Simplifying network transformation post COVID-19

Managing complex environments using traditional networks is time-consuming and expensive, especially in migration and network configuration. Programmable networks can mitigate these challenges, while reducing security risks. Here's how.

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Simplifying network transformation post COVID-19

“The software-defined approach also catapults networking into the world of application programming interfaces (APIs), which opens up many new possibilities for network simplification and transformation.”

Networks are becoming more complex with the enterprise environment and workforce now more distributed than ever, thanks to COVID-19. At the same time, enterprises need their networks to be resilient and agile enough to meet disruption head-on – a business imperative that has taken on a new urgency with the pandemic.

The expectation is that the network should be something businesses can take advantage of to create a competitive advantage, transform the way they operate and change the way they interact with employees and customers. It will have to support the dynamic deployment of services both internally to employees and across the business, and externally to customers. And this has to be done in minutes or even seconds, in response to unpredictable demands.

Getting a traditional enterprise network to meet these expectations will be tricky. In a traditional network, the control and data-forwarding planes are integrated within a box, so each networking device has to be configured and managed independently. This means that even simple changes to the network can take months to complete.

As additional hardware gets added to support the rollout of new services, the surge in traffic and the proliferation of connected devices, the task of configuring and managing the network can be overwhelming.

For a more effective response, enterprises need to start taking advantage of programmable networks.

TechTarget defines1 a programmable network as one in which “the behaviour of network devices and flow control is handled by software that operates independently from network hardware”.

Transforming such a network will involve re-programming it, instead of having to re-build it manually.

Network programmability is central to software-defined networking (SDN). By separating the software that manages the network from the hardware that actually controls the traffic flow, such as the routers and switches, the network can be centrally administered and independently programmed.

The software-defined approach also catapults networking into the world of application programming interfaces (APIs), which opens up many new possibilities for network simplification and transformation.

APIs help pave the way for network automation. They allow the network to be integrated with tools and platforms that can help automate routine tasks such as port and access list configuration and the setting of quality of service and load balancing policies. This greatly simplifies the provisioning and managing of network resources required for a service or application, and also reduces security risks such as errors in network configuration.

A programmable network is also able to connect easily to key cloud service providers, and integrate with other IT tools to improve network and application performance. For example, data on traffic flow, port configurations, network paths, path health, and the overall quality of the network can be integrated into network intelligence and monitoring technologies. The network can then be programmed to respond to application status and resource requirements so that bandwidth and resources can be allocated more efficiently to optimise traffic flow and to respond to unexpected network demands. Packets can also be prioritised for traffic shaping in order to maximise network performance and, by extension, application performance as well.

And all these can be achieved with heightened security. With an SDN, software controls can be centralised, allowing for a consolidated view of the whole network – the topology, architecture and different nodes where hosts connect to the network. Data packets can be routed to optimise the efficiency of data capture by intrusion detection and intrusion protection devices. Dynamic programming and changes in network configuration, feasible only when it is done in software, helps reduce the risk of distributed denial of service attacks.

These capabilities enable enterprises to respond quickly to the opportunities of digitalisation without compromising security.

A programmable network enables businesses to innovate at speed. Their DevOps teams now have instant access to services and resources that they need to build apps for a cloud-centric world, scale capacity on-demand, and reduce time to market for new products and services.

They can reach out to new markets through partnerships, interconnecting their SDNs to partner networks using APIs to enable new services to be added in an instant.

They are also well positioned to create new digital experiences promised by emerging technologies such as 5G, augmented reality and virtual reality. The programmability of the network will enable enterprises to integrate these new applications easily and quickly into their infrastructure while managing growing traffic loads and mission-critical applications.

The deployment of a programmable, software-defined infrastructure is thus a crucial step towards network simplification and transformation, which in turn paves the way for many new business possibilities. With centralised control and automation, programmable networks deliver the agility, flexibility and scalability that enterprises need to deliver on the organisational objectives, opportunities and competitive challenges as they go through an era of massive disruption.

Contact us to build your programmable network today.
 

1 TechTarget, Programmable network (PN).

 

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