Credit: Greg Rakozy
Cloud technology, networking, mobility, communications and security are set to be the top areas of IT action in the ASEAN region this year, as enterprises reshuffle their technology priorities to address the impact of COVID-19.
The latest research by data analytics and consulting firm GlobalData indicates that public cloud is likely to lead IT adoption from within these top five areas of predicted demand.
On the communication and mobility front, SD-WAN is expected to further become a common service for organisations. Meanwhile, enterprise 5G solutions will move from development to pre-commercial stage. Also on the communications front, domestic players are expected to enter the communications platform-as-a-service (CPaaS) market.
In terms of information security, managed security services will be increasingly viewed as the best option for businesses to keep up with the technology, according to GlobalData.
“With critical services such as cloud, networking, unified communications (UC) and security in place, ASEAN enterprises will have a stronger ICT foundation that enable them to accelerate their digital transformation journey,” GlobalData principal analyst Alfie Amir said.
According to GlobalData, cloud is set to take top billing this year largely because enterprises are expanding their public cloud deployment to support remote employees and ensure business continuity.
As cloud uptake soars even more acutely than before the pandemic, global cloud providers are actively expanding their presence in the region to extend their domestic market reach.
Given that cloud adoption in the region remains relatively low compared to other regions around the world, GlobalData forecasts the segment to grow by 8.7 per cent, year-on-year, in 2021.
Managed security services, undoubtedly a hot spot in the wake of the post-COVID remote work shift, are anticipated to become the preferred way for enterprises to keep up with the rapid advancement in the broader technology landscape.
While the managed security service market is relatively small, accounting for about 30 per cent of the total security market according to GlobalData, it is beginning to pick up speed and is expected to increase by 3.4 per cent this year.
Turning to networking, SD-WAN is expected to become a standard service, according to the analysis firm. As with cloud, it is thought SD-WAN will be an efficient solution for enterprises to address the increase in complexity in managing workloads across network and cloud domains.
As such, the overall networking market in the ASEAN region is forecast to grow at 6.5 per cent, year-on-year, this year.
At the same time, with 5G systems continuing to evolve, it is expected that service providers and enterprises will accelerate their initiatives to soft launch 5G applications, with the mobility market expected to increase by 6.7 per cent in 2021.
On the telco side, GlobalData predicts that carriers will begin to merge their 5G and internet of things (IoT) initiatives, leveraging existing capabilities to enhance current solutions and develop new applications. According to the research, ASEAN telcos are likely to enter the CPaaS market and develop the capabilities to enable businesses to interact with customers through various channels this year.
"With voice, UC and contact center solutions being offered by most telcos, adding CPaaS is a logical step to further unlock their communications capabilities," Amir said.
“Entering 2021, ASEAN enterprises are ready to deploy new solutions to strengthen their business continuity planning (BCP). This is pushing service providers to be more proactive in offering new solutions and enhancing their portfolio to address the changing demands," he added.
