IT Management Slideshow:
The Cloud, Mobility, Social Media: The New Mainstream?

The end of a calendar year invariably brings with it a flurry of prognostications about the 12 months ahead. In 2011, the cloud, mobility and social media look to be the trio to watch. Most likely, you've got a healthy skepticism about how big an impact any of these will actually have on your enterprise. Market-research firm IDC, however, is extremely bullish on all three points. In its report "IDC Predictions 2011: Welcome to the New Mainstream," the firm predicts that cloud services, mobile computing, and social networking will mature and coalesce in 2011, creating a "new mainstream" for IT. The company predicts double-digit-percentage growth in enterprise spending in each of these key areas. With the cloud, mobile devices, and social networks gaining popularity, IDC senior vice president and chief analyst, Frank Gens, says that combined, “they are rapidly becoming the market itself and must be addressed accordingly.” If IDC’s estimates prove accurate, you can expect to be operating a vastly different organization in the years ahead, one that relies upon a variety of services that, at least right now, few firms have brought wholesale into their enterprises. Here are nine highlights from the report.