Change is the only constant
Enterprise Network architectures have witnessed a drastic change. With every passing year, network is becoming more and more important. What used to be a mere commodity in the past has now become an integral part of a company’s business strategy to drive business results.
The role of networks is changing and change is the only constant. We are now in a very exciting era with all that’s happening in Artificial Intelligence, GenAI, cloud & edge computing, hybrid work, containerization of applications, Internet of things (IoT) and the list is endless.
To nurture and foster these trends, Enterprise networks are changing as well. There is a clear shift towards enterprises looking to have cloud- native networks but they also are concerned towards cybersecurity, data expansion and cloud migration. Also with all the major developments that’s happening around 5G and around other next generation wireless technologies, there is still a long path to go for full maturity and making organizations realize the true potential of wireless technologies.
For enterprises, all of these technology changes are for good and can be overwhelming; The key to success lies in carefully charting out the architecture using a well-balanced mix of wireline and wireless technologies
Solving the Leader’s Dilemma– The Right Call now
Your right to win | What should be your key focus areas now?
For Technology leaders, it is important to maintain a competitive advantage and stay ahead. Early technology adopters generate a competitive advantage. Hence it becomes important to catch early the technology transformation Pulse.
Key technology leaders across industry verticals and across geographies are focused on the following:-
- 42% of IT Leaders believe that a network platform can support cross domain management for better performance. 72% of them expect to adopt one over the next two years
- 40% of IT Leaders believe that cybersecurity is the number-one concern impacting their networking strategy. The continued expansion of the attack surface as a result of distributed workforce & applications has ignited it
- 60% of IT Leaders expect to have AI-enabled predictive automation in place across all domains to manage and simplify network operations within the next two years
There are three clear technology Transformation waves that Leaders should look onto
- Network Platform
- Network & Security Convergence
- AI enabled Network Operations
The Right strategy now for IT leaders is to also have custom vertical specific architectures that deliver unparallel benefits
At HCLTech, we deliver custom vertical specific architectures in SD-WAN and SASE and in other key technology areas as well. This blog will explore two such custom architectures that meet the requirements of our clients in specific vertical scenarios.
Architecture #1 | Financial Segment
Solution Profile : SD-WAN, SDN and SD Campus
Financial organizations typically require a large network spread spanning across several branches and ATM networks spread globally. They need high fault tolerant systems & end –end secure network connectivity
Solution Design:
HCLTech delivers a central network management tool that offers scalability, AI driven automation and zero trust capability. With automation and orchestration capability built into the tool, it enables IT administrators to implement changes across the global network and even build new enterprise-wide architectures. Applying a multitier segmentation, security boundary can be pushed to the very edge of the network.
HCLTech pools this with a custom SD-WAN Architecture to offer independent transport overlays, separation of control and data plane and seamless connectivity to datacenter, branch and cloud . Also this architecture enables WAN edge routers to be physical or virtual. We also enable comprehensive security through a zero-trust security model. HCLTech merges it with the right architecture of switches, wireless LAN controllers and access points to deliver the complete solution. Users also get the option of routing traffic through satellite connectivity where required or as per applied policy
Architecture #2 | Manufacturing vertical
Solution Profile : SASE architecture enabling secure remote access
In manufacturing, the role of robotics, industrial IoT scenarios are becoming more prominent. Globally spread manufacturing locations & large OEM supplier pool need a new next gen network Solution Design:
HCLTech delivers a SASE architecture that enables users to connect to applications at any destination. We can enable consistent security policies at any location, user or device level. HCLTech creates a combined architecture that includes SD-WAN, All components of SSE along with VPN and Quality of Service (QoS). Pooling up of these infrastructure components enables HCLTech to offer distributed remote access environment for branch offices and factories. HCLTech also delivers through SASE a consistent security prevention capability for IT/OT environment. HCLTech can offer HMI gateway in the cloud thus enabling secure remote access to human- machine interfaces and other OT assets.
If you want to know more about how we can deliver custom network architectures for your business .. Write to us at NextGenNetworksBU@HCLTech.com
