Cloud Services Expected To Be One Trillion Dollar Industry By 2017

The enormous growth of cloud services for both web and mobile means the increasing demand for cloud applications isn't going away any time soon. Many companies want to improve business performance and efficiency through these apps. This is good news for developers!

A recent report from Heavy Reading and BSG Advising suggests that the cloud services industry will continue to experience monumental growth; cloud services are expected to be a one trillion dollar industry by 2017. Talk about a boost to the national economy! Cloud computing usage has spiked twelve-fold since 2010 and it appears that developers can barely keep up with the demand for web and mobile apps that work with the cloud. The consumer and enterprise market for cloud-based mobile apps should reach over $10 billion by next year.

Imagine the tech that will be needed in the next decade or so to manage the development and deployment of infrastructure and technologies to enable web and mobile cloud services... What a great opportunity for the developer community!

One reason? These apps are (relatively) inexpensive to create and use, and offer efficient and productive ways to collaborate. Teams no longer need to be in the same room (let alone the same city!) in order to complete tasks and projects. Most small businesses use at least two cloud-based apps on a daily basis. How many does your company use? How many do you use personally?

Another reason? The cloud's easy transferability across multiple devices. What works on your desktop (most likely) works on your tablet and smartphone, too. With most workforces on the go, it seems that the cloud offers a great solution for connectivity and efficiency. No more worrying about emailing the wrong version of a document to yourself!

As cloud-based storage matures, many professionals use cloud services as their primary storage medium for all files and data (instead of desktop or external storage). Is that the best idea? Let's discuss.

A few pros

1. When comparing cloud storage to external storage, there is always the issue of your external hard drive getting lost, stolen, or damaged. With the cloud, you won't physically misplace your files. The cloud won't become corrupted and cause you to lose your data, either.
2. If a local server or drive fails you could potentially lose all your files, especially if your data isn't backed up in a different location. Most cloud storage providers (including SmartFile) use multiple servers in different locations that back up and replicate your data to ensure it stays safe and isn't lost if a server or drive fails.
3. Many cloud storage providers support multifactor authentication, so you know your data is secure in the cloud. You can send and receive data with secure confidence. As an added bonus, you no longer have to use precious inbox space for physical attachments; you can simply send a link to the file!

A few cons

1. Security is a big concern when it comes to cloud computing. By leveraging a remote cloud based infrastructure, you give away private data and information that could be sensitive and confidential. You must trust your cloud service provider to manage, protect and retain your data, so make sure you choose a reliable one! Companies and users have to trust their cloud service vendors that they will protect their data from unauthorized users. There could also be regulatory and governance issues with your stored data.
2. In order to access your stored data, you must have an internet connection. For the most part this shouldn't be an issue, but you never know.
3. Increase in the number of networks through which the data travels while in the cloud can raise concerns over data security. Cloud storage requires WAN connectivity along with the regular LAN and SAN facilities, respectively. Weak security credentials (username, password, etc.) could mean your data is susceptible to hacking or theft as well.

Conclusion

Overall, web and mobile app development and management centered around cloud computing infrastructure, platforms, software, and networks is booming with tons of potential. Who doesn't appreciate the convenience the cloud offers? This also means job security and innovation opportunities for the development community.

How do you think the cloud will fundamentally change your job in the next few years? What strategies are you implementing to successfully integrate the cloud into your projects? Let us know in the comments below.

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