Top IT trends for 2017

It’s no surprise that IT shapes the way we work. I recently attended the Gartner IT conference in Orlando to learn more about information technology trends to look for in 2017.

One of the most impactful discussions I participated in surrounded IT trends and business operations. Gartner’s David Cappuccioshared his insights about disappearing data centers, increasing IoT platforms and changing roles of IT professionals. Here are a few key takeaways:

 1. Data centers will be a thing of the past.

Rather than using an in-house server, companies are already relying on up to 15 different cloud service providers. Of course, data centers will not shut down overnight – companies invested a lot of time and capital in these servers – but expect previous investments to begin shifting away from capital-heavy internal server purchases.

More important, this shift means less capital will be spent on managing a data center while more time will spent on managing a relationship with a cloud service provider. These relationships need to focus on the cloud provider bring solutions and service instead of just equipment. Take time now to train your staff about best practices in vendor relationships to help them prepare for these new relationship management duties.

 2. IoT platforms are growing.

The interconnected world is coming, and it’s important to be ready for the changes that come with it. The shift starts with the Internet of things (IoT). Currently, company leaders face more questions than answers – how long should data be stored and where should it live? How does IoT change our internal networking and protocol standards?

As our devices become smarter and talk to each other more often, companies will need answers. Instead of waiting for that time to come, work with your IT department now to consider how IoT can impact your company and your industry at large.

 3. Tomorrow’s IT professional needs different skills.

The next generation of IT professional are facing a wide range of issues: Finding best uses for capacity and resources, managing new kinds of vendor relationships, and optimizing IT in each department. Companies will no longer need CIOs who are IT specialists only. Now, they will need to have a high-level understanding of every department – from shipping and logistics to marketing and communications – to understand how technology can be best used across the company.

Have we missed any trends you and your IT teams are following? Share them with us on Facebook and Twitter.