Cloud technologies remain as relevant today as ever, and this relevance is only expected to grow. Tech giants like Amazon and Microsoft continue to invest heavily in developing cloud-based solutions, shaping the direction of the industry. The key question now is how these large-scale strategies align with customer needs and what that means for product development and the evolution of technical teams.
In conversation with Mykola Orlov, we dive into what’s next for cloud computing and explore the challenges, opportunities, and innovations that are shaping the cloud ecosystem.
Background & experience:
Over 14 years of industry experience, specialising in DevOps engineering and cloud migration services.
Cloud computing is more than just a popular term in tech circles for you; you once compared it to oxygen for a diver. Can you share why the cloud has become such a critical element in the IT world?
Mykola Orlov: Yes, that's still one of my favourite analogies. For IT professionals, the cloud is essential like air. I've joked that there's no such thing as a "wonder-dog" engineer without cloud experience these days. It's not just a tool anymore; it's the foundation for most modern digital products. No matter which company you're in, you're working with the cloud.
How do you see cloud technologies evolving over the next 5 to 10 years?
MO: I don’t expect any overnight revolutions, it’ll be more of an evolution: steady improvements, smarter tools, more optimisation. One major trend is the shift toward hybrid and multi-cloud strategies. Companies are combining services from different providers, AWS, Azure, and GCP, to get the best of each and avoid vendor lock-in. Learn more about ELEKS AWS Expertise and how we help companies navigate multi-cloud implementations.
We’ll also see more industry-specific cloud solutions for healthcare, energy, and so on. And of course, AI will become even more deeply integrated. Cloud providers are working to lower the barrier to entry so companies can more easily adopt AI into their products.
What do you see as the biggest risks or limitations companies should watch out for when using cloud services?
MO: The biggest one is vendor lock-in. If your entire infrastructure depends on a single provider, say, AWS, and something goes wrong, you could lose access to critical services. It’s like putting all your eggs in one basket.
Another challenge is cost management. Cloud infrastructure can grow fast, and if you’re not careful, your budget can spiral out of control. Also, cloud migration can exceed initial budgets due to unexpected complexities and data transfer costs.
On the provider side, security is a huge concern. With hybrid cyberattacks becoming more complex, there’s increasing pressure to invest in robust security solutions and stay compliant with evolving standards.
How do cybersecurity and data protection regulations affect the future of cloud infrastructure?
MO: Major cloud providers have already taken it into account, and I believe they’ll go even further. We’ll see more built-in services for compliance and security, things like automated compliance monitoring, pre-built security frameworks, and audit tools. It’ll be a win-win, benefiting both the provider and the client.
So clients won’t need to worry about compliance as much?
MO: They will need to worry about the compliant environment, and cloud providers will be helping them. It’s all interconnected. We rely on the providers, our clients depend on us, and providers also rely on us as users.
Which technologies do you think will have the biggest impact on cloud services: AI, edge computing, and quantum computing?
MO: Quantum computing appears to be a very intriguing field. It’s based on quantum mechanics, qubits can exist in multiple states at once, which allows for calculations at speeds classical computers can’t touch. It could completely reshape cryptography, simulations in pharma and chemistry, and financial modelling.
That sounds like something out of a sci-fi movie. When do you think we’ll start seeing it in practice?
MO: We’re already seeing the first steps — Azure Quantum, for example. In the short term, say 1-3 years, we’ll see more experiments and simulators. Within 3-7 years, we might see real use cases in niche industries. As for 10 years from now… hard to say, but it’ll be exciting to watch.
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