
Industry executives and experts share their predictions for 2019. Read them in this 11th annual VMblog.com series exclusive.
Contributed by Robert McBride, Head of Product Marketing, Versa Networks
Software-Defined Networks Advance Simplicity, Context, Security, and Streamlined Control
Enterprise
networking is finally getting a moment in the spotlight. Innovation and
implementation has been happening at breathtaking speed in agile development,
cloud-native business models, mobility, and IoT. We're asking more from our networks
than ever before, and managing more information security risk. Digital
transformation, the advancing consumerization of technology, and global
security and regulatory responsibilities are driving the current migration to
multi-cloud/SaaS and hybrid WAN.
As enterprises get further along this journey, we expect
that:
-
Integrated Security will be a MUST for all enterprises. While security is
already top of mind for all enterprises, the cost and complexity of current
approaches will not meet the needs of the market. Additionally, enforcement of
the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the EU is likely going to
ripple to other parts of the world. This will make a multi-layer and full
security implementation in the network a MUST.
-
Consumerization of
IT in enterprise networking and WAN
Edge. Over the next 24 months, we anticipate the need for a radically simpler
user and administrator experience. We expect enterprises will want the same
simplicity of setup/configure/manage/operate that smart home routers (the
popular eero, for example) provide to consumers today.
-
Micro-Segmentation will be needed across the entire network.
We anticipate that the need for isolating different users and applications will
be needed from the LAN to the WAN to the Data Center.This will be driven by
multiple factors. First is the need to reduce the risk zones not just from
external threats but from internal threats. Secondly, the need to consolidate
disparate environments into a single network. The ability to deliver different
lines of business (or IT and OT) across the same infrastructure while maintaining
isolated management and control is key to streamlined networking.
- Dynamic, Contextual Visibility and Control will become crucial.We are hearing from enterprise
thought leaders that evolved IT infrastructure should allow differentiated delivery
based on users, location, application and other variables. For example, a CXO
travelling across multiple offices may require a different experience than the
global policy implemented for an application.Current solutions require
stitching multiple tools together, and don't meet enterprise thresholds for
speed and agility.Over the next 24 months, we anticipate that enterprises
will look for a simpler way of implementing and enforcing contextual policy
that cuts across the entire network, not just the WAN.
It's no wonder there's a lot of energy and focus around
software-defined networking solutions. We're demanding more speed, reliability,
visibility and control at the same time that the volume of traffic and connected
endpoints is surging. Add to that our rising expectations for automation,
integrated security, scalability, and easy deployments. It's not much of a
gamble to say that 2019 will be a busy, productive, and innovative year of
growth in the field of enterprise networking.
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About the
Author
Robert McBride is the Head of Product Marketing at Versa Networks,
responsible for Versa's software-defined solutions portfolio - SD-WAN,
SD-Security and SD-Branch. Rob has spent the last 15+ years designing,
marketing, and launching solutions and products spanning SDN/NFV, SD-WAN, Voice
(TDM/VoIP), and DC virtualization. He brings a wide range of experience from
senior roles in sales engineering, field support, product management and
marketing.