8 IT Infrastructure Technology Trends to Look out for in 2020

Enterprise investment in data center hardware is influenced by demand from hyperscale companies, such as AWS, Google, and Facebook, as well as from colocation providers.

Apac CIOOutlook | Wednesday, February 26, 2020

Enterprise investment in data center hardware is influenced by demand from hyperscale companies, such as AWS, Google, and Facebook, as well as from colocation providers

FREMONT, CA: Increased options for customers’ data management and growing demand for solutions that serve specific workloads will soon dominate the market for IT infrastructure equipment.

Data centers

Stay ahead of the industry with exclusive feature stories on the top companies, expert insights and the latest news delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe today.

Data center hardware comprised of computer servers, storage systems, networking switches and routers, and converged infrastructure appliances. A significant trend that will shape the adoption of data center hardware will be investments in hardware specifically designed to support next-generation workloads, including high-capacity Ethernet switching and GPU-equipped servers and storage systems.

Private cloud

The application of private cloud solutions will remain significant over two years, and competition between private cloud vendors will also be intense. Private cloud proffers a wide array of benefits such as improved IT resource efficiency, cost reductions, security, and the ability to gain more control over workload performance, safety, and compliance.

Silicon Photonics

Pluggable optics for networking use silicon photonics where the new packaging reduces manufacturing and cost, leading to increased importance in the data center industry. Companies such as Cisco, Intel, and Macom are investing in photonic circuitry for networking, and for use either on die for chips or interconnects on circuit boards.

Check Out: Top Photonics Solutions Companies

High-Performance Computing

Solutions from HP, Cray, Fujitsu, IBM, and others merge traditional desktop computer CPUs with specialized storage and connectivity resources in a large computing group. HPC will snowball over the coming year, acknowledging probabilistic styles of computing in response to the increased demand for complex workloads such as AI modeling at scale.

AI optimized data center platforms will become a competitive market sub-segment over the next two years. Several platforms will integrate AI capabilities as part of the overall solutions, while others will make use of the latest processing technologies and hardware accelerators to support workloads with high-performance requirements.

Edge Computing

Edge computing infrastructure will take various forms, including microdata centers, dedicated edge servers, IoT gateways, and data management platforms, as well as hyper-converged infrastructure for edge deployments. 5G will be both a driver and an enabler of edge computing.

Big Data

Big data platforms allow companies to ingest, process, and analyze massive amounts of data from a wide range of sources. Vendors will invest in solutions such as Dataproc to move discrete, splintered data storage to a unified platform.

Virtualization

Virtualization involves the creation of virtual pools of computing, storage, and networking resources that are linked with but separated from the underlying physical hardware. Virtualization software providers will offer solutions to help enterprises transition from rival technology platforms to their own.

Containers

Policy-based applications have become containerized and orchestrated through Kubernetes technology after cloud computing introduced a new application development and delivery economy in the form of platform services.

With applications responding to continuous integration, continuous delivery (CICD), it will present numerous opportunities along with complexities associated with moving containerized apps into production with the help of open-source software (OSS) technologies such as Istio service mesh, Prometheus monitoring, and other “sidecar” projects.

More in News

The Strategic Value of Strong Supplier Relationships

Quantum Technology: Driving APAC Industrial Transformation

Quantum technology is significantly advancing the fields of computation, communication, and sensing, thereby creating opportunities that were previously considered theoretical. Various organizations and research institutions are engaged in competition to develop more reliable qubits, implement effective error correction techniques, and establish scalable systems capable of addressing challenges that surpass the capabilities of classical computers. Emerging practical applications span a range of areas, including the acceleration of drug discovery, enhancement of cybersecurity measures, and optimization of complex logistical operations. Although challenges such as hardware fragility, environmental sensitivity, and substantial development costs remain, ongoing innovations in materials, cooling systems, and quantum algorithms are progressively mitigating these issues. Consequently, quantum technology is a domain where promise and progress are evolving in tandem. How Does Quantum Technology Benefit Industries Today? Quantum technology is starting to deliver real benefits across several industries by solving problems that were previously too complex or time-consuming for classical systems. In pharmaceuticals, quantum simulations are helping researchers model molecular interactions more accurately, speeding up drug discovery and reducing trial-and-error testing. Finance companies are exploring quantum algorithms to optimize portfolios, manage risk, and detect fraud faster than traditional systems. Even logistics and manufacturing are seeing advantages, with quantum-based optimization improving supply chain efficiency and resource allocation in ways that were once impossible at scale. Beyond computational speed, industries are also benefiting from advances in quantum sensing and communication. Quantum sensors offer unprecedented precision in fields like navigation, energy exploration, and environmental monitoring, while quantum encryption promises highly secure communication channels that could transform data security. By integrating these capabilities, businesses can make smarter decisions, reduce costs, and innovate faster. While adoption is still in early stages, the combination of computation, sensing, and secure communication is already giving forward-looking companies a competitive edge, showing that Quantum technology is moving from theory into tangible industry impact. What Innovations Are Shaping the Future of Quantum Technology? The future of Quantum technology is being driven by innovations that make quantum systems more stable, scalable, and practical for real-world use. Advances in qubit design, materials, and error-correction techniques are improving reliability, while hybrid quantum-classical algorithms allow businesses and researchers to harness quantum capabilities even before fully fault-tolerant machines are ready. This is opening early applications in areas like finance, logistics, and healthcare, where complex problems can be solved faster and more accurately than ever before. Moreover, breakthroughs in quantum communication, sensing, and software are expanding its reach. Quantum networks promise ultra-secure data transfer, while quantum sensors deliver unmatched precision in navigation, energy, and environmental monitoring. Cloud-based platforms are also making quantum tools accessible to smaller organizations, democratizing experimentation and innovation. Together, these advancements are positioning Quantum technology as a transformative force that can reshape industries, accelerate scientific discovery, and unlock entirely new possibilities. ...Read more

Mastering PPP project analysis, financing, contracts & transaction management techniques

Infocus International is delighted to bring one of their best virtual workshops, Public-Private Partnership (PPP) that will be set to commence 17 August 2026 . We need new infrastructure. Roads, airports, schools, hospitals and housing: the list is enormous and growing. Yet severely limited budgets, economic uncertainty caused by volatile commodity prices, and deficits continue to prevent government at all levels from delivering the kinds of structural change that has always been needed. In response, some countries have developed successful PPP programmes. Merely grasping the concepts of PPP does not do justice to our great responsibility of having an ownership in the country’s future. We already know what we need to do, now is the time to really discover HOW. One of our participants from Electricity Generation Company (Malawi) Ltd shared that, “ The facilitator was very knowledgeable on the subject matter, very responsive to questions and innovative in the delivery of the PPP training program. The knowledge gained will assist me in productive participation in ongoing and planned PPP Projects in my country.” Another participant from PNG Ports Corporation also mentioned that, “This is an excellent course for anyone involved in PPP. Highly recommended.” Benefits of Attending • Use best practices from international case studies of successful PPP transactions and common practical pitfalls to avoid • Design and manage PPP legal, regulatory & institutional frameworks to attract investors and complete PPP transactions • Apply models for the efficient design and completion of PPP feasibility studies • Understand project financing requirements and evaluate PPP financial models for both affordability and bankability • Evaluate and apply different credit enhancement techniques to ensure PPP bankability, including blended financing, viability gap funding (VGF), partial guarantees, risk insurance products, output-based aid (OBA) and other financial instruments • Design PPP transaction implementation plans and manage & oversee PPP transaction advisors for reaching commercial closure and financial closure • Models for PPP tender documents, including PPP Project Information Memoranda (“InfoMemos”), Requests for Qualifications (RFQs), Requests for Proposals (RFPs) • International models for designing and drafting PPP contracts & agreements • Environmental & social impact mitigation techniques to structure sustainable private investments in public infrastructure • Plans for managing sustainable PPP contracts including ensuring technical performance, quality of service delivery, price review & adjustment regulatory models, legal contract management and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) techniques Want to learn more? Simply email media@infocusinternational.com to register your attendance. For more information, please visit https://www.infocusinternational.com/ppp-online ...Read more

Deploying Big Data Analysis to Develop IoT Solutions

Data from various sources forms the basic foundation of businesses. In the present times, the improvement of connectivity in the IoT space has resulted in the transfer of huge chunks of data. Therefore, there is a need for big data analytics in IoT in order to address the challenges related to management of large-scale, through the data pipeline architecture. To begin with, data pipeline is the process concerned with the movement of data through an organization. Once data enters into an organization, the stage is referred to as data ingestion. Next in the process is the stage of data transportation from the data ingestion stage to the other stage is known as data collector. Followed by this, the data moves through the processing stage wherein appropriate measures are taken to store it. Data storage stage steps up to the data query stage where it is analyzed through interactive queries. The final stage is concerned with valid presentation of data in different forms of business infographics, such as graphs or statistics. Data generated in the IoT space requires a data management system with the following qualities: • It should be adapted to manage and process a huge number of data sources, keeping pace with the continuous increase of IoT devices. • The data management system must have a prompt response time in order to notify the concerned segment of the business in case of failures while processing or storing data. • The system must be able to scale data on multiple parameters such as a number of devices, storage, and messages. • Diversity and flexibility are required to process use cases and simultaneously accommodate new use cases. • The data management system should be cost-effective. All the above criteria suggest that IoT requires interacting with big data analytics tools in order to manage such big chunks of data. ...Read more