The various SaaS-based (Software-as-a-Service) collaboration tools in particular, which companies use to increase their productivity and improve customer relationship management, are still proving to be a weak point for many providers, as the necessary interfaces for various communication channels are not sufficiently protected. Configuration errors in Platform-as-a-Service applications also pose a certain security risk. At the same time, the EU GDPR, which came into force in May 2018, has put additional pressure on data security. I would therefore like to put cloud security at the top of my list of cloud trend predictions for 2019.

From the perspective of a Cloud provider such as Fabasoft with a focus on SaaS (Software-as-a-Service), the following six metatrends can be identified for the coming year:

1. Cloud security determines the choice of the right provider
   When choosing the right cloud provider, companies should look for certified security - only an independent, external audit of all security-relevant aspects of a cloud environment can give potential customers the assurance that their sensitive company data is in good hands. The C5 certificate from the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) continues to define the standard here. In the technological implementation of secure cloud architectures, the latest developments in machine learning and artificial intelligence will find their way into the cloud security strategy in the coming year, allowing automated anomalies in network traffic to be detected and unauthorized data flows to be blocked.
2. Digitalized product launch in the cloud accelerates growth
   Companies that are responsible for production and sales often need months for information about new products or updates to reach the entire organization. As a rule, news about who actually uses the information in sales hardly ever reaches the head office. Which sales measures lead to rapid success in which markets are there problems with product launches? End customers and markets are demanding ever faster response times, and ultimately the ultimate customer experience wins.
   The solution: digitized product launches in the cloud. This allows all internal departments (product management, marketing, sales, finance, legal, R&D, etc.) and the extended organization (area sales managers, country managers, vendors, resellers, sales consultants) to be integrated into business-relevant processes as equal users. In this way, processes are digitized, standardized and accelerated, with full traceability. This creates a basis for growth and greater profitability for companies.
3. AI revolutionizes the tagging of digital content
   Industrial companies are creating more and more digital assets, such as plans, photos of construction progress or signed documents. A digital asset management (DAM) solution helps to manage these assets and use them efficiently. A solution in the cloud is particularly advantageous for simple, secure and traceable collaboration with external parties. Finding and using assets quickly is directly linked to the quality of the keywording. Because even if the keywording of new assets is carried out according to a precise standard, new aspects are usually constantly being created under which searches are carried out, but often nothing is found. This is where artificial intelligence can help. Third-party services that can be used for keywording-as-a-service are too general, especially for industrial applications. Highly specialized DAM solutions allow artificial intelligence to be used in solution-specific use cases in a practical and process-supporting way.
4. Digitalization of the corporate DNA
   When it comes to the digital transformation of a company, many projects are too far removed from the really essential corporate IT solutions and the really important core processes to make the corporate vision a reality. The focus must be on the customer and their needs, but digitalization must not end with customer apps or a supplier extranet. Although "big data" is produced, this data is not linked to the important IT solutions - an essential part of the company's DNA - without process breaks. In addition, many "island projects" in companies digitize processes that are too far removed from the actual purpose of the company. Although these projects are presented in an image-boosting way, the customer often does not notice any significant benefits. The results of these projects therefore contribute too little to the digital transformation of the company's own organization. This is exactly what cloud solutions are perfect for - whether as a public cloud or a private cloud: a company's key business processes can be digitized end-to-end quickly and without process interruptions - involving all internal and external stakeholders and connecting all existing, relevant IT solutions and data sources.
5. Service platforms instead of isolated projects
   The digital transformation of companies often results in solutions that are perfectly tailored to a specific use case. However, the organization does not develop any further as a result. This is why digital service platforms are on the rise, enabling the rapid implementation of a solution for one use case while also offering solutions for many other use cases. This significantly reduces the effort required for each new solution. Departments can further develop their solutions on the service platform themselves without using valuable internal IT resources or, ideally, even model them themselves.
6. Advantage for cloud adaptation: agility of SMEs
   More and more SMEs are using the cloud. One aspect will continue to fuel this trend in 2019: SMEs can only hold their own in the market if they are more flexible in responding to market needs, are more innovative, offer better customer service and are more agile than larger players. All characteristics that cloud services offer. Large companies are often confronted with integration problems when introducing and using cloud services and repeatedly fail at "change management". There are "cool tools" available, but they are not used internally in a targeted manner. SMEs have significantly fewer hurdles to overcome - an advantage that is increasingly being exploited. Conclusion: Small and medium-sized enterprises benefit twice over from the introduction and use of cloud services.

The author: Andreas Dangl is Managing Director of Fabasoft Austria GmbH.