“On the rise will be video over IP. Better video services, at lower prices, complement reduced budgets, not just IT, but operational budgets as well.
Virtualisation will hit the desktop - fast. Mobile devices becoming the standard for business communication, even when office-based, has made virtual desktops the most practical way to secure and manage access to data and applications.
Further market indications suggest that Unified Communications, already evolved from a concept into a true communications management platform, will start to be offered as commodity services, with Miscosoft and Cisco leading the way. Low-cost tariffs and flexible single platforms covering everything from VoIP through video conferencing to instant messaging with no complexities, and no hidden costs will be the norm.
However, rather than rip and replace, most companies will be looking to optimise what they have. Monitoring will become increasingly important, coupled with network and application performance. These activities will underpin the consolidation of networks in 2010 into single, cost effective, lower carbon emitting platforms.
Where 2009 saw caution, often married with fear, 2010 looks to be practical, married with optimism.”