new channel technology computing trends anz business

Top Tech Industry Trends in Australia and New ZealandAs CompTIA’s ANZ Channel Community builds momentum, it’s important for membersto be up to date on the most relevant regional trends in the market. UsingCompTIA’s IT Industry Outlook report as a guide, we’ve identified six of thetrends likely to be the most relevant for channel business in Australia andNew Zealand:As CompTIA’s ANZ Channel Community continues to build momentum, it becomesincreasingly important for members to be up to date on the most relevantregional trends in the market. In CompTIA’s latest IT Industry Outlook report,we detailed 12 trends which emphasise that 2019 is less about the ‘next bigthing’ and more about consolidation and bringing the building blocks oftechnology together to form an overall solution.The ability to identify important trends and build them into businesspractices can be critical for solution providers to establish or maintainleadership in their respective markets. Coincidentally, leadership was also ahot topic at the ANZ Channel Community’s recent meeting in Sydney, where MohebMoses, co-founder and director of Channel Dynamics, and director of ANZChannel Community, welcomed 120 attendees, and keynote speaker Brent Valle,founder, The Future Phase, shared personal stories demonstrating the importanttraits and values industry members should have as they move into leadershippositions.The discussion around leadership provided attendees with ideas to bring homeand focus on identifying new business opportunities—perhaps around some of thetrends outlined in the Outlook report. To help, we’ve identified six of thetrends likely to be relevant for channel business in Australia and NewZealand:### 1. Cloud, edge and 5G form the modern economic infrastructureThe modern digital economy is based on three parts: cloud computing; edgecomputing; and 5G. Cloud brings greater control and flexibility to ITactivities. Edge computing extends the principles of cloud computing from acentralised location to the places where data is being captured. And 5Gnetworks provide fast and robust connections between each node.Together, these three fundamentals signal a new way of thinking about ITapplications. True transformation starts with rebuilding applications to takeadvantage of cloud computing’s unique properties, and this transformation willaccelerate as those applications also factor in the location awareness of edgecomputing and the dynamic capabilities of 5G networking. Fully-evolvedapplications will be the mechanisms for new economic activity, and IT skillswill likewise evolve to support the new structure.### 2. IoT and AI open new possibilities in ambient computingAs the Internet of Things (IoT) continues to grow, every object could become acomputing device. Meanwhile, artificial intelligence (AI) will automate tasksto reduce complexity and scan the environment to understand context. The netresult will be ambient computing, whereby activity that was once confined to adevice will take place seamlessly with minimal user interaction. This willchange IT support, which will move from tactical maintenance to strategicenablement.An example of ambient computing in motion is smart lighting, which canautomate itself, recognising when a device enters a room or operating on aschedule built through pattern recognition. For example, lights will turn onearlier or later as the seasons change and the sun is in a different position.This, however, creates potential security risks as even the humble lightbulbbecomes connected to the internet. This puts the onus on channel partners tohelp customers understand their security vulnerabilities and how to addressthem.### 3. Distributed technology models challenge existing structuresDistributed ledger technologies (DLT) such as blockchain introduce a newarchitectural approach using distributed networks and cryptography. Thequestion remains whether this technology is strong enough to disruptestablished models. However, the real opportunity could lie in developingeconomies where traditional models aren’t cemented. 2019 may see increasedactivity in this area but there may also be a backlash to the original hypearound DLT.### 4. Stackable technologies supercharge digitisation effortsThe concept of stacks isn’t new but advances in areas like API-enabledplatforms and containers for modular business processes are creating moresophisticated and efficient stacking of technologies to achieve end results.The process lets companies achieve a value that is far greater than the sum ofits parts. This creates a significant opportunity for channel businesses toconnect the dots for customers. Partners that can connect the dots forcustomers can differentiate themselves and drive new profit streams.### 5. Business of emerging technology prompts sales channels reinventionWith so many options under the banner of emerging technology, the difficultchoice for partners is which emerging technology to incorporate into theirbusinesses. It’s important to understand that businesses can’t necessarily beexperts in everything, so they’ll need to prioritise the resources and extraskills required to embrace emerging technology. This includes technical andsales training, and ensuring partners can collaborate with each other tomaximise customer outcomes.### 6. Partnerships bridge gaps in the new technology ecosystemDigital partners need to learn from and partner with suppliers on theoperational technology (OT) side of IT. These people are often not traditionalIT people but come from a background of building maintenance, healthcare,fleet management, etc. The channel community therefore needs to partner withnon-traditional IT partners to bridge the gaps.ANZ is ahead of the game compared to global results. While software andapplications is the fastest growing sector, 2019 is likely to prove awatershed moment for emerging technology. This is the year emerging technologywill move past the ideation stage and start to generate revenue. Withcontinuing demand for tech services, ANZ channel businesses are well-positioned to continue growing in 2019 and beyond.Want to learn more about the business of technology in Australia and NewZealand? Join the ANZ Channel Community now and get access to relevantresources, content, events and more.