Below are just some of the key topics identified by our board of advisors to drive the Latin American IT industry in 2012, and which will be a key feature at the 2012 Cloud Computing World Forum Latin America:

Cloud Security
2011 may have become synonymous with a series of high-profile security breaches online, but 2012 is about shaping the cloud computing industry to ensure the problem is safe-guarded against as best as possible. Cybercrime has long been an issue for the digital world, but cloud computing providers are leading the way in developing security technology to combat the criminals, and the topic will once again be a focus for debate at the show.

The Mobile Cloud
There’s no denying the rise of the mobile cloud, with handheld devices having an increasingly large part to play in both our work and home lives. But with the development of cloud-based applications so suited to mobile, questions about speed, connectivity, safety and efficiency need to be addressed. And can tablets and smartphones realistically take over from desktops in the workplace? Who’s building the software and infrastructure that will allow us to successfully integrate?

The Telco Cloud
With the rise of mobile computing and the importance of broadband networks in the development of cloud services, telecoms providers are increasing their presence in Cloud Computing year-on-year.

Building Cloud Infrastructure
Cloud no longer needs an explanation. Most IT departments no longer want to hear about what cloud is. They want to know how best cloud computing can be built into their IT infrastructure. This year, expect cloud computing vendors to provide more and more detailed analysis on how cloud should be built into different organisations facing different issues. Each IT infrastructure has different requirements, but these are continuously being addressed.

Improving Applications
At the 2011 Cloud Computing World Forum we saw a number of companies showcasing novel application monitoring tools. The speed of applications may well be a sticking point for cloud computing at the moment, but many providers and vendors are developing methods by which to test in real-time and improve cloud-based performance.

Virtualization
What was once a privilege for the biggest companies is now available to all, with start-up businesses and SMBs now profiting from using virtualized machines and virtual desktops to alternate their IT practices. More and more tools are becoming readily available for all manner of organisations, and virtualization is finally addressing one of the biggest problems for an IT infrastructure – practicality.

Cloud Communications
With a market expected to reach $36 billion by 2016, communication tools in the cloud are big business. Whether it’s next-generation Contact Centres, Unified Communications or IP telephony, the Enterprise is becoming smarter; and the methods in which we reach out to customers and fellow employees becoming slicker. Expect the fusion of cloud and communication over the next 12 months to enhance these tools even further. 

Social Cloud
The Amazon Cloud Player, Apple iCloud, Google +…from social media to entertainment storage, the social cloud, or ‘consumer cloud’ may well be a difficult bridge for some organisations to envisage crossing over to, but it’s importance in spreading an organisation’s message can be unparalleled. Social media, media storage and the mobile cloud are all areas of the enterprise we expect to increase in usage and usability in 2012.

Cloud CRM
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) – We’re all looking for new ways to improve and streamline our customer relations. Now, thanks to the development of software and applications in the cloud, organisations are able to cut costs on in-house hardware and maintenance and gain real-time results. With the release of packages such as Office 365, this year will be a defining one for how we use CRM.

See the Conference Programme for full details of the streams and sessions for 2012.