The second Cisco Global Cloud Index (2011-2016) survey predicts a global data centre traffic explosion-- with annual traffic growing from 1.8 zettabytes in 2011 to 6.6 zettabytes in 2016.
Just to clarify the numbers, Cisco says 1.3 zettabytes equals a trillion gigabytes.
The biggest factor pushing such growth? The cloud, taking over 39% of WW 2011 data centre traffic (or 683 exabytes) before claiming 64% (4.3 zettabytes) in 2016.
Cloud server workload growth mirrors the traffic trend-- from cloud servers processing 30% of server workloads in 2011 to 62% in 2016.
According to the survey W. European 2011 cloud traffic amounts 156 exabytes, and should reach 963 exabytes by 2016. On the other hand MEA should have the highest cloud workload growth rate during the 2011-2016 period, with 79% CAGR.
C. and E. Europe are forecast to have a cloud workloads growing with a CAGR of 55% during 2011-2016.
Meanwhile W. Europe is the only region with the average mobile network performace supporting intermediate cloud-based applications, as well as enough fixed network capacity to support advanced cloud applications.