Cloud storage hits hybrid mainstream

Cloud storage has been a long time coming, but has now achieved a maturity, of sorts. While still operating within limits that exclude the most I/O-hungry applications and with concerns about availability that remain legitimate, cloud storage has really started to flower.
Hybrid is the keyword, with the cloud available as a tier from storage arrays and appliances while bursting into the cloud and with workload portability affected by containers.
Meanwhile, the rise of cloud applications has driven innovations in backup, with data protection of cloud assets to the cloud arising.