CompTIA: Cloud As a Service Big Factors For 2016 Channel

Cloud and the as a service world it allows are set to be big factors for the channel in 2016, according to CompTIA's IT Industry Outlook announced 22 December.

CompTIA expects cloud computing adoption to continue growing in the New Year."While cloud will not quite become a pure commodity like electricity, it will be so prevalent in IT architecture that cloud-specific focus will give way to overall solution planning," Seth Robinson, senior director of technology analysis at CompTIA, said in a statement.

With things becoming increasingly cloud-based and as a service, many solution providers are already finding services to be their main source of income, rather than margins provided by vendor partners, CompTIA points out.

Next year, this will be reflected in partner programs, Carolyn April, senior director of industry analysis at CompTIA, said in a statement.

"Program staples such as upfront discounts and back-end rebates are declining in relative importance," she said. "That's a wake-up call for vendors, who need to be thinking differently about partner compensation models for the future. Newer cloud vendors with no heritage in legacy hardware or software are wisely building partner programs that recognize this."

CompTIA added that change doesn't come cheap or easy, which will prove challenging for flagship IT vendors.

In addition, solution providers can expect more of a focus on end-to-end user experiences in 2016, Tim Herbert, SVP of research and market intelligence at CompTIA, explained.

"Some of these efforts will be ‘pushed' by technology providers or employers who want to encourage or influence certain behaviors," he said in statement. "Others will be ‘pull' efforts, as users accustomed to user-friendly consumer applications will exert influence over corporate IT to replicate these same experiences."

This will also have an effect on how solution providers should tackle security next year, according to CompTIA Partner Advisory Council member Paul Cronin, SVP of Atrion.

"Consultants, integrators and vendors who can help the CIO design an all-encompassing security business strategy that addresses the concerns of corporate executives and engages the business units will find themselves in the right place at the right time," he said.