What’s next for enterprise tech?

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And, it’s free and easy to run, so “IT doesn’t have to even know it happens,” Mann noted.

Social software suites

Microblogging will fit into the bigger trend of social software, Mann said. Such suites will pull together all of the elements of social networking – such as blogs and wikis – into a single supplier, making it easier to use for enterprise customers.

They’ll also add more features, such as profiles, tagging and feeds – people will be able to use the same systems at work as they do at home.

As with microblogging, the new packaged social software suites will sit behind the firewall and have other authentication features to ensure security. Admins can also control access for users, to ensure they’re all seeing what they need to see – and nothing more.

Current examples of such packages include IBM’s Lotus Connections and Huddle. Mann said Microsoft is slowly taking SharePoint in this direction, too.

Green IT

Green IT has been a big trend for years – but it’s never really taken off, and has been declining in the face of the recession, Mann said.

“Green has been around the last couple of years,” he said, adding there’s less focus on it because of the recession.

That said, as companies pull out of the difficult economic situation their currently struggling through, Mann predicted “renewed interest in it.”

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