As Cloud computing continues to shape the way enterprises, service providers, and government agencies operate, ScienceLogic predicts what to look out for in the coming year.

Here are a few of ScienceLogic’s 2013 predictions:

- The Cloud Wars are Picking Up Speed: Last year, we predicted cloud computing would becomes more mature, and as a result, consumer cloud environments at Google, Facebook, Microsoft and Salesforce.com would begin cut-throat competition for consumer and business dollars. This prediction will continue to play out in 2013 in a number of news ways as the cloud wars really begin to pick up speed.

- Another Y2K for Financials and Tax Filings: The Fiscal Cliff, multiple M&A deals in the tech sector, questions around cloud computing taxes, the IRS’s inability to keep up with budgeting, and a multitude of other government question marks means pro forma statements are unlikely to be submitted expeditiously.

- A Cyber-Security Breach: Cyber security will be a priority in 2013, at all levels of institution, with convergence around those who the government calls on for help in this matter. We’ve had multiple bills passed already in this regard, but what we really need is education around how to be safe as a nation on the Internet and in the cloud. Next year the government and industry will unite equal representation from small and large tech vendors who can really exemplify the differences between security threats, network threats, IT threats, and more.

- A Large-Scale Cloud Outage Creates a Ripple Effect: As enterprises shift resources to the cloud, there will be at least one major outage from a corporate enterprise, or possibly a major financial entity. Inadvertently, this will set off a chain reaction of penalties.

Weighing in on the 2013 Cloud forecast, ScienceLogic’s Chief Technology Officer, Antonio Piraino says, “As a former analyst, I have a unique perspective to share, not only with regard to ScienceLogic, but also with the industry as a whole. Flying blindly into the Cloud, without taking into account its fast, fluid and ever-changing nature, is a huge risk for any organization. Hopefully, the forward-looking predictions we’ve pulled together around what’s on the horizon for cloud computing can help to influence IT priorities in 2013.”