You’ve probably seen the trends for networking this year. But what about next year?
In 2021, organizations across the globe will take a closer look at their networking plans, while employees will continue to rely on mobile access. Moreover, the reality of a mobile-first workplace with real-time collaboration platforms and apps that need cutting-edge bandwidth is here to stay.
Although COVID-19 has changed our daily work and personal life, it has also shifted industries such as hospitality, retail, or medicine. The networking space was no exception. According to the Cisco Annual Internet Report (2018-2023), the number of devices connected to IP networks will be more than three times the global population by 2023.
Teleworking isn’t going anywhere, and it requires remote networking and SD-WAN. As a result, the demand for edge networking has grown and continues to grow at speed. Companies need storage at the edge to support new, perhaps unprecedented use cases. There’s also an increasing focus on IoT, besides the need for 5G.
So, what are the six top trends in enterprise networking in 2021? Read on to find out.
- Teleworking is the new normal
In a recent article, the Guardian mentions that the proportion of Americans working from home has skyrocketed: from 8% in February to 35% in May.
A lot of organizations, if not most of them, have designed their networks to support branch office locations. And while some of them already had remote workers, today things have changed. The majority of employees are working from home, and businesses need better solutions for more reliable connections, as teams require bandwidth-intensive applications (such as video-conferencing platforms) to stay connected and collaborate productively. Networking vendors will need to keep up with the growing demand for wireless connectivity, security, and SD-WAN solutions.
- SD-WAN Consolidation
The WAN is considered the central nervous system of the cloud enterprise. Today, there are significant changes driven by the integration of cloud resources into the IT service portfolio and the growing use of mobile devices as work platforms and IoT deployments. Moreover, digital transformation and the continuing spread of SD-WAN are increasing, as companies are expanding their reliance on technology.
Fortunately, software-defined networking enables businesses to manage their networks remotely. SD-WAN allows network administrators to apply regulations to automate the flow of traffic, scale the bandwidth needs, and help improve security—all of these are crucial in 2021.
- IoT and Edge Networking
The network edge is where the most powerful opportunities lie for businesses. And the recent pandemic has forced many companies to find ways to get creative and reach new end-users or enable workers in new places. From retail stores to medical departments, organizations are embracing the edge computing trend. From now on, they will need more storage and networking at the edge to continue to support new cases.
Even though it was already in motion, COVID-19 has hit the gas on the edge computing trend. Internet of Things use cases that rely on edge networking were already expanding their popularity, but in 2021, the IoT expertise will grow even more in demand.
- Powerful AI Security Solutions
Cybersecurity is increasingly complex nowadays, and enterprises are looking for new tools that are ready to respond to any emerging threats. This will be vital in the upcoming year for small and medium-sized businesses. According to CNBC reports, 43% of attacks are aimed at small enterprises. And today, the risks are higher than ever before, requiring more sophisticated solutions to empower business continuity.
The strategies for smart cybersecurity are layered into the network architecture. For example, managed cybersecurity services provide high levels of protection and great visibility on threats around the clock. As for the most advanced solutions ready for 2021, machine learning and AI-powered tools can provide customized and targeted solutions against the most relevant threats to an enterprise’s unique requirements.
- 5G and its benefits
People have been hearing about the benefits of 5G for a while now, but the new network deployments have been slightly interrupted by the pandemic. However, the efforts of making 5G a reality have been resumed, and remote work, video conferencing, and virtual collaboration expedite the need for reliable connectivity and more bandwidth. Large markets are already working on deployment, while important manufacturers are releasing 5G phones.
The growing needs of businesses relying on connectivity have enhanced expectations, as organizations require new tools to reach more users and accelerate their operations. And luckily, 5G will finally go mainstream in the upcoming year. Because enterprises can no longer afford to be disconnected.
Today, the promise of 5G revolves around empowering new technology use cases with a lightning-fast speed. And 2021 will be the year that real-life 5G use cases go into production and new devices hit the market.
- Wi-Fi 6E and a brand-new wireless spectrum
Throughout the history of Wi-Fi, every generation wanted to be better than the previous one. The new Wi-Fi 6 will enable organizations and service providers to build new applications on the same wireless LAN infrastructure while delivering a higher grade of service to earlier apps.
However, this is just the beginning, as a new version, the Wi-Fi 6E, is expected in 2021 and will allow devices to use a brand-new wireless spectrum. Wi-Fi 6E promises to solve congestion issues. And the pandemic seems to call into question the importance of serving many users in crowded places.
These last months have empowered more digital transformation than the past decade, preparing for what organizations will need in 2021: expanded connectivity technology.
