Explore The Trends and Future of Network Management!

Jun 4, 2024

A lot of advancements are happening around. Last few years were full of dramatical changes, and 2024 is no exception. Network management for that matter. Even this has grown increasingly complex.

Being a business, you always have to stay ahead of trends. Look for new strategies to always maintain a competitive edge.

This article is all about what are the key trends in network management. Give it a read to explore how you can future proof your organization and strategies. From automation and AI to cloud based solutions and software defined networking – we have covered it all.

Why is it Important?

It makes sure that the networks run smoothly, efficiently, and securely. See, technology and connectivity these days has become integral to all business out there. No one can afford downtime or breaches while operations. 

When it is effective enough, business stays competitive. There is a boost in productivity and the whole user experience aspect gets seamless.

Its process involves – monitoring, troubleshooting, and optimizing network infrastructure.  Along with this, it even takes care of certain tasks like configuration management, performance monitoring, fault management, and security management.

Since business these days rely on cloud services, remote access, and real-time data, it is now more critical than ever.

That’s why, when the process above is done properly – digital operations gets easier.

How Has Network Management Evolved So Far?

As mentioned previously, it has evolved much. Traditional approaches no longer suffice in the modern business environments. This necessitates new paradigms and innovative strategies, like:

Software-Defined Networking (SDN)

One significant shift is towards Software-Defined Networking (SDN). This basically decouples network control from hardware. And it further centralizes it in a software-based controller. SDN approach improves agility and flexibility. It helps businesses with network automation, and simplifies resource provisioning and management.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)

We all know, the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) is another crucial development. AI and ML helps network management systems to analyze vast data sets. AI alone can identify patterns, and make intelligent decisions. It can help predict and prevent issues, optimize performance, and improve security.

Cloud Computing

Cloud computing has also transformed network management. Cloud-based solutions offer scalability and flexibility. If used properly, it can also provide centralized control and real-time monitoring. Cloud computing often seamlessly integrates with other services.

To protect network infrastructure, organizations can further explore Advanced security technologies. Some popular ones are next-generation firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and threat analytics.

Network automation and its benefits

If looked into network automation, it is a key trend it. It helps organizations streamline operations. Additionally, it can reduce costs and improve efficiency.

Also, with automation, repetitive and time-consuming tasks can be handled by software-defined processes. It frees up IT professionals to focus on more strategic initiatives.

If a business is able to automate its network provisioning, configuration, and monitoring, they can actually accelerate deployment times. There will be less human errors, and an improved overall consistency.

Automation also helps organizations to respond quickly to network changes. Scaling resources on-demand gets easier.

To add to the list, network automation helps businesses quickly deploy security patches. They can detect and respond to security threats, and enforce access controls.

It eliminates manual processes that are prone to errors. And it also improves the overall resilience of the network infrastructure.

What About Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing has transformed the way organizations approach network management. Cloud-based network management solutions offer several advantages, including centralized control, scalability, and real-time monitoring.

It provide a unified view of the entire network infrastructure, enabling organizations to gain insights into network performance, traffic patterns, and security events. Real-time monitoring and analytics capabilities empower organizations to detect and respond to network issues promptly.

Scalability is another significant benefit of cloud-based network management. Cloud platforms can easily handle the growing demands of network traffic and provide the necessary resources to ensure optimal performance. Additionally, cloud-based solutions offer seamless integration with other cloud services, enabling organizations to leverage the power of the cloud ecosystem.

How to Improve Network Security Through Advanced Technologies?

Coming to how one can improve network security by making the most out of the advanced technologies available out there, one can check out:

Next-generation firewalls. It offers advanced security features, deep packet inspection, and granular access controls. Next comes Intrusion detection systems that monitor network traffic for suspicious activities and potential breaches. It also detects any unauthorized access attempts and malware infections.

If the business is able to make the most out of the technologies stated above – it can develop a resilient network management strategy. Do let us know what’s working for you? Which technology you have adopted, and which one is best matching up with your business needs?

Slurp’it release updates

The following features & updates have been released over the last months. See our change log for more details:

  • Nautobot plugin support

  • Async implementation for the device finder and data collector for extra speed

  • Corrected multiple Device Type names (thanks to the community)

  • The SNMP tester is now using defined & enabled Transform Rules

  • API pagination is aligned for all Get calls

  • Ruijie & Nokia templates are added

  • Multiple small bugs and improvements

  • Automated disable/delete of unused discovered devices in Netbox

  • Slurp’it SDK.

Weekly Online Workshops

Curious about Slurp’it and how it integrates with your tools? Join us for our weekly online workshops, where we’ll walk you through everything Slurp’it has to offer. Whether you’re just getting started or looking to dive deeper, you can see Slurp’it in action and ask us anything.

Workshops are held every Tuesday at 10 AM CET and Thursday at 4 PM CET.

Autocon2 & Workshop with NetBox Labs & Netpicker

Heading to Autocon2 in Denver in November? Be sure to swing by our booth to say hello! We’re also hosting a special workshop with Mark Coleman from NetBox Labs and Otto Coster from Netpicker on Tuesday morning. It’s a great chance to get hands-on experience with Slurp’it and learn from the experts.

More info: https://networkautomation.forum/autocon2

 

Take care and as usual… Happy discovery!

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