Companies Embrace AI Solutions for Cloud-Native Control, Security

Shift to open-source, multi-cloud environments boosts demand for advanced management solutions, ISG Provider Lens™ report says

Enterprises around the world are adopting advanced cloud technologies and AI-powered platforms to address the challenges of managing cloud-native environments, according to a new research report published today by Information Services Group (ISG) (Nasdaq: III), a leading global technology research and advisory firm.

The 2024 ISG Provider Lens™ global Multi Public Cloud Solutions report finds that demand for cloud technologies has surged as companies migrate to the cloud for scalability and flexibility while seeking to maintain security and control. To reach new strategic goals in changing markets, organizations are quickly adopting cloud-native technologies within multi-cloud environments.

“Cloud infrastructure is rapidly evolving, opening up new possibilities but creating more complex challenges,” said Anay Nawathe, ISG cloud delivery lead for the Americas. “This trend is reshaping how enterprises approach digital transformations.”

A growing number of companies are embracing cloud-native microservices architectures based on lightweight, portable containers, seeking to accelerate application development and manage workloads, ISG says. Using open-source technologies such as Docker and Kubernetes, they can innovate more quickly at a lower cost and tap into a diverse ecosystem of tools, avoiding vendor lock-in. However, this shift can make it harder to control cloud spending and the security and reliability of applications. To reduce these risks, enterprises are making strategic investments in cloud security, FinOps and observability solutions.

Multi-cloud FinOps platforms have advanced significantly in the past year, especially with the integration of AI and ML for real-time insights, predictive analytics and automated cost optimization, the report says. More enterprises are seeking comprehensive FinOps platforms that provide visibility across all cloud environments. They require solutions that monitor and report cloud usage and costs across all business units for accurate accounting. AI and ML are expected to continue driving FinOps innovation in the years to come.

Companies are increasing investments in cloud observability platforms as complex multi-cloud environments make it harder to monitor applications and identify data in their platforms, ISG says. They seek vendors with AI and ML capabilities to understand application performance and detect anomalies in cloud-native environments. Enterprises are also adopting advanced cloud security solutions, especially those that can rigorously scan containers for vulnerabilities prior to deployment. GenAI-powered security platforms are expected to strengthen protections by detecting and mitigating threats with greater speed and precision.

“Cloud-native FinOps, observability and security offer a unified strategy for enterprises to get the most out of multi-cloud environments,” said Jan Erik Aase, partner and global leader, ISG Provider Lens Research. “Leading vendors continue to improve platforms for managing risk and complexity.”

The report also explores other trends related to multi-cloud solutions, including the integration of FinOps with operations optimization and the increasing importance of cloud visibility for regulatory compliance.

For more insights into the multi-cloud challenges facing enterprises, and ISG’s advice on overcoming them, see the ISG Provider Lens™ Focal Points briefing here.

The 2024 ISG Provider Lens™ global Multi Public Cloud Solutions report evaluates the capabilities of 64 providers across three quadrants: Multicloud FinOps Platforms, Cloud-native Observability Solutions and Cloud-native Security Platforms.

The report names Broadcom (VMware) as a Leader in all three quadrants. It names Dynatrace and Sysdig as Leaders in two quadrants each. Aqua Security, CrowdStrike, Datadog, Deloitte, Elastic, Flexera, Fortinet, Grafana Labs, HCL MyXalytics, IBM (Apptio+Turbonomic), Kyndryl, NetApp (Spot), New Relic, Orca Security, Palo Alto Networks, Sentinel One, Splunk Observability and Ternary are named as Leaders in one quadrant each.

In addition, CloudBolt Software and Wiz are named as Rising Stars — companies with a “promising portfolio” and “high future potential” by ISG’s definition — in one quadrant each.

Customized versions of the report are available from Dynatrace, ManageEngine and Ternary.

The 2024 ISG Provider Lens™ global Multi Public Cloud Solutions report is available to subscribers or for one-time purchase on this webpage.

About ISG Provider Lens™ Research

The ISG Provider Lens™ Quadrant research series is the only service provider evaluation of its kind to combine empirical, data-driven research and market analysis with the real-world experience and observations of ISG's global advisory team. Enterprises will find a wealth of detailed data and market analysis to help guide their selection of appropriate sourcing partners, while ISG advisors use the reports to validate their own market knowledge and make recommendations to ISG's enterprise clients. The research currently covers providers offering their services globally, across Europe, as well as in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Brazil, the U.K., France, Benelux, Germany, Switzerland, the Nordics, Australia and Singapore/Malaysia, with additional markets to be added in the future. For more information about ISG Provider Lens research, please visit this webpage.

About ISG

ISG (Information Services Group) (Nasdaq: III) is a leading global technology research and advisory firm. A trusted business partner to more than 900 clients, including more than 75 of the world’s top 100 enterprises, ISG is committed to helping corporations, public sector organizations, and service and technology providers achieve operational excellence and faster growth. The firm specializes in digital transformation services, including AI, cloud and data analytics; sourcing advisory; managed governance and risk services; network carrier services; strategy and operations design; change management; market intelligence and technology research and analysis. Founded in 2006, and based in Stamford, Conn., ISG employs more than 1,600 digital-ready professionals operating in more than 20 countries—a global team known for its innovative thinking, market influence, deep industry and technology expertise, and world-class research and analytical capabilities based on the industry’s most comprehensive marketplace data. For more information, visit www.isg-one.com.

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