Global data center traffic will grow fourfold and reach a total of 6.6 zettabytes annually by 2016, according to a newly published Cisco Global Cloud Index (2011-2016).
Global cloud traffic, the fastest-growing component of data center traffic, is forecast to grow sixfold – a 44 percent combined annual growth rate (CAGR) – from 683 exabytes of annual traffic in 2011 to 4.3 zettabytes by 2016.
The study predicts a massive migration to the cloud -- so much that nearly two-thirds of all workloads will be processed in the cloud by 2016.
The forecast covers network data centers worldwide operated by service providers as well as private enterprises.
"This year's forecast confirms that strong growth in data center usage and cloud traffic are global trends, driven by our growing desire to access personal and business content anywhere, on any device. When you couple this growth with projected increases in connected devices and objects, the next-generation Internet will be an essential component to enabling much greater data center virtualization and a new world of interconnected clouds," said Doug Merritt, senior vice president, Corporate Marketing, Cisco.
The 28-page report is online.
Some highlights:
- Roughly 76 percent of data center traffic will stay within the data center and will be largely generated by storage, production and development data.
- About 7 percent of data center traffic will be generated between data centers, primarily driven by data replication and software/system updates.
- About 17 percent of data center traffic will be fueled by end users accessing clouds for Web surfing, emailing and video streaming.
- In 2011, North America generated the most cloud traffic (261 exabytes annually); followed by Asia Pacific; (216 exabytes annually); and Western Europe (156 exabytes annually).
- By 2016, Asia Pacific will generate the most cloud traffic (1.5 zettabytes annually); followed by North America (1.1 zettabytes annually); and Western Europe (963 exabytes annually).
- In 2011, North America had the most cloud workloads (8.1 million, or 38 percent of the global cloud workloads); followed by Asia Pacific, which had 6.7 million, or 32 percent of the global workloads in 2011.
- By 2016, Asia Pacific will process the most cloud workloads (40.6 million, or 36 percent of the global cloud workloads); followed by North America, which will have 17.4 million, or 26 percent of the global workloads in 2016.
