The 2016 State of the Cloud report highlights significant growth in the public cloud sector, with a market spending of $70 billion in 2015, growing at a 19.4% CAGR but accounting for only 5% of total IT spending. Despite a challenging IPO market with only three cloud IPOs in the last year, mergers and acquisitions (valued at $50.4 billion) reflect ongoing robust activity as legacy vendors react to this shifting landscape. The report emphasizes the importance of efficient growth metrics, including the 'Rule of 40,' and predicts a continuation of M&A activity and a potential reopening of the IPO market.