The year 2014 will see increased activity with cloud computing – and System z will be in the thick of it. System z mainframes are natural platforms for supporting cloud, and enterprises will continued to be attracted the system's iron-clad security, and highly scalable architectures.
Another major trend sweeping data centers is mobile, which is also increasingly being optimized on mainframe-class solutions. Analytics will become the major deliverable coming from data centers, with mainframes well positioned as secure, scalable solutions for maintaining valuable corporate information. There will also be an increased drive for automating data center tasks, but this will not help address the looming shortage of high-end data center skills. Employers will continue to require innovative ways to attract and train mainframe managers and professionals.
To stay on top of all the trends, subscribe to Database Trends and Applications magazine.