Mobility is the No. 1 trend reshaping the IT industry, according to James Alexander of Info-Tech Research Group, and it's become the flashpoint for the four other major technology trends changing the world today.

Alexander said the major trends he sees in technology have a "causal effect," and it all starts with mobility. And because everyone has connected mobile devices and they're engaging more in online collaboration and communication, Alexander said, you're seeing a rise in social media as a business tool.

"Now you've got those two things [mobile devices and social media] put together, and what do you have? You have an explosion of data, and we call that trend big data," Alexander said.

So what are the other trends? For more on Alexander's analysis, watch the full CRN TV interview.

PUBLISHED NOV. 13, 2012