There was a time when organizations simply outsourced their tech needs or relegated them to the IT department. Today, no matter the line of business, technology is the backbone of every company, integral to its success, innovation, and competitiveness in the market. Even a recent WSJ article proclaimed, “every company is now a tech company.” What that entails for each organization naturally differs, but there are three critical technologies that should be the foundation of your technical infrastructure.
Cloud Computing
Cloud computing has become pervasive in every marketplace, providing cost-effective and easily manageable IT infrastructure for companies of all sizes. With no bandwidth requirements and minimal maintenance, cloud platforms are a catalyst for growth, revolutionizing operations for countless organizations – and more business leaders are beginning to capitalize on it.
In 2017, 74% of CFOs claimed that cloud computing had the most measurable impact on their business of all tech, including Artificial Intelligence. By 2020, a projected 83% of enterprise workloads are anticipated to be in the cloud, with an estimated 41% of them being run on public cloud platforms. One such platform, Amazon Web Services, accounted for over half of the e-commerce giant’s operating profit last quarter, shockingly out-performing Amazon’s other popular offerings like Amazon Prime.
The complexity of migrating to the cloud varies from business to business, with some simply rehosting their current applications and others going so far as to completely re-architect them. Regardless of scale, most enterprises already have the knowledgeable team members necessary to execute a successful migration – they simply need to earn one of the numerous cloud computing certifications available online.
Internet of Things
For years, the Internet of Things (IoT) has propelled exciting borderline-futuristic concepts like remote health monitoring and autonomous vehicle operations. Now, IoT is closer to home, becoming more prevalent in day-to-day life. From TVs to watches to kitchen appliances, it’s estimated that by the end of this year, there will be 26 billion connected devices around the world. This surge is projected to be helmed by businesses that are beginning to see the advantages of integrating IoT into their processes.
One such example is in manufacturing, where companies utilize IoT to connect machinery so the smart devices are able to communicate between themselves, sharing detailed reporting and operating parameters. Some major industrial players are even able to use IoT for predictive maintenance, increasing their productivity and cutting costs. As a whole, IoT devices offer opportunities for enterprises to augment their current processes in numerous ways. They’re able to collect more data from users than ever before, actively tracking and recording patterns of consumer behavior. They also allow companies to accomplish large-scale tasks more efficiently and with greater precision, including data analysis and management.
In 2019, adopting an IoT strategy is becoming less of a suggestion and more of a necessity – 85% of companies state they’re implementing or planning IoT deployments this year. Deploying an IoT infrastructure typically requires an experienced engineer who’s able to develop a roadmap specific to the organization. Beyond that, all-staff training on the usage of the tech is essential to the effectiveness of the solution – gaining buy-in from the team can virtually guarantee the success of any IoT deployment.
Cybersecurity
In a world of malware and cyber-attacks, data protection and privacy remain top of mind concerns for a majority of business leaders. In 2018, nearly 70% of businesses experienced some form of cybersecurity breach, resulting in billions of data records stolen. Furthermore, of small businesses that experienced a major attack, 60% closed their doors within six months. Unfortunately, the threat of data breaches and network security attacks is becoming consistently worse, as are the costs to effected organizations. The average data breach costs a staggering $3.86 million, with each individual record clocking in at $148.
In order to effectively combat these threats, implementing cybersecurity measures and protocol is lucrative for any business. Every organization should have at least one information security or cybersecurity analyst on their payroll. These professionals mitigate the risk of an attack by evaluating the security of data, strategically monitoring networks, and addressing any potential issues before they manifest. Most importantly, analysts are up-to-date on the latest trends and tactics of cybercriminals. As companies secure their systems with increasingly advanced tech, cybercriminals are adopting more strategic approaches of infiltration. The challenge of preventing cyberattacks is ever-evolving and to keep your company safe from a fatal breach, continually investing in your cyber defenses is vital.
Implement Critical Tech into Your Organization
All three of these technologies have contributed to drastic economic shifts within the current business landscape. They’re interconnected, working together to increase efficiency, productivity, and security. In order to keep up with the major players in today’s marketplace, finding quality talent to seamlessly implement these technologies into your current functions is imperative.
Finding qualified tech talent is a full-time job – but it’s not yours. Let’s have a conversation about how PTYTECH LLC can alleviate your IT staffing woes starting now.
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