EDITOR ’ S QUESTION
RUDEON SNELL , GLOBAL SENIOR DIRECTOR : INDUSTRIES AND CUSTOMER ADVISORY , SAP
In a world where the proliferation of mobile technology has provided Internet connectivity to millions , networks are under increasing pressure from hundreds if not thousands of devices that are accessing them at any one time . This also means that networks are not only growing larger , but they are becoming more complex and possibly more vulnerable to malicious intrusion .
The integrity of a network and its security systems is one of the most pressing challenges in a virtual environment . Now that the network is essentially software-based , care must be taken to protect dynamic and evolving threat surfaces .
By ensuring that SDN network security and application security measures are aligned to integrate seamlessly , security headaches can be alleviated significantly .
It ’ s important to guide CIOs so that they can avoid pitfalls before moving forward with implementation and they can do this by asking three areas namely : Are current network function capabilities built into the SDN technology ? Are they extensible , will the SDN technology help solve for the unknown and Can the solution support exponential thinking ?
Common networking technologies may be virtualised today and are highly effective . However , the benefit of SDN is that it allows you to future-proof your infrastructure . With SDN , there is great opportunity for innovation . Think about how SDN can help you write applications differently . How could your business benefit if the application could speak to or respond to the network directly . What if you could rapidly create or change services based on market demand ? This is the kind of innovation that can help your company differentiate itself from the competition . It will also better prepare you to respond quickly to potential interruptions to Business Continuity .
Aside from the challenges that CIOs face , industry experts point to 5G and the impact it will have on SDN and that CIOs will need to rearchitect their existing enterprise networks . 5G networking technology is intrinsically connected with SDN technology . With a high-speed 5G enabled SDN network , the computing environment becomes more flexible and agile , allowing IT to rapidly implement changes that support the business in a very cost-effective manner .
Aside from the challenges that CIOs face , industry experts point to 5G and the impact it will have on SDN and that CIOs will need to rearchitect their existing enterprise networks .
Combining 5G with a mobile edge compute ( MEC ) platform takes SDN technology to the next level . In a mature SDN environment where automation is deployed , SDN technology running on 5G and MEC can help CIOs make decisions quickly .
SDN allows operators to see a product defect and act quickly – such as shutting down an assembly line . The elastic environment includes automation that reacts to environmental changes and makes decisions , with learning capabilities that change the application or fix whatever is broken , all in near-real time .
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