Five trends that will shape IT decisions in 2014

WHAT'S the next big IT trend? I often get asked this question during my regular meetings with business leaders and CIOs (chief information officers). Customers want to know how they can leverage these trends, as well as how they can address any challenges.

These trends, including the explosion of data, cloud computing and the multitude of personal devices on the corporate network, are fast changing the way organisations traditionally manage their business. The challenges and opportunities are more apparent than ever, and look set to drive IT and business decisions in the coming year.

We believe there are four key themes through which we can help customers improve their IT agility: Transform, Connect, Inform and Protect. These themes will become even more relevant this year as we encounter further impact from cloud computing, BYOD (bring your own device), social media, Big Data analytics and security.