This week, we present our third, and final, installment of Predictions 2020; a look at
predictions for the IT industry from the inside. We invited colleagues and industry
friends to take a stand on what the coming year will bring. So, on this New Years Eve,
kick back, relax, and enjoy.
A New Tactic for Ransomware
“Ransomware is losing some of its bite as the impacts are becoming better known and
more organizations are investing in basic disaster and recovery techniques. As a result,
the criminals who are generating the staggering revenues from these attacks will need
to create more urgency around payment. I predict that 2020 will bring in a new wave of
ransom campaigns where the leverage is gained through the public reporting of multiple
private information disclosures.”
– Jack Danahy, SVP, Strategy & Security, AlertLogic
UCaaS and Cloud Security on the Rise
“This is the big pivot year during which UCaaS will outpace wireline. They’re running out
of options, quite honestly, and the technologies are so good that there’s a strong ROI
around making this pivot, so the time is right. My second prediction is that the cloud
security game is going to accelerate. In the past you could sidestep that discussion, but
now it is so core to other technologies that you can’t avoid it. So, cloud security and the
MSSP space will be white hot.”
– Ian Kieninger, CEO and Co-Founder, AVANT Communications
MSSPs to the Forefront
“Every company on the planet should be looking at MSSPs from a cybersecurity
perspective. The threats are getting more sophisticated. It’s not a matter of if; it’s a
matter of when. Having the biggest and baddest army is going to become critical. So,
this will be the year of the MSSP.”
– Drew Lydecker, President and Co-Founder, AVANT Communications
Single Sign-on, IoT Alliances on the Upswing
“SSO companies will be getting a major lift as cyber security threats continue to rise in
the SMB space, forcing business owners to rethink strategy for mobile workforces and
BYOD. IoT is poised for a big jump. The cost continues to come down as consumer
education and comfort with IoT both go up. We will see strategic alliances between
major manufacturers like Samsung and LG to build IoT directly into TV sets to provide
incredibly detailed target marketing for both home and retail. Think about Nielsen
ratings getting right down to the IP address on your home TV and telling marketers
specifically what to send you.”
– Forrest Knueppel, National Partner Manager, Fuze
The New Kids in Town
“I’m seeing the emergence of brand-new companies that you’ve never heard of before.
The pace of change is accelerating, and it’s really driven by how quickly companies can
enter into a new business, leverage underlying technologies and innovate. And they
innovate because they’re laser focused on one thing and they do that one thing really
well. Meanwhile, the legacy companies may have gotten a little bloated, and they’re
trying to do too much. So, you’ve got laser-focused companies that might not have
existed five years ago, that are born in the cloud and giving incumbents a run for their
money.”
– Alex Danyluk, Chief Strategy Officer, AVANT Communications
As Technology Permeates the Home, New Opportunities Emerge
“Some Trusted Advisors will extend their practices further down-market as IoT products
become far more widely deployed in the home and home office. A sub-segment of the
customer base will prefer to pay someone else to manage the installation and
troubleshooting, as opposed to doing it themselves. These opportunities will also be
used as a door opener to other, potentially more profitable, services around audio,
video, computers, networking and more. Trusted Advisors will leverage lower-cost, less
experienced personnel for these engagements, thereby giving them a chance to
evaluate new staff in a lower-stakes setting. Trusted Advisors may also organize these
initiatives under subsidiaries for accounting purposes.”
– Ken Presti, Research Vice President, AVANT Research and Analytics
On behalf of the entire team at AVANT, I wish you a happy and successful New Year!