One thing is for certain for 2024: technology isn’t slowing down; in fact, it may be picking up even more pace. We’re in an era of unparalleled and exciting advancements—which also means new challenges. IT continues to grow more complex and IT teams are feeling the strain. According to ESG research shows, three-quarters (75%) of organizations say, “IT has become more or significantly more complex than just two years ago.” This is especially true when it comes to networking and infrastructure.
Moreover, Generative AI will continue to change the game this year as organizations pursue data and automation capabilities. It’s critical for CIO’s, IT Managers, and tech leaders of every kind to follow trends, while remaining discerning. The ability to align technology objectives to business goals, demonstrate value, and understand when a tool is or is not right for your organization will be what helps keep you focused, strategic, and ahead of the pack.
Ahead, we’re breaking down some of the top technology trends for 2024 and giving some pointers as to how to decide if they’re right for you.
1. Generative AI + Automation
Any list of top technology trends is going to have AI on it—and along with it, advanced features like automation and machine learning. While the future of AI is yet to be determined, the pace of development is requiring businesses to figure it out in real time. It’s either adopt or get left behind.
Our take is to keep your focus human centric. How can AI be used in your organization to best enable your teams? For example, from IT teams to customer service, AI and automation can be used to offload repetitive, routine tasks—so your employees can then focus on more complex work and strategic initiatives.
Machine learning and AI can help transform data analysis, rapidly breaking down patterns and trends and helping your teams gain more insights, faster. They can also help you move from a reactive state to a proactive state, by providing predictive analytics. In the cloud, AI-powered security solutions can help make your distributed network more secure, by analyzing network activities for threats in real-time, detecting anomalies, responding to breaches, and minimizing damage in the case of security events.
As is the case with any of these new technologies, the key is to remember you don’t have to do everything all at once. Start by identifying areas to prioritize, align the use of AI with the business’s strategic goals, and introduce AI in phases. It’s not necessary to go too fast either; set reasonable timelines that strike the balance of progress, while still allowing time for testing and ample employee communication.
2. Security, Security, Security
Gartner research indicates that 80% of CIOs plan to increase their spending on cybersecurity and information security in 2024. Top plans for investments include advanced security solutions, identity and access management (IAM) solutions, and data encryption techniques.
A higher focus on security naturally goes hand-in-hand with emerging technologies like AI. As networks grow more complex, the need for more advanced cybersecurity measures increases.
In 2024, building a layered, secure-by-design approach needs to be a high priority and a constant mindset. Security should be baked into everything you do and every part of your business. This means evaluating your security posture at every level and introducing tools that include advanced security features to help you build the best, most robust defense possible.
3. Restructuring IT Infrastructure
This could perhaps be seen as the “anti-trend” trend that makes a natural pairing for all these new advancements in technology. If the past several years—both during the pandemic and post-pandemic—have been about building resilience and adopting to support new hybrid, modern workspaces, then 2024 will be the year of restructuring IT infrastructure and carrying out a technology refresh.
Organizations will be focused on mitigating and simplifying their growing IT complexity and evaluating their technologies for efficient resource utilization, in efforts to manage costs, reduce cloud waste, and add value and enhance performance.
Assessment
Any restructuring or tech refresh must begin with an analysis of your current situation. What are your business’s top needs—for 2024 and for the next three-to-five years? Where are the redundancies? Where can you streamline? For example, as you analyze your cloud networking architecture, platforms like Cisco Meraki will help you unify your network management under one dashboard and login, manage remotely, and add enhanced security—helping you combat multiple needs with one platform.
Testing, Implementation, and Integration
Integration can be done in phases, allowing time for testing, communication, and optimization with existing technologies to ensure compatibility and security.
Continuous Evaluation
One of the main goals of restructuring is to achieve resilience and agility—streamlining infrastructures that are more able to pivot and adapt as modern business and technology continues to evolve at rapid-fire pace. A crucial part of this is ongoing evaluation and fine-tuning, ensuring your infrastructure stays lean and optimized, networks and data stay secure and ahead of evolving threats, and you’re able to seamlessly scale up—or down—as needed.
Technology trends are trendy for a reason: they feel fresh, full of possibility, and people are clamoring to see what can be achieved with them. That’s why the key to standing out from the pack is to be informed of trends but make decisions about what to move forward with based on your business needs, values, and strategic priorities. Lastly, make regular evaluation and optimization part of your operational routine—especially when it comes to something as foundational as your network.
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