State of Cloud Storage 2012: Trends and Insights

In the first quarter of 2010, we created a 4-phased Cloud Storage Maturity Model which still makes complete sense in 2012. The market is finding the way forward, following the blueprint we described almost to a T.

With our cloud storage maturity model in mind, here are some thoughts on the trends we're seeing this year. What we're describing is the State of Cloud Storage in 2012:

• The rise of a new application delivery architecture

We think this year everyone will figure out that cloud storage is not just cheap storage via the web, but the delivery of a new application architecture, whereby applications are fully contained on a variety of devices (smartphones, tablets and PCs) and the backend is a cloud data store with REST APIs. 

• The consumerization of everything

Enterprises as well as large institutions will seek alternatives to allowing their employees to use consumer tools like DropBox as well as alternatives to tools like box that still store data (albeit encrypted) in a public cloud (i.e. Amazon S3). This trend, aptly named the "consumerization of IT" is creating many alternatives that provide more security, and integration with key corporate support tools.  Cloud Storage is a key enabler of the consumer tools that have found favor with early and wide adoption, so look for the successful entrants with enterprise class security to be based on cloud technologies, and stored behind private firewalls so that the solutions will be as attractive to end users as the consumer tools, but that IT can control the security of their confidential corporate data and compliance initiatives.

• Disintermediation of services
  

The disintermediation of telcos and device manufacturers will continue, with the most cogent example being Apple delivering text messaging "off network" via iCloud.   Already, with devices using WiFi, from multiple suppliers, a storage cloud is a key enabler of these services.

• Manageability

Storage cloud manageability will grow as a requirement as the storage clouds get larger.  Storage clouds will become a delivery vehicle for highly complex management schemes focused on storage tiering. Let's talk ITIL in the Cloud.

Ladies and gentlemen, fellow citizens of the Cloud, the enterprise is ready for cloud storage. Let us know what you think.