It's that time of year again; time for technology experts and service providers alike to make their top predictions for 2016. It's no surprise that big data ranks highly yet again, as companies look for new ways to leverage this resource and make sure they've got the right staff for the job. Here are four of the biggest big data predictions for the coming year:
Big To Bigger
It's impossible to ignore big data. Even industries such as oil and gas — which have historically taken a pass on these technologies — are now gearing up to invest in big data. According to a recent Visiongain report, oil and gas companies are set to spend $3.51 billion on big data this year, while the market at large is headed for a $72 billion dollar future by 2022. Bottom line?
According to Tech Target, between 44 and 48 percent of companies now use some form of cloud storage. That's a decent number, considering the pushback against cloud services from many IT professionals and C-suites alike; security, accessibility and portability all remain top concerns. In fact, the legacy of cloud reticence is obvious in low-storage volumes; most companies store only 15 to 32 terabytes of data — extremely low amounts given the promise of scalability and virtually unlimited capacity. Bottom line? If you're planning to store data in the cloud it's worth doing some prep work: Here's what you need to know.