Telecom Lead India: Cloud, connected machines, mobility, intelligent networks and security tip the scales of opportunity for enterprises in 2013, according to Verizon’s latest report that identified key business-tech trends for enterprises in 2013.

Distributed data centers and the intelligent wired and mobile networks that connect them now represent a viable alternative to traditional virtual private network (VPN) methods that long have formed the backbone of distributed enterprise communications for a generation. Next year, there will be a significant shift from VPNs to public, private and, importantly, hybrid clouds. “By 2013, more than 60 percent of all enterprises will have adopted some form of cloud computing,” according to a Gartner report.

Companies will increasingly adopt cloud-based enterprise mobility strategies – creating “personal clouds” where employees can use enterprise applications to do their jobs more effectively.  In addition, companies will be more proactive in tackling the challenges associated with dealing with the division of employees’ personal and professional lives, by using mobile-device management and private application storefronts to create a more secure, mobile work environment.

The “Internet of things” has arrived and it will continue to grow to meet specific industry requirements.  According to a Gartner report, “In 2011, over 15 billion things on the Web with 50 billion+ intermittent connections will grow by 2020 to over 30 billion connected things, with over 200 billion with intermittent connections.”

Machine-to-machine (M2M) connections now cover much more than smart energy delivery and smart cars.  For example, elaborate networks of sensors with direct machine-to-machine connections now underpin connected health care and the first consumer-ready wave of automotive telematics.

An intelligent fabric that connects everything and everyone will render underlying networks invisible to end users, even as overall IP traffic grows at a compound annual growth rate of 29 percent through 2016, according to the Cisco Visual Networking Index.

In 2013, security will move out of the specialist realm and become a mainstream IT must-have.  Security breaches span access, infrastructure and apps.  They happen on fixed and mobile networks.  They impact physical, intellectual and financial capital. And the scope is global, according to the “Verizon 2012 Data Breach Investigations Report.”

“As companies look to transform their businesses in the year ahead, Verizon is zeroing in on the most meaningful opportunities for our enterprise and government clients worldwide,” said David Small, senior vice president and chief platform officer for Verizon Enterprise Solutions. “Next year, we are continuing to sharpen our focus on harnessing the power of our advanced technology platforms to deliver industry-specific solutions that unlock productivity and value for our clients, their customers and society.”

“We expect identity security to be a much more prevalent issue in 2013,” Small said. “Two-factor authentication is already gaining adherents, but it won’t be enough to counteract the increasing amount and intensity of criminal activity pursuing both intellectual property and financial gain.”

“The race is on to protect every endpoint, every device and everything connected to the Internet.  While the Internet affords us countless opportunity it also comes with a price. No longer is strong security an option; it’s a mandatory requirement for all organizations to protect their intellectual and physical capital, customer identities and society at large,” Small said.

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