Remote/Hybrid Workforce


automated intelligence in this way, businesses can gain real-time insights into network performance and in turn reduce risk while increasing the efficiency of their IT resources. Furthermore, SD-WAN is helping businesses securely connect


all users in every location to applications and other corporate resources. In the end, everyone gets enhanced performance, increased security and reliable, consistent connectivity. At an operational level, IT teams can leverage SD-WAN’s cloud-based network management tools to get full visibility into their entire network – from the company’s HQ to the smallest or farthest branch, regardless of their network access. Finally, organisations have long relied on VPNs to connect


remote workers with company resources. But, SD-WAN has emerged as an increasingly viable option for employees that work remotely - which now includes most employees to some degree. In conjunction with SD-WAN, Zero Trust Network Access can be an effective way to ensure secure access to remote resources. According to Gartner’s Market Guide for Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) published last year, 60% of enterprises will switch from VPN to ZTNA by 2023. Te most important advantage of ZTNA is its granular control over whom gains access to the network, which resources they can access, and which end user devices can access them. With the number of network connections, applications and devices continuing to increase, the need for centralised management and control will only grow over the coming years. And that’s exactly what this technology provides.


What benefits can these new types of technology bring to the remote/hybrid workplace? With the shiſt to remote working, having the entire team connected to a secure, private network is essential. Knowing that your employees can work from home as freely and securely as they could in the office opens opportunities for more flexible working arrangements that better suit team members’ needs and empower them to deliver their best work. As SD-WAN solutions are security-ready and offer key features


built-in, businesses can let their employees work from anywhere without worrying about being breached. Most SD-WAN solutions provide basic firewall and VPN capabilities, as well as other integrated security features such as encryption, antivirus and sandboxing. Tis all helps businesses maximise their security posture in a distributed world.


What are the main challenges you’re seeing from customers? Traditional network architectures weren’t designed to support the workloads and complexities of most digital transformation initiatives. What’s more, business-critical services are typically dispersed across multiple clouds, further disrupting network performance, especially at branches. Tis is all making it difficult for businesses to deliver the capabilities that employees and customers now expect. We’re also seeing businesses struggle to integrate their


infrastructures in the most effective way. Traditionally, WAN offerings have been built by piecing together different solutions from multiple providers. Tis typically results in slow and


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inefficient processes as systems between each technology stack oſten don’t work well together due to a lack of standardisation and interoperability. One way to overcome this is to pick vendors that own the


complete technology stack and can help customers manage their WANs depending on the requirements for any given situation. By keeping control of the technology, these vendors are well positioned to deal with any requirement across all levels of managed services – making them a much more effective option.


What are the consequences of being behind the curve in terms of digital transformation? Nearly 90% of respondents to a National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) survey stated remote work as a regular rather than occasional occurrence. Businesses therefore need a network capable of supporting remote or hybrid work environments - there’s no two ways about it. Tose that fail to address this need through digital solutions will face two key consequences. Firstly, they’ll struggle to attract and retain employees who want


to be able to work from anywhere. Tese employees will just end up moving to companies that give them the freedom and flexibility to work in the way that best suits them. And secondly, they’ll fall behind their competitors in terms of providing the level of service customers now expect. Enabling and empowering a remote work environment gives enterprises the opportunity to recruit the best talent from anywhere. Businesses must also remember that the management and


maintenance of legacy systems is expensive. As systems evolve, the costs continue to pile up and capability reaches a point of diminishing returns. Te sooner they implement digital transformation strategies, the greater their return on investment will be.


Looking ahead, what developments can we expect to see in this space in the coming years? Over the next few years, we’ll see more organisations migrate significant portions of their infrastructure to the cloud as they look to scale towards the infinite enterprise and build the right mix of resilience and operational efficiency. Similarly, the demand for greater automation across networks will increase - not surprising with IT workloads continuing to rise yet budgets remaining static. However, the challenge for many organisations will be finding the right technology fit, at the right price point. We’ll also see businesses increasingly adopt containerisation and


leverage Kubernetes to orchestrate their apps. Tis will drive further efficiencies and flexibility for those businesses willing to re-architect their application landscape. Ultimately, businesses must be prepared to dive deeper into


innovative technologies such as the cloud and SD-WAN. Layering SD-WAN into a very feature-rich cloud solution with AI/ML, analytics and secure connectivity will provide enterprises with a cost-effective and highly efficient way to manage their highly dispersed businesses. It’s all about driving meaningful business impact and ROI by simplifying operations, removing complexity and reducing risk.


December/January 2023 | 37


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