Gartner’s predictions and the series of assumptions supporting them illustrate how CIOs must seek out and excel in the role of business strategist first, technologist second. In 2018 and beyond CIOs will be more accountable than ever for revenue generation, value creation, and the development and launch of new business models using proven and emerging technologies. Gartner’s ten predictions point to the future of CIOs as collaborators in new business creation, selectively using technologies to accomplish that goal.

Cloud computing used to be a fringe concept. Its predecessors - such as time sharing systems and thin clients - go back decades, but it wasn't until the launch of Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure in the late 2000s that it really took off. It's now so thoroughly in the mainstream that a core consumer-facing Apple service - iCloud, which is backed by AWS and Azure assets - has "cloud" right in its name.

There's still a little bit of 2017 left, but barring a major cybersecurity incident during the winter holidays, it's already clear which threats will define the year. While many new malware specimens emerged in 2017 - a record 7.41 million, according to the G Data Security Blog, - the most high-profile ones were mostly ransomware.

When we think of data centers, we tend to think of large, open rooms full of featureless racks. But many data centers break the mold and utilize truly creative designs, layouts, and locations.

These unusual data centers are not vanity projects, but creative responses to some of the challenges that technology has presented.

Technology is a constantly moving target. For IT professionals, that means that remaining stagnant in terms of skills, experience and capabilities can be a severe detriment to the business and themselves. IT certifications are a great means to improve knowledge and support tech efforts. Let's take at the three fastest growing IT certifications for this year that professionals should take advantage of: