A common thread that seems to run through every meeting I attend lately is that of the need, want, and desire for data, as well as the proliferation of data. And this leads to a myriad of challenges in today’s new data-driven economy.
From how to manage data itself from a physical perspective (the growth of data centers has reached an all-time high), to the need for security and management and how to leverage it for business goals and more, data is the world’s new currency and will be the driving factor in business for years to come.
So, with this comes the unofficial DirectionIT “data” issue. Although the articles in this edition weren’t planned to be primarily data-centric, they evolved that way simply through the organic influence of the world around us. Whether we’re looking at the IT industry, news, politics, commerce, or more, the influence that data has apparently cannot be ignored.
Therefore, I encourage you to read this issue with the hope that it sparks your imagination and your inquisitive nature—and maybe even your trust in some institutions—into how data is used, stored, and commodified.
The fact is, we all live through data, so it’s our collective job as a global society to manage it with care and with a thoughtful plan for our futures.
Enjoy!