What are the main three IT trends to embrace in 2023?
IT and the enormous amount of aspects that make up the industry, is evolving. Each year new technologies and security concepts are developed and subsequently circumvented by cyber criminals. Organisations who do not already have comprehensive IT support doing this, should be working on their priorities for 2023. To help, here are three developments to be planning for this year.
Sustainability in IT
Each year sustainability takes a higher priority in all areas of how an organisation is run. IT activities should be no different. We’re another year closer to 2050, when the UK are expected to have brought greenhouse gas emissions to net zero. Although, as a nation, we have already reduced emissions by 42%, there is a long way to go. Organisations can do their part by including IT in their sustainability plans. There are three main objectives the government have outlined as part of their greener IT strategy.
- Aim to reduce your greenhouse gas emissions
- Improve the management of your resources and waste products
- Use sustainable technology and services
There are small and large ways for an organisation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. You can make a large impact by switching to green energy suppliers, including using data centres that operate with green energy. Smaller, but still very helpful examples include switching off unnecessary environments and devices when they aren’t needed. Another way is by checking all your employees, including the ones working from home, are working efficiently and able to do their job with the least amount of technological barriers. Avoid collecting data that isn’t needed and streamline your workflows for maximum productivity. Because we use IT in almost every area of a business, these changes can have a positive effect on data storage and therefore contributes to reducing greenhouse gas emissions from processing that storage. Regularly review equipment, for example servers. Can some of their roles be combined to reduce the hardware you are powering? Or can a more energy efficient network device replace several more power-hungry devices?
Improve Connections
The Internet of Things, or IoT, refers to the devices and infrastructure connected through the internet and used by us for everything from security to making coffee automatically. Whilst many of us use the IoT in our homes, (think Google Nest and Alexa), it isn’t something we usually associate with running a business. However, the IoT isn’t just being able to dictate shopping lists to devices. The IoT is already used in commercial building security, supply chain management, sales, marketing, healthcare, and manufacturing. The benefits of using the IoT can be significant. Real-time tracking and data help people make decisions faster and with more accuracy. In addition, the popularity of using technology that integrates company information into one platform will continue to grow. Business management software such as Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, is designed to improve processes across all areas of a business. Experts predict that 2023 will see the technology and global standards improve. This interconnectedness of the physical and information, could be seen to make the difference between businesses thriving or not during 2023.
Credential Stealing
Cybersecurity in general, is something all organisations should be on top of. Cyber criminals are always on the look out for vulnerabilities and 2023 will be no different. This year though, many companies may decide that decreasing budgets on IT support is going to help them get through a tough economic time. This isn’t the case though; IT security is an important responsibility that should not be taken for granted. In 2023, cyber criminals are going to exploit weaknesses, especially relying on employees who still aren’t taking password security seriously. Reusing passwords, using weak ones and not enabling two-factor authentication could have a devastating impact on organisations this year. Phishing attacks will be specifically intended to capture authentication tokens and credentials. 2023 may be a difficult year, especially for small and medium sized businesses. By embracing and preparing for the changes we’ll be seeing, you may give yourself an advantage. Implementing sustainability goals won’t only contribute to a healthier environment in the future, but could positively impact your business in the short term. Improving communications and connections with technology will be important for growth. Taking IT security seriously and having proper support in place will add extra protection in uncertain times. If this blog has brought up questions about IT security and support in your organisation, reach out to us for answers. You can call us on 020 8681 0000 for a confidential discussion.
