2024 network plans dogged by uncertainty, diverging strategies>
Network World – Tom Nolle
CIOs are expressing concerns and anticipating significant issues in their network planning for 2024.
They feel increased pressure compared to previous years, mainly due to cloud-related challenges rather than network-specific issues.
The combination of the internet and the cloud has transformed the computing landscape, with virtual networking becoming prevalent in WAN, data centers, and the cloud.
Virtualization, as a major trend, aims to create services that resemble traditional resources but are managed by providers.
It disconnects users and applications from the underlying technology, giving more control to the network’s users.
In response, network vendors are adapting, with Cisco acquiring Splunk for enhanced security, software, and AI capabilities, while Juniper’s Apstra product supports dynamic configuration based on goals.
However, this proliferation of strategies and efforts to cater to different missions has led to a lack of consensus, with CIOs struggling to adopt a single network architecture model.
Additionally, the complexity of network management has increased, with the absence of a centralized Network Operations Center (NOC) and a single source of truth for network status.
The rise of observability reflects the difficulty in identifying the root causes of outages due to multiple potential factors.
The challenges for 2024 arise from a combination of vendor initiatives to boost sales and changing network requirements influenced by cloud adoption and cost considerations.
Despite recognizing the benefits, CIOs have yet to develop concrete plans or identify specific vendors for a unified virtual network strategy.
Overall, the network landscape is evolving rapidly, and CIOs are grappling with the complexities and uncertainties it presents.
Link: https://www.networkworld.com/article/957464/2024-network-plans-dogged-by-uncertainty-diverging-strategies.html