ISG To Publish Report On SDN Services And Solutions As Pandemic Hikes Demand For Flexible, Secure Networks

Upcoming ISG Provider Lens™ report will evaluate providers of technologies and services to enterprises adopting SD-WANs, edge networks, IoT and core-to-edge security architectures

Information Services Group (ISG) a leading global technology research and advisory firm, has launched a research study examining providers of software-defined networking (SDN) solutions – fast becoming a key enabler of enterprise agility and competitiveness amid changing business conditions created by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The study results will be published in a comprehensive ISG Provider Lens™ report, called Network – Software Defined Solutions and Services 2022, scheduled to be released in June. The report will cover companies offering a range of solutions for enterprise networking, including secure edge networks, the Internet of Things (IoT) and transformation services for companies new to SDN.

Enterprise buyers will be able to use information from the report to evaluate their current vendor relationships, potential new engagements and available offerings, while ISG advisors use the information to recommend providers to the firm’s buy-side clients.

Largely because of the disruptions caused by the pandemic, many enterprises are examining ways to become more agile, flexible and competitive while improving their delivery structures and enabling remote work and business continuity, ISG says. The need for network transformation extends beyond enterprise boundaries to include secure connectivity with customers, partners, mobile users and remote devices.

“Enterprises are implementing SDN, in conjunction with cloud computing, intelligent edge and mobility strategies and emerging technologies such as AI and machine learning, to reach overarching business goals,” said Jan Erik Aase, partner and global leader, ISG Provider Lens Research. “Secure, integrated networks play an essential role in digital business transformation.”

ISG has distributed surveys to more than 220 SDN service and solution providers. Working in collaboration with ISG’s global advisors, the research team will produce five quadrants representing the digital services and products the typical enterprise is buying, based on ISG’s experience working with its clients. The five quadrants to be covered are:

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• Managed (SD) WAN Services, evaluating providers of managed solutions and associated services for enterprise wide-area networks (WANs), especially enterprise software-defined WANs and hybrid MPLS/IP WANs. These technologies offer the benefits of SDN over traditional hardware-based networks, using overlay architectures that move the control layer to the cloud. SD-WANs centralize and simplify network management, enable network virtualization and make the network more elastic. This reduces recurring costs and offers network-wide control and visibility. SD-WAN suppliers increasingly offer complete managed network services to enterprises and supply white-label products to telecommunications carriers and integrators.

• SDN Transformation Services (Consulting & Implementation), assessing providers of advisory and consulting services to enterprises adopting SDN, spanning initial consulting, services delivery and rollout. SDN offers a flexible network environment in which changes can be made quickly and with minimum human intervention. It replaces traditional architectures in which installations and modifications of devices anywhere in an enterprise required changes to each network component, which could take days or longer. Emerging business requirements for greater agility, flexibility, automation and security are leading companies to replace these rigid architectures. Suppliers in this area are increasingly active in advising clients on implementation and in some cases supplying partial or complete solutions.

• Enterprise Networks Technology and Service Suppliers, assessing suppliers of SDN technology and services purchased directly, either by service providers for specific projects or by enterprises carrying out full or partial SD-WAN implementations on their own. They include providers of specific solutions such as OSS/BSS, 4G/5G mobility and management systems. As a virtual network architecture, SD-WAN allows enterprises to bundle multiple wired and wireless WAN technologies and connections and provision them as overall bandwidth. SD-WAN determines the best path and medium for transmitting packets in each circumstance. It can communicate with all network endpoints without external mechanisms or additional protocols, allowing for secure, policy-driven enterprise communication and easy branch and remote setup.

• Edge Technologies and Services, assessing suppliers of edge network technologies and services to enterprises in multiple industries. These include hardware, software, management and reporting tools, applications and services for networks that connect IoT devices. Edge devices that can process data locally have improved enterprise network security and privacy because breaches can be managed locally and not passed on to the WAN, cloud or central enterprise. Typically, data from various IoT devices is collected in a local device and analyzed on the network before being transferred to the central data center or cloud. Localized processing also allows for lower costs and higher efficiency as the number of connected devices and volume of data increases. Providers may supply components, such as branch and edge functionalities and wired and wireless customer premises equipment, as well as client training and education.

• Secure Access Service Edge (SASE), assessing providers of integrated network and security solutions to enterprises from core to edge, fully integrated with other enterprise business systems. While enterprises are increasingly focused on migrating IT and networking into the cloud, enabled in part by SDN, many believe common security approaches such as security as a service and enhanced DIY security do not cover all touchpoints or evolve fast enough. Digital business transformation, as well as innovations such as rapid hotspot provisioning, edge computing and self-healing networks, may require constantly evolving security at multiple levels. This has led to the emergence of SASE, an overarching network and security architecture that may include a wide range of elements, including SD-WAN, cloud access security brokers, zero-trust network access and next-generation firewalls. Suppliers in this area have been increasingly active as advisors or consultants, supplying complete pilots and solutions to enterprises.

The report will cover the global SDN market and examine products and services available in the U.S., Australia, France, Germany, the Nordics, the U.K. and Malaysia/Singapore. ISG analysts Avimanyu Basu, Craig Baty, Kenn Walters and Varsha Sengar will serve as authors of the report.

An archetype report will also be published as part of this study. This report, unique to ISG, is the study of typical buyer types of private and hybrid cloud services as observed by ISG advisors.

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