Cloud Computing Trends for 2022
Cloud computing is a familiar technology that is experiencing a boom. Let’s take a look at how this tech is changing the way we interact with the world.
Cloud computing is certainly experiencing a boom. Remember when your computer could run its programs without being connected to the Internet? Software programs came on discs, and the files to run them were installed using local memory. We’ve been moving away from that sort of localized storage for years. And in tandem with the rise of software-as-a-service (SaaS) companies, cloud computing has changed how we use both end-user computers and servers.
In recent years cloud technology has gotten a big push. The worldwide transition to remote-first interactions gave rise to a growing interest in developing cloud computing technologies. And now that the cat’s out of the bag, it’s a trend that’s not slowing down anytime soon. Here are some of the fascinating ways that cloud computing is changing the world as we know it.
Sustainability in Technology is Coming to The Forefront
Being environmentally friendly is certainly en vogue, and we’re finally bridging the gap between technological innovation and sustainability. IDC has forecasted that cloud computing will save a billion metric tons of carbon through 2024, through reduced use of travel/factories/etc.
There’s more of a push than ever for building more sustainable architectures and making our data addictions less harmful to the planet. Centralizing resource-intensive activities (large-scale centralized computing over individual devices), allows for better managed resource consumption and further opportunities from the economies of scale. Amazon Web Services (AWS) has a goal of powering all of their operations with 100% renewable energy by 2025. Google plans to run all of its data centers on carbon-free energy by 2030, and is already carbon neutral.
We have churned through technology for decades, always pushing for upgrades that make previous components obsolete. And in the pursuit of innovation, we were all guilty of filling our landfills with tons of e-waste.
But now consumers are relying more on solutions that are based in the cloud. Answering machines have been replaced by a button on your cell phone. Fewer and fewer people have printers, as on-demand services will accept your print jobs via a cloud-based app. And gaming devices have started shifting the intensive processing to the cloud, resulting in less frequent hardware replacement by users (see the gaming section below).
There is also a growing interest in reducing the energy requirements of the technology we’re using, and big names like Amazon are making significant strides in reducing the downstream energy consumption of their cloud-connected devices like the FireStick and Echo lines. Developers who have already been focusing on balancing security, performance, and cost will now be adding another checklist item to their considerations.
Continued Impacts on IT Infrastructure
Businesses have always invested heavily into creating, securing, and managing their networks. But cloud computing is changing things up, creating serverless architecture and hybrid clouds that redefine how businesses access and use storage. Over the next few years, more companies will migrate to hybrid solutions for their storage needs. This means that they will utilize a combination of private and public networks depending on the level of sensitivity in their data.
But it also means that companies will be outsourcing this storage on a much larger scale than ever before. This change will reduce the cost of IT expenses within the organizations, while adding scalability for companies to become more agile as their technology needs change.
AI Technologies Are Further Becoming Accessible in The Mainstream
Artificial intelligence is coming into its own in 2022, and cloud computing makes mainstream access to these technologies possible. Chatbots that streamline customer service interactions and writing tools like the Grammarly writing assistant are both practical applications of artificial intelligence in our everyday lives. This software in the cloud, which has been widely adopted by individuals and businesses of all sizes, are accessible because cloud computing can keep the data connected to the end-users at speeds and costs that were previously unobtainable.
Cloud Gaming is Changing Things Up For Console Manufacturers
Cloud-based gaming has been a little slower to catch on than some other cloud-based technologies, but it seems that gamers are starting to give these platforms a chance.
New entries to the cloud gaming arena include Amazon’s Luna, which is providing early access to customers upon request, and Microsoft’s Xbox Cloud Gaming which is in Beta. These major players are slated to make big investments in their cloud-based gaming platforms in 2022. The rollout of 5G technology and gig speed Internet will be the biggest forces driving cloud-based gaming. And if successful, the console manufacturers are going to feel it.
The Bottom Line For Cloud Computing
Cloud computing is the infrastructure that makes advancements in many different end-user technologies possible, and makes technology more accessible to individuals and organizations of every size. This accessibility opens doors to new possibilities that we have only begun to explore. The CEO of Google has been quoted as saying that advancements in AI and machine learning supported by cloud computing are possibly more significant than the invention of fire in terms of the profound effects it will have on our species.
Zuar is a company that helps organizations bring their data to the cloud. Taking full advantage of cloud computing can be difficult for organizations, so we work with them to migrate and get set up with data strategies that utilize up-to-date yet proven technologies.
- Get the most out of your data without hiring an entire team to make it happen. Learn about Zuar's data services for migration, integrations, pipelines, infrastructure, and models.
- Pull data into a single destination and normalizing that data, whether in the cloud or OnPrem. Zuar's Runner solution provides comprehensive ETL+ and automated pipeline functionality without the learning curve and cost of many other solutions. You can learn more about Runner here.
