Fueling the next-gen network transformation

An evolving and robust network is a key piece in the puzzle of organisational transformation, as enterprises ready themselves for adopting upcoming technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), 5G, augmented reality (AR), and others. A network that meets the demands of both employees and customers will be able to accommodate seamless adoption of new technologies, and power innovation within the enterprise.

To this end, there are three main points to note when it comes to network transformation ambitions: organisations need to get on board with cloud adoption; they need to commit to a software-defined network (SDN); and,to ensure that all transformation intentions and processes adhere to solid business objectives, with measurable metrics in place every step along the way.

The cloud is not simply about a new mode of application delivery — it is a shift in thinking about the way a business functions. The network is a crucial aspect of this shift, as a future-ready network that accounts for agility, elasticity and is adaptable to the device era will work hand-in-hand with cloud-related infrastructure advancements.

Multi-cloud and hybrid environments have become a necessity for enterprises to reap the benefits of economies of scale. At the same time, security concerns around the disappearing network perimeter and a host of new technologies such as IoT are throwing up new challenges in managing networks. Network transformation that incorporates a cloud adoption strategy can help an enterprise ready itself for most eventualities; at the same time, embracing the cloud helps reorient the enterprise in the way it thinks about on-demand resources and variable bandwidth — vital aspects of network transformation.

According to an IDC survey¹, ‘13% [of companies] have not brought together digital innovations across their organisations onto a single platform and are mainly driven by the fact that digital IT environments are often established separately from the traditional enterprise IT platform.’

The adoption of SDN as a core platform for network innovation fits very well with some of the needs of a dynamic, real-time enterprise: simplification of networking complexity, scalability, easy transitions to virtualised environments, and cost reduction, among other things. Even as SDN deployment gathers momentum, it can be seen as an important step in the digital transformation agenda.

The ability of an SDN to abstract the data from the control plane allows an enterprise to seamlessly deploy applications on the cloud yet maintain deep visibility into the network. It also allows IT teams to test and deploy applications without disrupting services, which can prompt greater innovation in in-house IT application development.

An analytics or a performance monitoring layer is easily introduced into SDNs, which in turn can provide insights into application performance and efficiency, and thus directly impact business operations and costs.

The best transformation endeavours start with a specific business objective, and then probing into IT for the best possible solutions to achieve that. All network adjustments and redesign have to be measured and benchmarked against specific business goals.

In a manufacturing facility, for example, IoT devices could be embedded in machines (in the thousands) to measure the efficiency of machines and sound alerts in case of imminent breakdowns or faults, or to monitor wear and tear. Networks need to be ready to relay data from these sensors and provide a bird’s eye view into all devices, in which network monitoring, a device monitoring or analytics layer can play an important role. Networks always need to designed with the end users in mind, and their effectiveness in fulfilling this purpose require accurate measurement of metrics and realistic benchmarking.

The relentless demand from employees and customers, so used to seamless consumer experiences, are forcing enterprises to adapt. This is pushing network managers towards more open, simpler, more agile, and more fluid networks, to cope with internal demands of innovation and external demands for better user experiences. Ultimately, network transformation is one of the key aspects of digital transformation: no organisation can call itself a truly digital enterprise if a critical infrastructure layer — the network — is stuck in the age of hard perimeters, rigid bandwidths and desktop client connectivity.

Find out how Singtel Liquid Infrastructure™, a next-generation software-driven platform can help you transform your network.

Download this IDC whitepaper ‘Digital Transformation in the Intelligence Economy’, commissioned by Singtel, for fresh insight on DX.

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¹Digital Transformation in the Intelligence Economy, IDC January 2019