Changes wrought by COVID-19 have led enterprises to automate, distribute and secure networks as part of overall IT transformations, ISG Provider Lens™ report says
Many Australian enterprises are adopting software-defined networking (SDN) as they carry out broad digital transformations to support business continuity, remote work and overall competitiveness, according to a new research report published today by Information Services Group (ISG) (Nasdaq: III), a leading global technology research and advisory firm.
The 2022 ISG Provider Lens™ Network — Software Defined Solutions and Services report for Australia notes Australian companies have seen significant changes to work models, supply chains and overall business requirements in recent years, in many cases due to the COVID-19 pandemic. To support new ways of operating, organizations have begun to build software-defined-everything (SDx) architectures, which is leading them to increase their network capacity and re-evaluate network configurations and security.
“The need for more flexibility, automation and security is challenging rigid IT architectures at Australian companies,” said Troy Williams, digital lead for ISG Asia Pacific based in Australia. “Many are now moving from traditional networking to SDN.”
The pandemic has fueled faster cloud migration, more distributed networks, more use of collaboration tools and the movement of applications from on-premises data centers to cloud-hosted environments, the report says. One effect has been that companies now have more reason to seek SD-WAN solutions to support SaaS and IaaS environments.
Demand for edge computing technology also is expected to grow dramatically over the next 12 months in Australia, where companies are still in the early days of realizing its potential, ISG says. Enterprises are especially focused on improving application performance, but edge computing also comes with challenges around resilience, security and operational efficiency.
Australian companies need to develop a greater understanding of how SDN works hand in hand with cloudification, mobility and digital business transformation, ISG says. Over the next five years, creating next-generation enterprises in Australia may require new network ecosystems that incorporate a wide array of technologies, including multi-cloud architectures, secure access service edge (SASE), AI-assisted network automation and 5G/Wi-Fi 6 convergence.
The report also explores several other trends in Australia related to SDN, including an escalation in enterprise security requirements, the sale of SD-WAN solutions for DIY (non-managed) implementations and SDN suppliers’ growing role as advisors and consultants.
The 2022 ISG Provider Lens™ Network — Software Defined Solutions and Services report for Australia evaluates the capabilities of 40 providers across five quadrants: Managed (SD) WAN Services, SDN Transformation Services (Consulting and Implementation), Enterprise Networks Technology and Service Suppliers, Edge Technologies and Services, and Secure Access Service Edge (SASE).
The report names Infosys, Orange Business Services and Wipro as Leaders in all five quadrants. It names Telstra as a Leader in four quadrants and Cisco, NTT, Tech Mahindra and Verizon as Leaders in three quadrants each. Datacom, HPE Aruba and Tata Communications are named as Leaders in two quadrants each, and Aryaka, Cato Networks, Citrix, Data#3, Dicker Data, Juniper Networks, Macquarie Telecom, Nuage Networks, Versa and VMware are named as Leaders in one quadrant each.
In addition, Datacom, Empired, HCL, Lumen, Nuage Networks and Verizon are named as Rising Stars — companies with a “promising portfolio” and “high future potential” by ISG’s definition — in one quadrant each.
The 2022 ISG Provider Lens™ Network — Software Defined Solutions and Services report for Australia is available to subscribers or for one-time purchase on this webpage.
Visit AITechPark for cutting-edge Tech Trends around AI, ML, Cybersecurity, along with AITech News, and timely updates from industry professionals!
