Based on research findings and industry activities, here are four enterprise networking visions worth considering.
1. Enhance Your Network Automation
Network automation is challenging, as it relates to almost every aspect of network planning and operations.
In terms of programmability, enterprise networks lag significantly behind cloud and server technologies, and this must change. This is a well-known issue according to a 2024 research report by the Enterprise Strategy Group.
2. Reassess Your Approach to Network Observability
Observability is not just a new name for monitoring; it comes with clear expectations regarding integrity, context, and actionability. Here are three important aspects to consider.
First, does the telemetry data you collect include metrics, logs, and traces? All three must be covered and are regularly related to relevance and analysis.
Second, can you add application and business context to the raw observability data you are collecting? This is a significant differentiator that can identify signals amid the noise and focus on the most critical issues.
Third, are you leveraging both passive and active techniques? Passive testing is suitable for troubleshooting and planning purposes, while active or comprehensive testing is a necessary complement for proactively assessing user experience.
3. Invest in Network and Security Integration
Security has always been a top concern for network teams, but strangely, networks rarely become a primary concern for security teams. This is not entirely surprising, as security teams are trying to cover many areas, and networking is just one aspect. So, what should enterprise network teams do?
Ensure you have a solid grasp of network security terminology and the key features available for networking. Integrated systems like SASE can be seen as an evolution of SD-WAN, enhancing the breadth and depth of security, along with a universal security policy front for complex multi-cloud networks. Dive deep into your network observability tools to understand how and where they help achieve security goals. Deploy network automation to handle patch management and policy compliance. Finally, engage in open dialogue with the security team to see how networking can best play a role in risk reduction.
4. Focus on the Power of AI
Artificial intelligence is one of the most dynamic trends in IT and should be on every network team’s “watch list.” AI technologies are maturing and evolving at an incredible pace, with numerous relevant projects going into production. Many companies are upgrading their networks in anticipation of AI by building new data center infrastructures to internally host learning clusters and upgrading access and distribution networks to facilitate data collection and improve latency profiles. Furthermore, the steady development of applying AI to networking practices continues.
UPWAN Enterprise Cloud Network, a next-generation enterprise network solution, helps businesses establish private enterprise networks through a global backbone and virtualization technology, incorporating a built-in “zero trust” security framework to ensure internal network security at the finest granularity.
UPWAN’s enterprise cloud network solution is suitable for various application scenarios, including multi-branch network interconnection, mobile office access, application acceleration, cloud/hybrid cloud, identity access, network isolation, and internet behavior management, helping enterprises save approximately 75% on network costs while continuously enhancing the network experience and creating value.
To date, Shangwan Network has served over a hundred group companies, including Kuka Home, Deli Stationery, and Haitian Plastic Machinery.
