Nowadays, everybody is talking about cloud computing. Fans say it’s the future, the answer to every problem with computing as we know it; others say it’s just a fad and will eventually die. Who’s right? While nobody knows the future, the fact is, enough evidence is available that we can all reasonably predict what’s coming. Consider these facts:

Cloud Computing Evolves as Computing Does: Just as computing started with mainframes and, in the course of a few decades, evolved to powerful handheld mobile devices—so did the cloud. Since cloud computing has evolved and grown as computers have, there’s every reason to believe it will continue evolving as technologies do.

Security Will Only Grow in Importance: Even as newer technologies develop, the need for security will only increase; we can already see this demand growing. That’s one of the cloud’s greatest strengths: Data existing independently from a device becomes easily accessible via cloud computing. Even when smartphones or other devices are easily lost or broken, the cloud keeps data safe, stored separately from damageable devices. Cloud security means consumers don’t have to be limited to documents, music, movies and other data on particular devices; they can safely and securely access anywhere with Internet.

New Features Are on the Horizon: Proactive monitoring technology already exists to watch applications and alert users to potential system compromises. In the future, this will become more valuable, helping companies on the cloud foresee and avoid system damages—again leading to greater security. Likewise, as the demand for cloud computing increases, data centers will increase, too, making it more possible than ever to ensure uptimes for businesses.

Personalized Cloud Computing Will Be Key: The so-called “personal cloud” is a trend that has gotten some attention recently, allowing a user to share data seamlessly between all of his or her devices (such as smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktops). This concept will likely grow in popularity. Likewise, the “home cloud,” which is virtually the same concept, extends sharing among all members of a household. The home cloud essentially creates a central wireframe, easily and seamlessly, for a group to access.

The fact is if current trends continue, the cloud will become more and more prevalent over the next few years. The processing power and storage capacity of mobile devices is steadily increasing, and users seem to have a never-ending appetite for storage. Only time will tell, but one thing is certain: the cloud is here to stay.