Trend #5: Internet Of Things Will Drive IT For The Foreseeable Future

Connected devices, not connected people, will drive IT going forward, Bova said. Gartner estimates that 1.6 billion people and 900 million "things" were connected via the cloud in 2009, but by 2020 there will be 7 billion people and 30 billion "things," she said.

Google bought Nest not because it wanted to get into the air conditioning business, Bova said. "They want to collect information on energy use and sell it back to the energy companies," she said. "If you don't bill, you can still own the customer.:

Every company will become a digital company, Bova said. "When you go out and sell 'cloud,' ask your customers what their needs will be three years from now so you can get them ready," she said.