Technological innovation has accelerated and diversified significantly in the past two decades, especially since manufacturers and designers recognized the value of the Internet with respect to digital devices. In a relatively short period of time, though, smartphones, tablets, portable computers and wearable devices have forever changed the ways in which organizations operate - as well as where - for the better in many ways. 

Disaster recovery and business continuity are continuously becoming more weighty issues among small and medium-sized enterprise owners, advocacy groups and regulators from around the globe. From major natural events that cause widespread operational outages and corporate damage to an ever-increasing number of data breach victims and subsequent identity theft issues, recovery and preparation must become higher priorities to improve resilience to disruptions and loss. 

Studies have indicated that North American companies, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, are underperforming when it comes to continuity and disaster recovery planning. Continuity Central has reported that roughly 80 percent of organizations that experience a major adverse event will either fail to operate longer than 18 months ​after the incident, or not even re-open directly following the issue. 

The IT sector has rapidly become one of the most complex and important focus areas in virtually every region throughout the world, especially as it includes data management and sharing, telecommunications, multimedia and much more. As organizations continue to try and stay ahead of a variety of trends, such as cloud computing, big data and enterprise mobility, all eyes are on 2014 to see how some of these emerging shifts will play out. 

By Jason Fiset, Solution Architect.

Network performance management is a critical yet sometimes complicated ordeal that the majority of employee productivity will be contingent upon. With so many new advances emerging in enterprise IT, such as bring your own device (BYOD), cloud computing and big data, companies need to expand the breadth of performance management to ensure the infrastructure, as well as software, is prepared for all challenges of everyday operations.

As enterprises have continued to adopt new technologies rapidly, the need for enhanced performance management has intensified. With mobility, cloud computing, big data and other tools spreading quickly, networks that are unprepared for the implementation of such diverse technology could fall victim to serious, long-term outages and other issues.

While cloud computing has proven increasingly popular with enterprises and public sector entities around the world, some industries that are under more stringent data security regulations have been slow to adopt the technology. However, reports indicate that even the most heavily regulated industries have started to launch cloud computing initiatives to reduce waste and improve productivity.

Enterprise application development has become a high priority for many businesses around the world in recent years, as the ability to create tools that help boost productivity, engagement and efficiency among employees is crucial to compete in turbulent marketplaces. Several cloud computing services are providing enterprises with an opportunity to partake in these activities affordably and effectively.

Performance management is an especially important component of corporate IT processes today, as new technology continues to enter the workplace at a rapid pace. Some of the more recent tools to gain widespread adoption among enterprises, including mobile devices, have put strain on corporate networks and infrastructures, which can sometimes lead to costly outages.