Look Ahead: The Cloud In 2014 & Beyond

As we wrap up 2013, it's time we took a look at some of the biggest cloud technologies that made an impact over the course of the year.

First things first, I most likely will not list all of the technologies that were big parts of the year. So, if you feel I missed something, feel free to add it in the comments section.

That said, the concentration around the user and the information delivery model has allowed the modern datacenter and the cloud infrastructure in general to really evolve. We're seeing new methods of optimization and cloud control, and entirely new ways of controlling the user experience. So, what were some of the big technologies that impacted the cloud?

APIs (cloud apps). This has been a big one. Platforms from VMware, OpenStack, CloudStack, Eucalyptus, and Amazon are creating easier ways to connect via the cloud. APIs are creating intelligent infrastructure cross-connects to reduce the amount of resources required. APIs at the software and hardware layer will continue to make cloud communication easier on an application and infrastructure level.

Read the rest of this story on The Enterprise Cloud Site.