According to Gartner, global IT spending will exceed $4.4 billion by the end of 2022. While software and services lead the categories for spending, networks remain an integral part of any IT enterprise's backbone. Keeping up with the latest network technology trends in 2023 should be a core objective for such organizations.
But in 2023, it's not just new technology that IT companies should adopt — they should also rethink how they build, manage and maintain their networks.
Embracing new, better technology can only work if the infrastructure has high availability and efficient maintenance. So, how best to get started?
In this article, we'll discuss:
- The top five networking technology trends.
- How those trends can solve existing problems.
- How to create new opportunities for IT enterprises.
Looking for other ways to optimize your network performance? Try these articles:
- Configure Your Devices Network Time With This Guide
- A Guide to Optimize Network Performance by Configuring Rapid RVST+
- Configure Network Security Using an ACL in SVI Environments
Understanding SD-WAN: The Top Trend in Networking
Not so surprisingly, Software-Defined Wide Area Networks (SD-WAN) will continue to be the top trend in networking. The global SD-WAN market is projected to reach $12 billion by 2030, which clearly indicates that technology adoption will continue to increase in 2023.
It makes sense for IT enterprises to adopt, given the exponential increase in cloud-based applications, especially with Software as a Service (SaaS) and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS). Traditional WAN was not created for this kind of traffic and bandwidth.
It uses a central control function to drive traffic and leverage a combination of transport services based on application needs without compromising security.
SD-WAN is also addressing the change in how companies operate in a post-COVID world where many employees work remotely and need to access the organizational network via the internet. As a result, multi-label protocol switching (MPLS) is out the door as more and more enterprises adopt SD-WAN.
Earlier, companies with remote employees in their workforce relied on a virtual private network (VPN). However, SD-WAN seems to be the only reliable and secure solution with networks distributed ever more so in different clouds. It can improve not only security but also deployment and performance rates.
Adoption of WiFi 6 and 6E
WiFi 6 and its extension WiFi 6E have improved wireless speeds significantly and lowered latency. While WiFi 6 has been adopted widely, the adoption of WiFi 6E has been slow, mainly because it's not backward compatible. So 2023 will see more adoption of WiFi 6E as more compatible devices become available.
WiFi 6E only works with 6E compatible devices and exclusively uses the 6 GHz band. So adopting WiFi 6E or even WiFi 6 requires a major overhaul of network infrastructure. That means WiFi 6 and WiFi 6E-enabled switches and access points.
Even though WiFi 6 has been around for a couple of years, some companies were hesitant to adopt it due to the changing work dynamic and the move to woron-siteom home. With more access points, one of the many advantages of WiFi 6 is device density. With fewer people working on site, there wasn't as much need for this new generation of WiFi.
However, that was then, and many people are now returning to offices. Still, working from home has become a norm in many enterprises following a hybrid approach, which presents an opportunity and incentive for internet services providers (ISPs) to adopt WiFi 6 and 6E.
As people continue working from home, the need for faster internet with low latency will increase. So ISPs will need to upgrade their networks to adopt the latest generation of WiFi, particularly WiFi 6E.
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Before we continue, ask yourself a couple of questions:
Do I have the time and expertise to handle wireless installations/configurations?
Do I have the resources to troubleshoot any issues on my network?
If you answered "No" to these questions, let PivIT handle it all with our EXTEND offering. Hire an engineer to take care of troubleshooting, configurations, and more.
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A Focus on AI Enablement
Much like other technology factions, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has also penetrated networking technology, but its scope will only increase in 2023.
AI's usage in network software, particularly for supporting critical network hardware, is likely to increase as more manufacturers offer AI-powered software for servers, next-generation firewalls, routers, switches, etc.
So far, the focus of AI in networking equipment has been security and analytics, but it has potential beyond that. The need for constant monitoring will only increase with the increasingly distributed nature of modern enterprise networks. This is where AI can come in handy in detecting problems in real time and resolving them before they get big and result in downtime.
AI in cybersecurity is poised to reach $38.2 billion by 2026. We'll see the incorporation of more AI-enabled network security and management software in 2023. AI-powered Cloud Controllers are a game-changer in cloud networking, with manufacturers like Juniper and Aruba producing cutting-edge technology.
Similarly, AI can also help manage the use and productivity of employees working remotely. It can also help maintain better security as organizational networks extend to homes.
Ensuring In-Stock Infrastructure
An often overlooked aspect of network management is inventory. Your network is only as good as the infrastructure it's made of. If one component fails and there's no replacement for it, the entire network or critical parts of it may be compromised. Such blunders can cost millions, depending on the size of the enterprise.
Supply shortages in tech that began during the pandemic closures worldwide are still impacting IT businesses and, by extension, other industries. The delays in the supply of critical materials and components for tech have made it clear that IT enterprises need spare infrastructure readily available to avoid potential network downtime.
With the help of reliable stockists, enterprises can ensure that critical network devices are readily available for all their locations.
Relying on OEMs or VARs that don't have devices in stock can quickly become an expensive mistake.
Did you know PivIT stocks $100M+ on our shelves so that we can offer dependable infrastructure solutions with guaranteed delivery and significantly short lead times?
Understanding Hybrid Maintenance
In 2023, IT enterprises like cloud providers, telecommunication companies, and data centers should re-evaluate their network maintenance strategy. Unfortunately, network maintenance is one area where many IT companies lack a strong strategy, resulting in equipment maintenance gaps.
A hybrid maintenance approach combining short-term and long-term contracts with OEMs and third parties can provide a balanced, efficient, and cost-effective solution.
For many enterprises, maintenance on OEM-covered devices poses many problems. It's often not long enough to support a realistic lifespan of the device. For legacy equipment, there's simply no coverage. Only relying on third parties has its fair share of challenges as the support may not be as good as that of OEMs.
PivIT's OneCall maintenance can realize the hybrid maintenance strategy with the help of the all-encompassing OneHub platform. This proprietary platform brings OEM and PivIT-provided maintenance in one place, making IT asset management a breeze.
Such an approach offers more freedom and cost savings as you don't have to rely exclusively on OEMs or third parties to manage and maintain IT assets. You can use a combination of the two as per your needs. This saves money in the long run and ensures you have dedicated maintenance and tech support to lean on and keep your devices updated.
Trends to Take Away
It's essential for IT businesses or any enterprise that relies on networking technology to stay up to date with the latest trends. In an increasingly competitive environment, lagging in technology is a recipe for falling behind.
It's also important from security and compliance points because network threats are only becoming more sophisticated. For that reason, enterprises must employ better strategies to protect their assets, employees, and customers.
That doesn't just include using the latest technology but also maintaining existing infrastructure and integrating it with the new ones.
By keeping all of that in mind, you'll be well on your way to embracing better technology that will go a long way in helping you achieve your core objectives.
