Six Infrastructure and Ops Trends in 2023
Garner has released a report in which it lists out six trends during the next year that could have a significant impact on infrastructure and operations
A new report released by analyst firm Gartner has listed out six trends that it anticipates to play a major role in the infrastructure and operations business over the next 12 to 18 months. At the top of this list is the secure access service edge (SASE), which merges security solutions into a unified, global cloud-native service.
The analyst firm says that the total end-user spending on SASE could touch $9.2 billion in 2023, which represents a jump of nearly two-fifths the number recorded in 2022. Gartner says SASE would function as a technology framework that helps converge network access and security in cloud-native environments.
The fast adoption of SASE can be attributed to the growing need to secure the access of devices and elements at the edge, besides the hybrid work and a relentless shift to cloud computing, says Gartner’s vice president of Jeffrey Hewitt. The official said the primary benefits of the framework is that it allows users to securely connect to applications and improves the efficiency of management. Here are a the trends:
Trend No. 1: Just-in-time infrastructure
A recent Gartner survey revealed that I&O functions are seeing shorter timelines, with all technologies in deployment expected to reach adoption within the next six to 18 months. This feeds into a larger trend of just-in-time infrastructure, or how deploying infrastructure as quickly as possible is just as important as deploying it in the right location, whether that be in the public cloud, data center or elsewhere.
Gartner is already reviewing a number of purchase agreements from service providers that list expected delivery time next to each line item, reinforcing I&O leaders’ priority of increasing responsiveness to business needs and anywhere operations.
While introducing time-to-deployment as a negotiating factor can improve an enterprise’s position when comparing providers, it also might lead to a complex array of vendor choices and comparison points, along with some evolution of current providers’ relationships.
Trend No. 2: Digital natives
Digital native companies are those that started using public cloud from the ground up and include it at the center of their business model — for example, Uber or DoorDash. More and more companies that leverage digital capabilities out of the gate are popping up across industries such as insurance and retail, challenging established, legacy brands to innovate and catch up.
By 2025, 70% of I&O leaders who ignore innovation will be marginalized to legacy system support only.
Trend No. 3: Management confluence
As I&O moves toward integration and operations, various management and monitoring tools need to be brought under one comprehensive tool to better drive agility and business value. For example, application performance monitoring, digital experience monitoring, IT service management and artificial intelligence (AI) operations.
“While there might never be a real single pane of glass when it comes to I&O tools, Gartner expects increased vendor merger and acquisition activity to get as close to a single tool as possible,” says Jeffrey Hewitt, VP Analyst at Gartner.
A comprehensive management tool will reduce overall costs and produce better returns on investment, as well as drive I&O agility through hyper-automation. However, integrating the output of the various tools on the market is no easy feat given the different capabilities and stakeholders in the mix.
Trend No. 4: Data proliferation
Data will continue to multiply in variety, velocity and volume. In some cases, data will be created at the edge, deemed as “junk” and destroyed immediately. In other cases, it will be generated and deemed valuable enough to be kept. Regardless, I&O needs to support the storage and access of data across the enterprise.
Although data retention policies are outside the direct purview of I&O, leaders can still help prioritize optimal data retention in a long-range planning view.
Trend No. 5: Business acumen
I&O work and outcomes often lack a clear connection to business needs and goals, which prevents leaders from positioning potential innovations in compelling business terms. As a result, new I&O hires will need a more business-based mindset, rather than a technical background, so they are able to focus on the business benefits of a technology and how it connects to overall organizational goals. This also ensures more comprehensive and effective business decisions are made.
For example, the exercise of choosing between public cloud and edge is largely business-driven as organizations calculate the risk-return ratio of both options. Building a business case for just-in-time infrastructure requires business acumen, too.
Trend No. 6: Career leaders to career lattices
Career advancement in I&O is moving away from single domains driven by workloads and legacy technical skills, and toward a path that emphasizes multiple competencies and learning agility. This is exacerbated by ongoing core modernization that many enterprises are conducting.
While it creates more opportunities for I&O team members and minimizes the traditional “territorial thinking,” it does require more planning and collaboration with HR.
