Given the rapid pace of change in the IT industry, it’s difficult to predict which technology trends will take hold in 2017. Industry analysts have their sights set on things like augmented and virtual reality, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and ever-increasing numbers of smart devices connected to the Internet of Things (IoT).
Only time will tell whether any of those visions become reality. Meanwhile, the average organization is trying to manage and optimize the accelerating impact of technology on business models and processes — a concept known as “digital transformation.”
According to research firm IDC, two-thirds of CEOs at Global 2000 companies will put digital transformation at the center of their corporate strategies by the end of 2017. These CEOs recognize that they must leverage technology more effectively or risk being displaced by more agile competitors. But digital transformation isn’t about merely implementing technology. It’s about using technology to drive innovation and competitive advantage.
It isn’t easy. Digital transformation is putting intense pressure on legacy network infrastructures that simply weren’t designed for today’s bandwidth-intensive applications. Cloud computing, mobility and analytics — technologies at the heart of digital transformation — demand a robust yet agile network capable of supporting growing volumes of data and large numbers of devices in an always-on environment.
For its ninth annual State of the Network global survey, Viavi Solutions (a provider of test-and-measurement and fiber-optic components) surveyed CIOs, IT directors and network engineers to get their take on increasing bandwidth demands. Almost half (48 percent) expect network bandwidth requirements to double by the end of 2017. To address the bandwidth crunch, many organizations are upgrading their networks from 1 Gigabit Ethernet (GbE) and 10GbE to 25GbE and beyond. In fact, almost three-fourths of organizations have implemented 100GbE or plan to do so by the end of 2017.
Clearly, bandwidth is becoming scarce and 100GbE is the destination. But what’s the best way to get there? Network upgrade trends once seemed to favor quadrupling capacity from 10GbE to 40GbE, then making the more difficult jump to 100GbE. However, service providers with web-scale data center environments have preferred a 25GbE standard to create a cleaner, less costly path to 100GbE. Once you upgrade from 10GbE to 25GbE, you simply double to 50GbE, then double again to 100GbE.
Brocade Networks recently expanded its SLX family of switches with innovative new solutions that make network upgrade decisions easier. The new Brocade SLX 9140 leaf switch provides 48 25GbE server-facing ports and six 100GbE ports in a 1U fixed form factor. It also features flexible 1GbE, 10GbE, 25GbE, 40GbE and 100GbE configuration options. The new Brocade SLX 9240 spine switch delivers 32 100GbE ports in a 1U fixed form factor. Both switches are programmable, enabling Brocade to rapidly deliver new capabilities via software. This eliminates expensive forklift upgrades when new technologies and protocols are introduced into the environment.
Organizations typically upgrade their core network infrastructure every five to 10 years. However, digital transformation and increasing reliance on bandwidth-intensive applications and services are straining many enterprise networks. If you’re ready to start the conversation about a network upgrade in 2017, let Verteks assess the current state of your infrastructure and help you develop the most efficient upgrade strategy.
