For decades, enterprise networks have been reassuringly stable and unchanging. The traditional model saw the headquarters data centre at the hub, with branches and remote locations at the edge of the network. However, this style of centralised architecture is no longer fit for purpose.
A new model for enterprise IT and connectivity is needed, one that is highly distributed, adaptive and built uncompromisingly for the cloud era. Shifting patterns in workforce deployment, the need for critical applications to be on-demand and new ways of delivering infrastructure and services make such a model an imperative.
Enterprise architects are now responsible for managing not just a more diverse set of applications hosted on-premises and in the cloud. The rise of the remote workforce means that users accessing these hosted applications are more distributed than ever. This requires a new network architecture that encompasses not just the traditional branches and clouds, but the “branch of one” – remote workers!
The technology industry continues to produce solutions to the problem of rapidly evolving network topology: multiple public and private clouds, SD-WAN, cloud-managed networking and edge computing for mission-critical workloads. As enterprises look to welcome employees to their offices, they must continue to support a hybrid workforce. How must the network evolve to meet these challenges?
According to research by IDC, enterprises that respond to the need for “branch of one” operating models can look forward to productivity improvements of up to 30% by 2023. They also face increasing challenges in areas such as security, plus network and application optimisation if tomorrow’s “branch of one” architectures are to enjoy the same levels of security and performance as today’s heavily fortified data centres.
This event on 22 June will be chaired by Brandon Butler, Senior Research Analyst, Enterprise Networks IDC, drawing on his ongoing research on the branch of one and the new enterprise edge. It will allow participants to better understand the demands of the new environment, its complexities, pitfalls and unresolved issues. It will also consider the opportunities for enterprises and solution providers that rise to the challenge, the key technological developments on the near horizon, and the winning strategies for enterprise architects and IT departments.
The event will examine what is meant by the software-defined branch (SD-Branch), or the “branch of one”. It will consider issues like the convergence of network management and security and look at ways forward that support remote users and devices at the edge of the distributed enterprise of the future.
