Cloud IaaS is not a commodity. Providers vary significantly in their features, performance, cost and business terms. Although in theory, cloud IaaS has very little lock-in, in truth, cloud IaaS is not merely a matter of hardware rental, but an entire data centre ecosystem as a service. The more you use its management capabilities, the more value you will receive from the offering, but the more you will be tied to that particular service offering."

When first starting, most organizations deploy cloud IaaS for mode 2, agile IT projects that may be on the periphery of the organization's IT needs but can still have a major impact for the business. As the company becomes more comfortable with its use of IaaS overtime, some organizations may choose to use it in Mode 1, for traditional IT projects.

As time goes on, many enterprises, especially those in the mid-market, will likely migrate away from operating their own computing facilities and instead host their workloads in a data center run by a service provider and rely primarily on infrastructure in the cloud.