Enterprise Chief Information Officers’ (CIO) going through massive transformation projects are often focused on the implementation and adoption of new technologies. Whether it’s onboarding a new Enterprise Resource Planning (system) or modernising the IT infrastructure, the enterprise’s network is usually overlooked.
While the network might be something to keep the lights on, it has proven to be more than just a utility with the advent of Software-Defined Networking (SDN). The network has transformed from a static IT function to a dynamic, scalable foundation for solving a whole range of CIOs’ headaches.
Powering the World with Connectivity
Connectivity powers our world of digital services and applications. By itself, network transformation is not going to be as exciting as other Digital Transformation projects in Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Blockchain. However, it is going to be the bedrock for building these new technologies. Ultimately, it is about driving efficiency in the workforce as well as delivering consistent user experience for the end users.
With SDN, networking has become as easy to consume as Cloud-based services like Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) – agile, scalable and on-demand. CIOs can find real benefit in on-demand Ethernet services as they scale their enterprise IT to the Cloud and connect across the globe.
An article on CIO.com outlined the biggest issues for CIOs. While an SDN platform’s on-demand Ethernet services might not be able to solve everything, it is going to play a significant role in supporting the overall enterprise IT goal.
Here are four of the pain points highlighted by CIO.com that on-demand Ethernet services can help in solving:
- Innovation and Transformation On-demand Ethernet services streamline the delivery of new applications and services with a cost structure that supports long-term innovation and transformation. Unlike legacy networking, it is purpose-built for the transformation in the Cloud to enable enterprises to scale globally. At the same time, a pay-as-you-use model allows enterprises to spend less and become more efficient. There is no need to be locked into long-term contracts and overspend on unutilised network capacity. Enterprises get their connectivity through a single platform which simplifies their operations, while gaining a cost-effective and Cloud-centric foundation for innovation.
- Lack of Agility More and more enterprises are building DevOps capabilities and culture centred on user experience and business agility. They need connectivity that is hyper-scalable, instantly available and high performance to fortify their agile methodologies. On-demand Ethernet services enable them to rapidly turn up new applications and services, pushing out new updates in new and existing markets, while scaling to meet user demands in new locations. They can move faster with a consistent Quality of Service (QoS) and Experience (QoE) on their network which remove the limits on their organisation’s growth.
- Tools for the Digital Workforce The digital workforce thrives on Cloud-based applications and services, especially in ‘Born in the Cloud’ companies. CIOs have to implement technology that is familiar to digital native yet simple enough to be used by everyone.  An SDN platform is simple to use and customisable which gives the users full control over the network. This does not only reduce the time and resources dedicated towards training and staffing, but also stimulates innovation amongst employees. It is also a flexible way to order, provision and manage Ethernet services on-demand without going through lengthy procurement process seen in traditional services.
- Rebuilding Trust One of the most interesting points made by CIO.com is that users no longer trust IT. Data protection requires a holistic approach from policy to cybersecurity, and the network tends to be a vulnerable spot because it is often underestimated by CIOs. With the growing number of services and applications moving to the Cloud, CIOs are becoming responsible for large volumes of data that are both private and sensitive. Whether it’s between connecting between Clouds or interconnecting data centres, private connection is absolutely critical. An SDN platform can enable enterprises to directly access Cloud Service Providers (CSP) and interconnect data centre by relying on a dedicated Ethernet service.
If a CIO is looking for answers, they should begin by looking into their enterprise network and work their way up from there. Tackling the biggest challenges in enterprise IT begins with exploring new networking models that help them solve challenges in the long-term and give them the freedom to scale the business.
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