In software tech, surely SDN is the next big thing. This is underlined by the fact that VMware is willing to spend over R8 billion rands to buy Nicira. (VMware has never spent even close to that sort of money to buy anything…)
Advanced virtual private networks is also the next privacy enhancement on the Internet. As the need for vast software on the fly and user configurable networks that can interact with each other on the software layer (much as you can friend someone on Facebook), increases, advanced software defined networking (SDN) will become the next grid on which physical networking is configured, operated and driven.