Preparing for the Hybrid Future
higher cloud usage and spend than expected before the pandemic. Data storage needs, as well as software-as-a-service (SaaS) offerings, will continue to proliferate, and the move to the cloud will continue to accelerate.
However, as employees and customers venture back to physical business locations, so will certain applications. For example, latency requirements to run some 5G networks require processing close to the radios, and we can expect to see other latency-critical applications, such as robotics and high-definition interactive video, to pull computing back from the cloud to the edge. While improvements in WiFi and reductions in physical link latency will improve cloud application performance and be sufficient for most computing, there will continue to be new applications that are too latency-sensitive to operate remotely.
Moreover, as the connection between the cloud and the edge becomes increasingly important, IT departments will need to leverage best-of-breed last-mile networking tools to create flexible and application-aware networks that can route traffic intelligently.
What Are the Technical Demands?
- Bandwidth. Without a doubt, the need for more bandwidth will not abate anytime soon. Secure, reliable, high-performance connectivity from, to and in between applications, data warehouses, partners and customers will be even more important going forward.
- Advanced cybersecurity. As endpoints multiply and network perimeters expand, organizations will invariably become exposed to new risks. The most effective way to counter an ever-evolving slate of threats will be through some combination of employee education, advanced security and trusted partners to augment IT teams with managed services. Advanced security includes capabilities like application-aware firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention, and secure web gateways.
- Secure access. Far-flung workforces are the norm, but we haven’t yet replicated the in-office experience in remote settings. To mirror the convenience and security of the office, organizations will need to implement remote connectivity, identity management, endpoint bandwidth assurance, endpoint security, traffic management, remote monitoring and more.
- Agility and flexibility–at scale. Legacy networks are simply no longer viable. Enterprise IT teams need the capability to manage multiple and diverse network connections through a single pane of glass. As companies continue to transform how they operate, the application-centric routing and prioritization capabilities of software-defined networking will be crucial.
Extending, enhancing and securing your network technology foundation will help enable better customer and employee experiences, business agility, operational efficiency and risk management. There’s a lot to do. And we know there are no one-size-fits-all solutions.
As an IT leader who navigated the trials of the pandemic, you are empowered (and expected) to prepare for what’s next. A strong technology partner will help optimize your current technology to set the foundation for digital business growth. At Comcast Business, we can help.
This guest blog is part of a Channel Futures sponsorship.
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