The cloud is an online-based storage option that is offered to businesses and individuals. The development of the cloud has been praised by many people, saying that the storage option has the best protection for their files. In the past, files are being stored inside the computer hard drives, flash drives, and compact disks and these things are at risk of being misplaced, stolen, falling, burning, or getting wet. Backing up would also be needed, to ensure that the files can be restored if any problems happened. With the cloud, people would no longer think about these problems, as their file would stay online in exchange for a small maintenance amount. The cloud has become a staple, especially for businesses, because of the sheer amount of data that they can store.

However, the growth of the cloud had a negative implication on how businesses are managed. One of the casualties from the growing influence of the cloud is the corporate networks, which could not keep up with the changes in how storage is handled. Adding to its demise is the decentralization of companies, allowing branches to impose their own networks, and eventually becoming a management nightmare. However, computer experts have developed the Hybrid WAN, which will manage the businesses more effectively. This computer network will allow a smooth transition from the disorganized management of data from the companies to the cloud. This will ensure that the corporate network will still be actively doing its responsibilities while collecting all of the information that it gathers directly to the highly secured cloud storage.

According to statistics, by the year 2020, 60% of the largest corporations on the planet will be relying on the cloud for data storage and workload management. Video traffic would also increase, and with the prevalence of smartphones, more videos will be watched from these devices, adding up to the traffic. 66% of video found on the internet will be responsible for more than two-thirds of business internet traffic by the year 2015, and it will more likely increase exponentially by the year 2020. This will require companies to increase their storage capability, to avoid having frequent system crashes. Storing in the cloud would also reduce the number of files being stolen, and it would provide higher security to the files being processed and sent to the company for storage. With the computer network syncing with the cloud, the information will be readily available whenever the company needs it.

Companies are already shifting to software-defined enterprise WAN, as well as its hybrid counterparts because the advantage far outweighs the disadvantages. As the cloud continues to become the norm, businesses would have to learn how to integrate with the technology to keep them going. The number of applications is also exploding, and companies have to expand their storage to keep up with these changes. Network complexity is also becoming an issue as the risk without using the cloud for support is becoming more imminent, and without using the newest technologies on maintaining your network, businesses would have to shell out 70% of their budget to maintain it.