Tom Nolle is founder and principal analyst at Andover Intel, a unique consulting and analysis firm that looks at evolving technologies and applications first from the perspective of the buyer and the buyers’ needs. Tom is a programmer, software architect, and manager of large software and network products by background, and he has been providing consulting services and technology analysis for decades. He’s a regular author of articles on networking, software development, and cloud computing as well as emerging technologies like IoT, AI, and the metaverse.
Enterprises need a single networking model that can support SD-WAN and virtual networking in order to get the most out of their cloud resources.
Virtual networking will drive NaaS evolution, and cloud-hosted security options will explode.
Enterprises that used cloud networking as part of their network strategy cut network costs 5% to 50%
Accept that the cloud is now part of the data center and needs to be incorporated in a low-latency mesh that supports modern applications.
Remote work and the cloud have taught us to focus on connecting people to the applications and information resources they need rather than focus on pure site-connectivity goals.
SASE can deliver needed information for more workers and for less cost than MPLS VPNs providing comparable connectivity.
As network complexity grows, so does the complexity of dealing with it effectively.
With routing software deployed on off-the-shelf hardware, enterprises can reap the benefits of virtual routing that can extend to data centers and promote savings.
Before adding more layers to network security, consider the benefits of explicit network permission, backed by AI-driven traffic analysis.
Broadcom’s chips plus VMware software could be the bridge that connects applications in data centers with the cloud.
Network-as-a-service is popularly defined as expensing network technology and management rather than doing it yourself, but there’s a better way to look at it.
Google’s Aquila project is establishing a model for high-performance meshing that can handle the most demanding data-center workloads.
Connected devices need a safe, reliable network of things (NoT) that ties them together, but that glue is likely IoT-specific protocols, not the internet.
Private 5G is a major step, so consider what devices need it, whether they move around and require privacy, and whether Wi-Fi you already have meets the need.
The ‘best’ traffic paths chosen by routers in a network won’t necessarily be the fastest ones.
Rather than layering security onto networks, the networks and carefully managed authorization policies can hinder attacks, but at an administrative cost.
Smart-building controllers can reduce risk of smart devices being used as entry points to the LAN, but they should be chosen and managed carefully.
Software-defined networking gives tighter control over network topology and management, and those not using it might find SDN is already supported in their networking gear.
Work-at-home has revealed inadequacies in perimeter firewalls and VPNs that Zero Trust can remedy if you’re willing to put in the time.
Use RFIs and RFPs to get good information about private 5G gear and to avoid being duped by stories possibly generated by 'unnamed vendors' looking to lock you into their products.
As software-defined networking becomes more dominant, the APIs offered up by one networking vendor can more severely limit interoperability with products made by others.
Juniper Networks recently made a crisp, aggressive technology presentation to analysts, but for enterprises looking to buy, it’s tough to find an equally clear story on its website.
Like it or not, as workers come to expect metaverse communications, enterprises networks will have to support it, so IT pros need to start planning now to fight its biggest enemy: latency.
It’s hard to set priorities for buying IT technology when vendors poorly explain what they do, how they do it, and what the concrete benefits are. Asking them these four questions can break the information logjam.
In enterprise networks, best-of-breed may be a good choice, but what does ‘best’ mean?
SD-WAN overhead, on ramps, off ramps, and security are variable and must be chosen carefully to satisfy your requirements.
If you’re considering private 5G for an IoT project, you’ll need to learn a lot, choose between white-box switches and servers, and maybe decide that Wi-Fi 6 is a better idea.
Netops specialists are hard to find, and Cisco, Extreme, and Juniper are among those trying to fill the void with managed services.
Prepping for hybrid cloud relies on essentials like developing in-house expertise and careful analysis that proves out what the cost benefits will be.
Integrating white-box switches and routers into business networks has its challenges, but properly scaled and vetted deployments can save money.
Who, in the entire IT space, wouldn’t like to see an uptick in tech spending? Enterprises would see new purchases easier to make, vendors would make more money, and technologists in general would have a new sense of excitement and mission.
Even if traditional data-center tasks are all moved to the cloud, there will still be a need for on-site infrastructure that will ultimately require what looks like a traditional data center.
NaaS might thrill CFOs trying to keep costs down, but a careful look is warranted to make sure the potential benefits are really there.
In Microsoft’s hands, Nuance’s Dragon speech-to-text technology plus AI could turn Cortana into an assistant that figures out what you’re up to and delivers data you need before you ask.
While open networking may sound like it’s made up of interoperating parts that make for greater flexibility, it’s more difficult to achieve than you might think.
Hype around 5G suggests it will prompt revolutionary changes in what wireless is used for, but it’s success will be providing better answers to existing problems.
Managed SD-WAN devices at the edge could be how network operators personalize services for enterprises.