Computer networking is the catalyst for a large portion of modern business growth. A great deal of investment is spent nowadays to ensure solid network performance, speed, and responsiveness.
Enterprise networking has also been changing considerably over the years. As of 2018, many recent trends have popped up. Here are some high-profile changes that are coming to the networking industry.
Doing Work in the Cloud
Expect most organizations to get some extra mileage out of those Juniper routers and Cisco switches this year. Cloud storage and cloud computing, in which data is being stored or work is being done over the Internet on off-site servers, is on the rise.
For consumers, this trend means more people buying digital licenses and downloading or streaming the content they consume, whether it be movies, music, or games. For businesses, IT departments are expected to be connected 24/7 for instant technical support and issue diagnostics.
Increased Spending
Over half of IT professionals surveyed by Interop ITX researchers state that they expect their companies to spend more on networking this coming year. Spending may include technical support for currently existing hardware, additional networking equipment like Juniper routers or Dell servers, and enhanced security measures.
Many IT workers thus find that reducing cost is a great challenge in business networking, more so than ensuring network efficiency in many cases.
A Larger Focus on Security
A leading cause of that increased spending is network security. Corporate data breaches are occurring with increasing frequency and put both the organization and its customers at risk whenever sensitive data like credit card information or personal details are stolen.
Businesses, in response, are starting to step up cybersecurity beyond traditional methods like firewalls and access permissions. The increased complexity of cybercriminal attacks has raised the price of doing so even more.
Balancing Security with Privacy
On the flipside, there is an ongoing tug-of-war between user privacy and organizational security. It’s common for users to encrypt online traffic to ensure privacy, but many companies also choose to inspect user data by decrypting traffic.
It’s up to the organization to decide whether scanning for malicious activity is more important than the trust and privacy of its clients.
The Push for More Bandwidth
As a company expands, its operating needs rise. The increased corporate spending for networking coincides directly with a demand for more bandwidth.
According to Cisco reports, IP networks in the US will be carrying 2.6 exabytes a day by 2021. The pressure and cost to increase networking bandwidth will be a major trend and challenge over the next coming years.
Utilizing Automation
Manually performing network-related tasks is rather slow. It takes several days or weeks for IT professionals to complete a major task.
Nowadays, the rise of automation greatly increases the speed and responsiveness of corporate networks but also reduces adaptability. Businesses choosing to aggressively pursue automation may find themselves unable to deal with special or more complicated cases.
Proprietary Networking Equipment
Most IT departments say they do not have much interest in switching to an open-source networking system. Open-sourcing can offer several benefits:
• Lower cost
• Reduced chance of lock-in with a provider
• Better customization and configuration options
However, non-proprietary equipment is nonetheless having trouble gaining traction in the enterprise market.
Wireless Investments
The top wireless products businesses will be investing in these days include:
• Access points
• Wireless Security
• Mobile Devices
• Switches
Netcon Solutions – Toronto, GTA
Speaking of networking, if your business needs new equipment from Dell servers to Juniper routers to Cisco switches, Netcon Solutions is ready to serve you in Toronto and the GTA.
We’ve been offering competitively-priced used and refurbished networking hardware from the industry’s greatest brands to enterprise customers across the world. Our over 2 decades of experience enables us to provide full-year warranties and exceptional customer support for your organization.
Join our list of satisfied customers today!
• Corporate and enterprise networking is a large and quickly changing aspect of modern business.
• Major trends in networking include increased spending, a focus on security and privacy, and a push for more bandwidth.
• Need some Juniper routers so your business can keep up? Contact Netcon Solutions for affordable business networking equipment.