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One of the biggest elements of digital transformation in 2020 has been a move to cloud computing. How will this shape 2021?

The Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent remote working revolution has turned cloud computing from a nice-to-have into a need-to-have for many businesses.

But after months of having to adjust to new systems and processes on the fly, businesses are now in a position to look ahead to 2021 and somewhat plan accordingly.

With this in mind, Siliconrepublic.com heard from Avanades Eric Bouguen about what to expect from 2021 and beyond when it comes to working and doing business in the cloud.

He said the main priority for C-suite level teams is to find rapid solutions to reduce costs while embracing the new digital economy. Cloud computing is the most obvious proven answer, he said.

However, Bouguen added that while large organisations have been busy improving their processes, the hierarchical silos between IT and business have remained. Their current operating model isnt organised in the right way to change their mindset, he said. They now have to be prepared for anything and shaped to adapt and evolve.

As businesses look ahead to 2021, Bouguen said that cloud computing must be a business agenda. Considering cloud computing as an IT-only topic creates a risk in not being agile enough to adapt to the rapid evolution of the society, he said.

Cloud computing must activate the full power of organisation and ecosystem to unlock operational efficiencies and create new revenue streams in response to changing market dynamics. As companies rethink their business, they must look for opportunities to reuse existing capabilities to drive new revenue streams and continually test and learn to turn their strategic bets into outcomes.

He added that cloud journeys must be transformational in nature, meaning they need to allow for companies to adapt and evolve their plans at scale and speed. Not only can this help propel companies through the current crisis, it can lead to increased, sustainable growth, he said.

Many businesses will be well aware of the need to adapt and embrace cloud computing, but the journey can appear overwhelming at the beginning. However, Bouguen said its vital to avoid being stuck in the early stages.

An intelligent cloud journey needs to balance speed and value. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach, each should start with defining the value, mapping out the journey and determining how cloud will enable the overall business strategy and ambition.

He also highlighted the three most typical challenges that businesses come across are cost, skills and security. Businesses can make savings and reinvest in order to overcome cost issues, while external partners can often bridge the skills gap.

Security, Bouguen said, must be considered a priority by organisations and added that cloud computing does provide the required security functions to implement what is required. The EU has paved the way in formalising a common framework to start with, intending to protect citizens. Businesses who embrace privacy as a core principle in their culture and ethic will tap into the demand from the society to care about their privacy.

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Preparing for 2021: The acceleration of the cloud - Siliconrepublic.com

BOCA RATON, Fla., Dec. 09, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Newtek Business Services Corp., (Nasdaq: NEWT), an internally managed business development company (BDC), today announced that the replay is now available for the Newtek Technology Solutions webinar, which discussed the importance of navigating the new cloud-computing technology landscape in todays ever-changing operating environment, which took place yesterday, Tuesday, December 8, 2020 at 3PM EST. The video replay can be accessed through the following link Newtek Technology Solutions Webinar.

The webinar was hosted by Newteks CEO, Barry Sloane, and experts from Newtek Technology Solutions, Newteks managed technology portfolio company, including Jared Mills, Chief Operating Officer; Joe Vuica, Vice President of Procurement and Supply Chain; and Jared Ruggieri, Senior Vice President of Business Development for Newtek Merchant Solutions. They discussed how small- and medium-sized businesses can manage their IT in a secure private cloud, as well as what businesses can do to be at the forefront of innovative technology processes. Specific topics discussed included, ecommerce solutions, managed IT services to protect against security threats, and the advantages of private cloud hosting for scaling and managing an organization.

If you have any questions, please contact Newtek Technology Solutions at 1-877-323-4678 or email info@NewtekOne.com.

Newtek Business Services Corp., Your Business Solutions Company, is an internally managed BDC, which along with its controlled portfolio companies, provides a wide range of business and financial solutions under the Newtek brand to the small- and medium-sized business (SMB) market.Since 1999, Newtek has provided state-of-the-art, cost-efficient products and services and efficient business strategies to SMB relationships across all 50 states to help them grow their sales, control their expenses and reduce their risk.

Newteks and its portfolio companies products and services include: Business Lending, SBA Lending Solutions, Electronic Payment Processing, Technology Solutions (Cloud Computing, Data Backup, Storage and Retrieval, IT Consulting), eCommerce, Accounts Receivable Financing & Inventory Financing, Insurance Solutions, Web Services, and Payroll and Benefits Solutions.

Newtek and Your Business Solutions Company, are registered trademarks of Newtek Business Services Corp.

Note Regarding Forward Looking StatementsThis press release contains certain forward-looking statements. Words such as believes, intends, expects, projects, anticipates, forecasts, goal and future or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations reflected in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. Such risks and uncertainties include, among others, intensified competition, operating problems and their impact on revenues and profit margins, anticipated future business strategies and financial performance, anticipated future number of customers, business prospects, legislative developments and similar matters. Risk factors, cautionary statements and other conditions, which could cause Newteks actual results to differ from managements current expectations, are contained in Newteks filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission and available through http://www.sec.gov/.Newtek cautions you that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and that actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected or implied in these statements.

SOURCE: Newtek Business Services Corp.

Investor Relations & Public RelationsContact: Jayne Cavuoto Telephone: (212) 273-8179 / jcavuoto@newtekone.com

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Newtek Technology Solutions Hosted Webinar About Navigating the Ever-Changing Cloud-Computing Technology Landscape - GlobeNewswire

Up 98.20% this year, the WisdomTree Cloud Computing ETF (WCLD) is on a scintillating pace. Amid compelling cloud spending forecasts, this hot exchange traded fund doesnt have to cool off next year.

The WisdomTree Cloud Computing Fund seeks to track the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the BVP Nasdaq Emerging Cloud Index, an equally weighted index designed to measure the performance of emerging public companies focused on delivering cloud-based software to customers.

With cloud services spending poised to jump next year, theres a runway for more growth for WCLD, particularly because revenue growth is one of the factors in its index methodology.

According to data presented by Aksje Bloggen, global cloud services user spending is set to reach $257.5bn in 2020, a 6% increase in a year. The strong upward trend is expected to continue next year with user spending growing by 18% YoY to $305bn in 2021, notes the research firm.

Cloud computing has been a boon for companies that have been able to capitalize on the increased work-from-home labor force amid the Covid-19 pandemic. As more countries continue to undergo a recovery around the globe, cloud computing will be a crucial sector in assisting recuperating economies.

The cloud computing industry refers to companies that (i) license and deliver software over the internet on a subscription basis (SaaS), (ii) provide a platform for creating software applications which are delivered over the internet (PaaS), (iii) provide virtualized computing infrastructure over the internet (IaaS), (iv) own and manage facilities customers use to store data and servers, including data center Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), and/or (v) manufacture or distribute infrastructure and/or hardware components used in cloud and edge computing activities.

Beyond SaaS, WCLD has other services drivers that could propel the fund upwards.

Analyzed by segments, Desktop as a Service (DaaS) is expected to witness a 95.4% growth in 2020, the most significant increase among all the cloud service market segments. This service enables businesses to deliver cloud-hosted virtual desktops to any device, from anywhere. The increasing trend is expected to continue next year, with the DaaS market rising by 61% YoY, notes Aksje Bloggen.

The cloud system infrastructure services (IaaS) market is expected to witness a 26.9% increase next year, up from 15.7% YoY growth in 2020.

For more on innovative portfolio ideas, visit our Nasdaq Portfolio Solutions Channel.

The opinions and forecasts expressed herein are solely those of Tom Lydon, and may not actually come to pass. Information on this site should not be used or construed as an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation for any product.

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The Cloud Computing ETF Up 98% and Not Slowing Down - ETF Trends

Cloud computing is already a reality in both the global and American markets. The extensive series of advantages that this technology uses in the companies bring leads to understand why this market has become attractive so quickly and intensely. There are several types of cloud computing, and they all immediately make life easier for users and IT managers. It is not for nothing that this technology went from a trend to a concrete reality in a few years, being used in the market in all segments.

Lets see what benefits have made this kind of innovative service so inviting!

If a company has its servers in its own data center, being managed by a local IT team, and decides to make a change, whether a geographic or technological update of the servers, this becomes an extremely complex service that consumes much time and can cause problems. Updating a server that is installed in the cloud is very practical. Technicians can quickly and remotely perform all system configurations, and the new scenario is up and running in no time. They are also freed from concerns about the technological upgrading of the hardware, as the service provider is in charge of providing the best environment to meet customers needs.

It is not uncommon for a company server to reach its maximum capacity as the business grows. When this happens, IT needs to convince the board of the need for new hardware expenses, and while the new installation does not occur, users suffer from slow and flawed systems. One of the most significant advantages when using the cloud is scalability. Thanks to this characteristic, upgrades and downgrades occur in an easy way, allowing the maintenance of servers at their ideal capacityno more complaints about hardware problems that often occur during the upgrade process.

Keeping servers, data centers, and several professionals available to take care of the IT infrastructures functioning can be a high cost for the company, which, although very important, could be invested in investments in the organisations primary activity. With the use of cloud computing, practically all equipment that previously occupied time and space becomes expendable. The care with the infrastructure can be fully passed on to those who offer the services. Several employees can be allocated to other functions that seek innovation and vision of the future. In addition, cloud computing allows the contractor to configure their servers according to their demand and pay only for the resources they choose. If we talk about cloud servers from the perspective of saving operational costs, then we cannot ignore Kronos.

Kronos is one of the most popular cloud servers. This cloud server can manage a series of communications from the data center, server, and database. One of Kronoss striking advantages is that it is cost-effective and ideal for achieving workforce management goals without adding to budgets or demands on IT staff. With Kronos, companies can control all data activity at multiple IP addresses. Kronos is provided by Heficed, a cloud server provider company. The company offers support 24 hours and 7 days a week, a 14-day warranty, Full API Access, 6 Global Data Center Locations, and many more.

The chance of downtime in IT services due to infrastructure failures is very low when using cloud computing solutions. Several protections and good practices are applied to prevent this type of situation, such as backups, redundant electrical and network structures and geographic distribution of servers, which minimise the possibility of interruption of service.

Currently, many companies have already adhered to the idea of sustainability. Because it does not require the use of many of its own equipment, cloud computing for companies brings many sustainability benefits, such as energy savings, space savings, less need for cooling systems, reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, among others. All the needs of large servers are centralised and use the best technologies available on the market, which optimise resources consumption and minimise the impact on the planet.

Any company that does not take strong care of your datas security will be subject to unimaginable losses if people with malicious intent access them. The risk is heightened because the world of information security and its threats evolve rapidly. Therefore, the prevention work requires a specialised and always updated team. With cloud computing, security is increased by using firewalls, groups, and security zones organised in layers. Surveillance can be carried out by specialised professionals who are in charge of combating possible attempts at attacks. According to several surveys, the use of firewalls can reduce cyber attacks by up to 50%.

Some companies still common reality is having an outdated internal data center and a series of equipment, cables, hubs, and poorly used switches. With this view, it is difficult to know the real usefulness of the resources. When migrating to the cloud, this problem no longer exists. The control of information about the contracted services is broad. Several indicators are available, making it possible to measure data on a large scale, helping in its decision-making.

These are the most significant characteristics when choosing to migrate to the cloud, especially when talking about Infrastructure (IaaS). Analysing the demand for a more strategic and less operational IT, the company can understand when it comes to going for this transition. With so many possibilities to add value to the business, cloud computing is a transformation that must be sought by those who want to differentiate themselves and be successful in the face of market competition. Interested in the gains that cloud computing will bring to your company? Then talk about your project with an expert

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The greatest advantages of cloud computing for companies | London Business News - London Loves Business

The rise of cloud computing might have overshadowed colocation in recent years, but the time-tested service not only remains viable, but shows signs of renewed vigor.

Customers with legacy workloads and stringent compliance requirements are making colocation a component of their IT strategies, alongside cloud. Cloud repatriation, for example, is landing workloads in colocation provider's data centers. In addition, colocation has become a springboard to the cloud for customers who want to move IT assets off site but aren't quite ready to commit to public cloud platforms. Colocation is also getting a boost from edge computing and the increase in remote workers.

With those factors in mind, here are seven colocation trends set to emerge next year.

"We continue to see strong demand for colocation and data center products and services going into 2021," said Russell Cozart, senior vice president of marketing and product strategy at Cyxtera Technologies, a colocation services provider based in Miami.

Cozart said the COVID-19 pandemic and the associated work-from-home economy has accelerated digital transformation, resilience and edge strategies for enterprises and service providers. The speed-up has boosted demand for hybrid IT and as-a-service offerings -- areas in which colocation serves as a major pillar, he noted.

Organizations looking to downsize commercial real estate and facilitate remote work will turn to colocation as a flexible option, said Jeff Tapley, EMEA group managing director and senior vice president of the portfolio management group at Interxion, a Digital Realty company. Interxion provides colocation and interconnection services.

"As we move into next year, we expect to see continued demand for colocation services as more and more businesses implement semipermanent remote-working models," Tapley said. That trend will be especially prevalent in industries heavily affected by stay-at-home orders, such as digital media, healthcare and education, he added.

The continuing COVID-19 pandemic -- with the potential for travel restrictions and quarantines -- means enterprise customers can't always rely on their own staff to perform data center duties such as cycling servers and replacing hard drives. Alan Seal, vice president of engineering at vXchnge, a colocation and connectivity provider based in Tampa, Fla., said his company offers remote help when client personnel can't come on site. "We have definitely seen an uptick in remote hands support," he said.

When the COVID-19 pandemic began in early 2020, business quickly deployed approaches such as VPN tunneling to provide work-from-home employees with secure access to applications. In the coming months, those organizations might look to colocation for more vigorous security next year.

In 2021, Seal said he expects customers to tap colocation to filter traffic through a centralized location. Customers can direct traffic through a VPN or IP routing to the colocation facility, which, equipped with managed firewalls, can control access to websites and cloud-based applications, he said.

Colo facilities will need to weigh the effects of edge computing on colocation use cases, technology and investment strategy.

"In 2021, we will continue to define what edge computing means for everyone and how different types of workloads will be able to leverage edge computing," said Mitch Fonseca, senior vice president and general manager of data center services at Cyxtera.

Fonseca also believes the new year will reveal how the continued development of 5G will help push edge computing further along.

Against that backdrop, colocation providers are investing in edge data centers, pursuing markets where hyperscale cloud providers are usually absent.

"We target edge markets and we are making a lot of the investment necessary to be there, as the trend turns more toward massive data consumption under 5G," Seal said. For instance, vXchnge operates data centers in tier 2 cities such as Pittsburgh and St. Louis.

Tapley said smaller, locally situated edge data centers that place storage and computing much closer to the end user drastically reduce latency for IoT and other cutting-edge technologies. "The need for edge technology will only become greater as we start to enter the smart era, where even our fridges and kettles will be connected and generating data," he said.

Edge data centers emerging in 2021 and beyond will look a bit different than traditional facilities.

Seal said customers making massive deployments into data centers are giving way to "smaller deployments doing specialized functions" that require reduced latency. Customers, he noted, are moving to fewer cabinets but higher density power utilization.

"One of our focus points is providing higher-density cabinets," Seal said.

Data center infrastructure could also experience a steadier shift to physical pods and containers. Industry vendors are poised to make adoption of those technologies easier for colocation providers.

"We are seeing some very innovative solutions from many manufacturers on mechanical infrastructure that should make it less expensive and less risky to deploy edge pods [and/or] containers," Fonseca said.

5G isn't the only technology shaping colocation trends. AI compute and AI compute as a service will significantly affect data center services. Fonseca said this influence is mainly due to the electrical and mechanical requirements of running AI infrastructure at scale.

"Not all colocation providers will be able to support these workloads out of the box without upgrading their infrastructure," he said.

Seal said he views AI and electric and autonomous vehicles as technologies that boost demand for low latency and, by extension, edge data centers. "2021 will see explosive growth in the EV (electric vehicle) market as manufacturers release new models to their lineup," he noted. "These vehicles include AI assistants such as [Apple] Siri, [Amazon] Alexa and Google Assistant, as well as constant communication to support features like navigation and over-the-air software updates."

Low latency, supported by data centers, will become a key factor in the success of EVs and autonomous vehicles, Seal said.

Colocation providers will be taking a closer look at energy use in 2021.

"As we move into next year, we'll continue to see data center providers innovating to minimize their impact on the environment," Tapley said, noting that Interxion earlier this year committed to a CO2 emissions reduction target.

The industry should be "as mindful of power utilization as possible," Seal said. "[Providers] need to look at ways to improve that utilization, whether it is through cooling or improved battery performance. I believe customers are going to demand it of colocation providers."

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7 colocation trends to watch in 2021 - TechTarget