Each new year brings new challenges with business continuity planning, whether its technology to adapt to or new disaster risks to prepare for. As 2015 quickly approaches, it's time to consider a few of the major changes that are expected to come and start planning for them.

According to Continuity Central, there are a few IT predictions for 2015 worth paying attention to. From changes coming in the cloud and Internet of Things to advances in software-defined data centers. Many firms will be investing in new strategies for cloud computing, mobility and data management, so it is important to remember to update your continuity of operations plan to accommodate those changes.

Here are a few of the important IT trends to take into consideration next year:

Mobile – Mobile adoption is going to continue and more firms that haven't yet invested in a mobile strategy are likely to do so, so it is critical to update your business continuity plan to incorporate these new platforms. Mobile can greatly benefit continuity efforts as well, so consider integrating into your strategy as a remote working option as well.

Next-gen IoT – New generations of Internet of Things-enabled technologies are going to be entering the workplace as well, forcing companies to adapt and comply with new devices and platforms. Keeping this trend in mind with every update to a business continuity plan will help to ensure it continues to incorporate IoT-enabled devices and services.

Software-defined data centers – More firms are migrating their resources toward software-defined data centers in an effort to reduce overhead and optimize efficiency. However, companies need to make sure the tools they are investing in are well-prepared for disaster and security risks that can occur, and ensure that the new systems are included in continuity plans for swift and efficient recovery if needed.