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Paul Crocetti, Garry Kranz, Sonia Lelii, Dave Raffo, Carol Sliwa and Erin Sullivan also contributed to this story. As the sun sets on 2017 -- and rises over 2018 -- we once again present the technologies and trends in data storage that we think will shine brightest and have the most sway over data centers in the coming year. It's time for Hot Techs 2018! For the 15th year, our list shies away from anything too futuristic and impractical. Instead, we focus on newer storage tech that has demonstrated its usefulness and practicality. You'll only find technologies already available for purchase and deployment here. So grab a front-row seat and get comfortable as we look at the data storage technology trends that will have the biggest impact on storage shops -- and the professionals that run them -- in the year ahead. Predictive storage analytics Predictive storage analytics has morphed from being a specialized feature to a red-hot storage technology. Fueling its rise is the prominence of all-flash arrays and growing demand for ...