Cloud Infrastructure Spending to Match Traditional IT in Five Years: Trends & Insights

IDC research reveals that cloud infrastructure spending is poised to equal traditional IT budgets within the next five years—a dramatic shift that underscores the cloud’s growing dominance in the IT landscape.

Despite robust cloud sales, reported adoption rates for key application categories—email, productivity suites, analytics platforms, and collaboration tools—are trending downward. Analysts attribute this to the end of the “cloudwashing” era, where any off‑premises solution was loosely labeled as cloud. Today, organizations are demanding precise definitions and clear boundaries.

As cloud maturity accelerates, attackers are increasingly targeting single‑tenant environments. Cloud Technology Partners notes that such breaches are a natural consequence of the cloud’s popularity, and they often stem from customer misconfigurations rather than provider failures. Proactive security, continuous monitoring, and a strong understanding of visibility options remain essential. A recent article also highlights best‑practice provisions for cloud Service Level Agreements (SLAs).

Google Cloud Platform’s VP, Brian Stevens, emphasized that cloud strategy varies by customer. Unlike the straightforward adoption of VMware’s virtualization, the path to cloud depends on unique business goals and needs. Executives—particularly CEOs—now champion cloud initiatives as a cornerstone of business agility.

A preview of SpiceWorks’ 2017 State of IT report confirms that SaaS and cloud solutions are gaining traction. IT buyers prioritize purchases that align with broader business objectives rather than chasing the newest features.

While the IT landscape evolves, there’s still plenty of exciting consumer tech to explore—whether it’s a drone or a smart speaker. Enjoy your weekend!