IDC FutureScape Figure

Figure: IDC FutureScape: Worldwide Future of Digital Infrastructure 2021 Top 10 Predictions

Executive Summary

IDC FutureScape Predictions

Summary of External Drivers

Predictions: Impact on Technology Buyers

Prediction 1: By 2021, 75% of Enterprises Will Recognize the Benefits of As-a-Service Consumption, Driving a 3x Increase in Demand for On-Premises Infrastructure Delivered via Flexible/As-a-Service Solutions

Associated Drivers

IT Impact

Guidance

Prediction 2: By 2022, 80% of Organizations That Shift to a Hybrid Business by Design Model Will Boost Spend on AI-Enabled and Secure Edge Infrastructure by 4x to Deliver Business Agility and Insights in Real Time

Associated Drivers

IT Impact

Guidance

Prediction 3: In 2022, 75% of Enterprises Will Deploy a Unified Management System for Their Clouds, Networks, and Datacenters to Counter Business Resiliency Threats from Infrastructure Costs and Operational Complexity

Associated Drivers

IT Impact

Guidance

Prediction 4: By 2023, 80% of Digitally Transformed Enterprises Will Rely on Key Infrastructure Metrics Tied to Optimization, Resiliency, and Ongoing Enhancement to Drive C-Level Decision Making

Associated Drivers

IT Impact

Guidance

Prediction 5: By 2023, a Mandate for Uncompromising Data Integrity, Security, Governance, and Trust Will Lead to 80% of Enterprises Creating a Single Companywide Data Management Strategy to Break Down All Data Silos

Associated Drivers

IT Impact

Guidance

Prediction 6: By 2023, 75% of Global 2000 IT Organizations Will Adopt Automated Operations Practices* to Transform Their IT Workforce to Support Unprecedented Scale

Associated Drivers

IT Impact

Guidance

Prediction 7: By 2024, 55% of the Enterprises Will Rely on Embedded AI Functions in Their Business-Critical Workloads to Make Real-Time Business Decisions and to Directly Drive Business Process Outcomes

Associated Drivers

IT Impact

Guidance

Prediction 8: By 2024, 75% of the Enterprises Will Prioritize Infrastructure Agility and Operational Efficiency, Leading to a 5x Increase in the Adoption of Cloud-Native Architectures for Core Business Applications

Associated Drivers

IT Impact

Guidance

Prediction 9: By 2024, Recurring Infrastructure Failures That Inhibit Business Resiliency and Security Across All Locations Will Drive 60% of Enterprises to Mandate the Use of Automated Digital Infrastructure

Associated Drivers

IT Impact

Guidance

Prediction 10: By 2025, 90% of Global 2000 Will Mandate Use of Reusable Materials in Hardware Supply Chains, Carbon Neutrality Targets for IT Facilities, and Lower Energy Use as Prerequisites for Doing Business

Associated Drivers

IT Impact

Guidance

Advice for Technology Buyers

Digital Infrastructure Reimagined (Short Term, One to Two Years)

Business Resiliency at the Core (Medium Term, Three to Four Years)

Future Enterprise Envisioned (Long Term, Five to Six Years)

External Drivers: Detail

Intelligence Everywhere — Data Drives Action

Description

Context

Digital Platform — Ecosystems at Scale

Description

Context

Accelerated Disruption — Crisis, Resilience, and Opportunity

Description

Context

The Next Normal — Resilient Business and Operating Models

Description

Context

Strategic Innovation — Shaping the Future Enterprise Today

Description

Context

Work Transformation — Redefining Teams, Skills, and Leadership

Description

Context

Customer Engagement Redefined — Safe, Secure, and Sustainable Digital Experience

Description

Context

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