Cloud and virtualization technologies will move data storage away from physical infrastructure, leading to the rise of "invisible" IT in 2013, according to a recent Data Center Knowledge column by industry expert Scott Crenshaw. The year ahead will also be the one in which big data becomes a reality, as capabilities for storing and accessing large volumes of information mature.

With cloud storage and improved large file compression tools making it cheaper to store and back up information, the role of the enterprise data center may be on the decline, Crenshaw explained. Additionally, virtualization will put more data in the hands of end users.

"Now, virtualized environments must ensure data is on hand and accessible at all times and from anywhere," Crenshaw wrote. "Fundamentally, this is about endpoint access and guaranteeing a seamless user experience, so users don’t have to think about where things are coming from or navigating tricky data access."

As big data becomes a primary source of IT spending, organizations will also increasingly need to rethink the accessibility of their stored information, Crenshaw wrote. He explained that data will have to be tiered to ensure everyday availability for business critical applications while managing large archives. However, new technologies may adjust the way organizations implement such strategies.

A 2011 Forrester study found that storing data in the cloud can be as much as 74 percent cheaper than in a traditional data center. One major component of the cost of physical data storage is the need for several layers of redundant backup data, according to the Forrester report. By using file compression software in conjunction with the cloud, organizations can significantly reduce the cost of this aspect of IT. In an increasingly cloud-dominated environment, using a holistic solution that ensures data security along with compression, will also strengthen the security and usability of the "invisible" data center.