Data Voice Solutions

By Calvin Azuri
TMCnet Contributor

Verizon Business, a unit of Verizon (News - Alert) Communications that deals in communications and IT solutions, has reportedly identified top 10 business technology trends that will help companies to expand their business in 2010 as the economy recovers..

 

According to Kerry Bailey, chief marketing officer for Verizon Business (News - Alert), as economic conditions continue to improve, Verizon Business is ready to help its client partners take advantage of pent-up growth opportunities through its global solutions. Verizon Business' list of 10 trends that will help businesses move forward in 2010 are enterprise social networking, cloud computing, “360 security,” mobilizing the workforce from Telework to Telepresence (News - Alert), extended enterprise, smart networks, energy efficiency, video communications, wireless applications and 20/20 vision.

 

IT leaders will need to incorporate enterprise social networking into their overall unified communications and collaboration strategy as the lines between professional and personal communications become blurred. Enterprise-grade versions of Facebook (News - Alert), Twitter and Wikis in the workplace will accelerate the decision-making process and also empower the workers. An emerging trend, cloud computing helps businesses move to an efficient IT model that is productive, as well as flexible. It also lets enterprises use computing resources on-demand and to serve applications centrally.

 

Another top trend is "360 Security," in which businesses and government agencies apply security across the cloud, the edges of their networks and for specific devices. A 360-degree focus on security requires more than just securing applications or corporate networks. Enterprises also need to factor in risk management and to understand where data resides, whether in motion or at rest, inside or outside of the corporate network.

 

According to a recent Forrester Research (News - Alert) report, 397.1 million workers will be enterprise mobile users by 2012. As a result, more companies will deploy mobile applications in a structured, secure environment to mobilize the workforce in order to increase productivity and innovation.

 

Another top trend is the extended enterprise, which consists of a business and its employees, customers, suppliers and partners. This trend requires an IT architecture that enables companies to deliver services and applications to anyone, anywhere, on any device, at any time.

 

According to Ivan Seidenberg, CEO of Verizon, the key to a smart economy is smart technology that can change business models and society. Smart networks that feature classes of service and application-aware capabilities will be a platform for business growth in 2010. As businesses adopt more cloud-based technologies, they will be able to provide functions like automated supply chains that speed purchase-to-pay cycles while reducing the environmental impact of paper bills.

 

As businesses and consumers continue to embrace energy efficiency in the workplace and at home, home-energy management will become an important area of opportunity for utility companies to employ smart-grid technology. In addition, advanced communications and information technology will provide the foundation for a more eco-friendly society by contributing to smarter grids.

 

Video communications in the workplace will drive greater return on collaboration investment, higher productivity and improved overall business performance. As more and more companies are conducting IP-based video meetings through telepresence and on the desktop, organizations will be able to enhance decision-making to improve their results.