Industry executives and experts share their predictions for 2023. Read them in this 15th annual VMblog.com series exclusive.
Digital Transformation is a Never-Ending Process
By Members of Aryaka
Enterprises have made great strides to
transform to meet the fundamental changes in the day-to-day operations of their
workforces, as well as the world around them. Now with continued economic
challenges, as well changing expectations in the state of work, enterprises are
still fully invested in pursuing their digital transformation journeys. The
pandemic may have put the need for digital transformation front and center for
decision makers, but it is apparent that digital transformation is a
never-ending process. Enterprises will continue to closely evaluate different
models of operation for their organizations and will ultimately adopt the
technologies that facilitate this transformation most seamlessly. With this as
a central focus in the upcoming year, 2023 will bring about many new changes.
Renuka Nadkarni, Chief Product Officer
During times of economic downturn every
potential risk is heightened. There is an unmistakable vulnerability inherent
in the physical assets that make up an organization's network infrastructure.
While not unique to the present moment, recent events have exposed these
vulnerabilities to both natural and man-made disasters by way of extreme weather,
viral outbreaks, supply chain fragility and escalating state warfare.
Enterprises will make major investments in the dynamic relocation of physical
assets to areas of relative security in the face of this growing risk.
There will be a renewed focus on addressing
potential WAN fragmentation due to political realities, and how to handle
end-to-end applications and data, given current and upcoming regulations.
Organizations will prioritize working with providers who understand this, as
well as growing data sovereignty requirements.
Dennis Monner, Chief Commerical Officer
Similarly, the continued growth in
cyber-attacks is apparent and shows no signs of slowing down. Compounded with
unsteady economic headwinds, each successful and costly cyber-attack will prove
increasingly devastating as margins tighten. Enterprises will put additional
focus, and subsequent investment, in protecting their global infrastructure
from asymmetric threats in hopes of reducing harm when attacks occur and
shoring up business resilience.
One area of focus for enterprises hoping to
mitigate the risks of cyber-attacks is Zero Trust. Zero trust security is going
from a period of conceptualization to implementation. As zero trust grows in
importance and delivers tangible value in keeping enterprise networks secure,
it will lead to a better understanding of zero trust as a model among decision
makers. This shared understanding will lead to further, more meaningful
implementation through multiple layers of enterprise networks.
DeAndra Jean-Louis, Chief Customer Officer
While there is an emphasis on investment in IT
training and education to meet the growing needs throughout the industry, the
talent gap that exists is now undeniable. As such, DIY in-house approaches are
becoming increasingly expensive, if not completely unfeasible, in meeting the
growing needs of complex networks which require cutting-edge solutions. Given
this reality, enterprises will continue to see managed offers more favorably
and as a way to make up for the lack of in-house talent. It will also enable
them to gain the benefits of complicated solutions within their enterprises
without the risks that come with implementing them on their own.
With AI and ML proving to be increasingly
reliable and even surpassing expectations in real world deployments across
industries, AI/ML will make another major leap next year in the form of
mainstream trust and heavier investments from organizations. With the talent
gap remaining a major obstacle to overcome throughout IT departments,
organizations will need to make the most of the information they have access
to. Aggregate WAN data gives incredible insights into the traffic patterns and
bandwidth of enterprise networks and presents a key source for overcoming the
IT talent gap. Enterprises will leverage this aggregate WAN data in AIOps
deployments to automate intensive tasks where possible, optimizing network
performance and alleviating IT teams to focus on more meaningful tasks.
Matt Carter, Chief Executive Officer Aryaka
Enterprises cannot only focus on external
risk; internal transformation will continue to remain a central focus. How and
where work is done is the centerpiece here. Initially a stepping stone to a
return to the office, hybrid work environments are no longer seen as transitory
but rather an expected flexibility to the benefits of both employees and
organizations. Organizations are now well aware that employees can remain
productive working from home, though access to office space is still valuable.
Of course, the nature of each company varies greatly. That said, in the near
future we will see hybrid work environments endure. Organizations will need to
retain the ability to offer a scalable hybrid offering, rather than a temporary
one, with continual investment in technologies that improve the capability,
connectivity, and security for those working away from the office.
Finally, in tumultuous times, the ability for
organizations to predict the future of the market decreases, while the need for
adapting and reacting increases. The uncertainty of what 2023 may bring is
disconcerting but recognizable at this point. The future will show that those
organizations that remain nimble, grant room for pivoting, and adopt an
attitude and approach that emphasizes adaptability, will be positioned to
succeed through these uncertain times.
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