The Network World’s Best of Enterprise Networking (BENNY) 2024 Awards highlight the most innovative and top-performing products in the networking industry, celebrating the perseverance of vendors who continue to advance regardless of the maturity and stability of fundamental technologies such as Wi-Fi and Ethernet. This year’s awards reflect the dynamic evolution within the networking field, recognizing industry leaders who have excelled in adapting to the increasing demands of multicloud environments and the security needs associated with massive data transport and analysis.
Networking technologies have long relied on established technologies such as Wi-Fi and Ethernet, yet networking vendors perpetually innovate to handle the increasing volumes of traffic that must traverse multicloud environments reliably and securely. Over recent years, numerous categories and terms have emerged in networking that now dominate the industry, including secure access service edge (SASE), software-defined wide-area networking (SD-WAN), networking as a service (NaaS), and network detection and response (NDR). These new paradigms underscore the shifting landscape as businesses embrace both consolidated and specialized solutions to meet their varied networking needs.
Additionally, the incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning has significantly influenced networks’ capacity to transport massive datasets while also providing the analytical tools to scrutinize extensive telemetry data. AI has advanced the need for more sophisticated networking solutions, and its integration into these products offers actionable insights that play a central role in maintaining and optimizing network performance. Through the fusion of cutting-edge technology and innovative strategies, these award-winning products set the standard for network reliability, security, and efficiency in the modern era.
Network Performance Management
The winners in the Network Performance Management category were recognized for their exceptional capabilities in overseeing and managing network performance, with a particular focus on application performance and the end-user experience across complex environments. Achieving top honors, NETSCOUT’s nGenius stands out for its ability to deliver comprehensive observability within multicloud environments. This product leverages packet-level insights and synthetic testing at critical edges to address common issues like login delays, latency, packet loss, and application performance degradation. By providing early warnings and precise identification of problems, nGenius equips IT teams to tackle performance challenges effectively and maintain seamless network operations.
As a notable finalist in this category, LiveAction LiveNX offers a platform that unifies and simplifies the gathering and presentation of network data. Its user-friendly interface allows for detailed exploration ranging from a global overview to granular data views, enhancing visibility into network and application performance across diverse environments. By consolidating complex data into manageable insights, LiveNX empowers network administrators to make informed decisions and optimize performance, ensuring that users experience minimal disruptions and maintain productivity.
Network Automation
In the Network Automation category, winners were spotlighted for their solutions that automate repetitive and critical network tasks, alleviating human error, reducing operational overhead, and substantially increasing efficiency. Gluware’s Intelligent Network Automation, acclaimed for its hyperautomation capabilities, offers prebuilt automation tools that dramatically minimize network outages, assure consistent configurations, and expedite OS upgrades. This solution underscores Gluware’s continuous commitment to innovation, as it progressively enhances its platform with new features and capabilities that meet evolving network demands.
IBM’s Rapid Network Automation, recognized as a finalist, takes a different approach by breaking down automation silos through the use of low-code workflows. By integrating various APIs and workflows, this tool unifies automation efforts across the tech stack, thereby optimizing incident resolution and ticketing systems. This holistic integration promotes a more streamlined and cohesive approach to network automation, reducing duplication of effort and fostering a more efficient automation environment that accommodates a wide range of network management tasks.
SD-WAN, SASE
The SD-WAN, SASE category celebrates products that integrate security and networking functions into comprehensive, unified solutions, addressing the growing need for robust and seamless connectivity. Aryaka’s Unified SASE as a Service impressed judges with its ability to combine core security and networking features into a single cloud-delivered offering. By adopting a zero-trust model and supporting extensive global deployment, Aryaka ensures high performance and security across its user base, catering to the evolving security landscape and maintaining smooth operational continuity.
Versa’s Unified SASE Platform, another standout in this category, takes integration a step further by embedding security and networking at the OS level. This deep integration promotes compatibility with various third-party tools, enabling a comprehensive and flexible architecture. Such a design not only enhances security but also streamlines network management, making it simpler for organizations to adapt and scale their network solutions according to specific operational requirements and emerging threats.
Network Visibility and Observability
Recognizing the indispensable role of deep network insight and observability in managing both network performance and security, the Network Visibility and Observability category highlighted tools that provide thorough visibility into network activities. The winning platform, ExtraHop RevealX, excels by offering in-depth visibility into all network operations. By leveraging multiple forms of AI, it dynamically adapts to and responds to threats and performance issues, thus enabling effective network performance monitoring and network detection and response (NDR).
Broadcom’s Network Observability, honored as a finalist, delivers end-to-end coverage that swiftly isolates network issues. Its focus on transforming raw network data into actionable insights supports organizations in improving network reliability and performance. With robust capabilities for identifying potential problems before they escalate, this solution empowers IT teams to maintain high levels of network efficiency and security, crucial for organizational resilience in a complex digital landscape.
Automated Backup and Recovery
The Automated Backup and Recovery category underscores the critical importance of dependable and efficient backup solutions for maintaining data integrity and ensuring business continuity. BackBox’s Network Automation Manager stands out by automating backups across multiple vendors, conducting integrity checks to guarantee reliable data restoration. Offering a flexible, multi-vendor approach, BackBox ensures consistency and dependability across all network devices, positioning it as a versatile and effective solution in the backup and recovery space.
In this category, Kingston’s IronKey Vault Privacy 80 External SSD garnered attention for its secure, hardware-encrypted data storage and intuitive management features. This reliable option for data protection excels in providing a robust layer of security against data breaches, making it an ideal choice for organizations looking to safeguard sensitive information. The combination of advanced encryption and user-friendly management makes it a highly esteemed solution within the competitive landscape of data protection technologies.
SDN/NaaS
The SDN/NaaS category highlights innovations in software-defined networking and networking as a service, focusing on scalable, flexible solutions that enhance network efficiency. Alkira’s On-Demand Networking-as-Service platform was commended for simplifying complex networking models by seamlessly integrating multiple clouds and sites into a single network. Its user-friendly interface, fortified security measures, and comprehensive partner integrations distinguish it as an innovative and efficient approach to modern networking challenges.
Nile’s Access Service, another highlight in this category, combines advanced networking elements such as AI and automation within a scalable, as-a-service model. Its adaptive architecture tailors network management to individual customer needs, automating numerous tasks and delivering substantial cost savings and operational efficiency. By incorporating cutting-edge technology into a service-centric model, Nile responds adeptly to the intricate demands of contemporary network environments.
Cloud/Edge Solutions
The Cloud/Edge Solutions category acknowledges exceptional products designed to address the scalability and management requirements of cloud and edge computing scenarios. Prosimo’s AI Suite for Multi-Cloud Networking emerged as a leading solution, crafted specifically for AI workloads and featuring seamless multicloud connectivity with inherent compliance and security. The inclusion of a conversational AI assistant for AIOps simplifies multicloud operations and boosts performance, making it an invaluable tool for enterprises navigating the complexities of multicloud environments.
ZEDEDA, a standout finalist in this category, provides orchestration for distributed edge computing, supporting the deployment of any application on any hardware at scale. Its open and flexible foundation eliminates vendor lock-in and facilitates a broad range of applications, solidifying its status as a versatile solution in the edge computing landscape. With a focus on scalability and ease of management, ZEDEDA addresses the intricate needs of modern edge computing with remarkable efficacy.
Trends and Consensus Viewpoints
The primary trends in networking underscore a shift towards cloud-native solutions, AI integration, and comprehensive networking and security convergence. There’s an overarching emphasis on automation, which not only simplifies network management but dramatically reduces the potential for human error and operational bottlenecks. The importance of multi-cloud environments became clear as organizations sought solutions that provide seamless connectivity and visibility across diverse cloud platforms.
Security remained a paramount concern, with solutions like SASE and NDR combining robust security measures with advanced networking functionalities. The industry’s move to integrate security deeply into these platforms reflected the increasing sophistication of cyber threats. In the realm of backup and recovery, the necessity for efficient, reliable, automated processes was evident. Solutions had to ensure data safety and facilitate rapid, simple recovery to maintain business continuity amidst rising threats such as ransomware.
Another key trend was the rise of network observability tools that offered deep insights into network operations and security postures. This comprehensive visibility was crucial for managing performance and responding proactively to potential network issues. The consolidation of network functions into single platforms or unified solutions emerged as a trend as well. Such consolidation enhanced management simplicity and operational efficiency, reducing the need for disparate tools and multiple vendor dependencies.
Main Findings
Networking technologies are evolving rapidly to support increasing traffic volumes across multicloud environments and enable AI-driven data processing needs. Automation and AI have become central to modern networking solutions, driving efficiency, reducing human intervention, and paving the way for more intelligent network management. Comprehensive security integration has emerged as essential, particularly with the advent of solutions like SASE and NDR. Within the context of data protection, the need for effective backup and recovery mechanisms, coupled with efficient automated processes, is critical for upholding strong cybersecurity postures and ensuring business continuity. Network observability and visibility tools are necessary for managing performance and security in complex environments. Simplified, user-friendly platforms that consolidate various networking functions are highly favored for operational efficiency and ease of management.
Conclusion
The Network World’s Best of Enterprise Networking (BENNY) 2024 Awards spotlight the industry’s most innovative and high-performing products, celebrating vendors who keep advancing technology, even as fundamental systems like Wi-Fi and Ethernet mature and stabilize. This year’s awards capture the rapid evolution within networking, honoring leaders who excel in adapting to the demands of multicloud environments and the security requirements of extensive data transport and analysis.
Despite relying on established technologies like Wi-Fi and Ethernet, networking vendors continually innovate to manage the growing traffic volumes that must pass through multicloud environments reliably and securely. In recent years, numerous terms and categories have emerged, now dominating the industry. These include secure access service edge (SASE), software-defined wide-area networking (SD-WAN), networking as a service (NaaS), and network detection and response (NDR). These new terms highlight the shifting landscape as businesses adopt both consolidated and specialized solutions to meet diverse networking needs.
Moreover, integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) has significantly enhanced networks’ ability to handle large datasets while providing tools to analyze extensive telemetry data. AI drives the need for more advanced networking solutions, and its integration offers actionable insights crucial for maintaining and optimizing network performance. By merging cutting-edge technology with innovative strategies, these award-winning products set the benchmark for reliability, security, and efficiency in today’s networking world.
