WHY IT’S RISKY TO NOT DEPLOY A SOFTWARE DEFINED WAN
Businesses need to stay connected and up to speed
By
Doug Farndale, Vice President, APAC Silver Peak
Doug Farndale, Vice President, APAC Silver Peak
Playingcatch-up is never an easy win. It is disruptors, market leaders, and early
adopters that have managed to turn first mover advantage into true business
success. Taking the first step is never easy, but always necessary.
Whenever
technology evolves from one thing to the next, there’s always a certain degree
of perceived risk involved. Adopting new technology can disrupt workers because
of a change in process, cause unnecessary downtime due to integration issues,
or fail because it’s new and unproven.
technology evolves from one thing to the next, there’s always a certain degree
of perceived risk involved. Adopting new technology can disrupt workers because
of a change in process, cause unnecessary downtime due to integration issues,
or fail because it’s new and unproven.
Because
of these possibilities, many CIOs and other business leaders prefer to wait
until technology matures before deploying. Historically, having this cautious
attitude seemed wise. Let the early adopters cut their teeth and then deploy
new technologies when the best practices have been developed. In many ways,
this is the tech equivalent of “keeping up with the Joneses”.
of these possibilities, many CIOs and other business leaders prefer to wait
until technology matures before deploying. Historically, having this cautious
attitude seemed wise. Let the early adopters cut their teeth and then deploy
new technologies when the best practices have been developed. In many ways,
this is the tech equivalent of “keeping up with the Joneses”.
While
this strategy may have worked in the past, today there is more risk in not
being an earlier adopter than there is by being one. Digital organizations move
with speed; that’s where the competitive advantage comes from. Success in
business isn’t based on the company that has the best products or even the best
people. Sustained market leadership is based on an organizations ability to
adapt to market changes faster than the competition.
this strategy may have worked in the past, today there is more risk in not
being an earlier adopter than there is by being one. Digital organizations move
with speed; that’s where the competitive advantage comes from. Success in
business isn’t based on the company that has the best products or even the best
people. Sustained market leadership is based on an organizations ability to
adapt to market changes faster than the competition.
Here
are key considerations organizations need to bear in mind in order to stay
connected and up to speed:
are key considerations organizations need to bear in mind in order to stay
connected and up to speed:
You don’t want to be
held back by your network
held back by your network
Becoming
a digital organization means having to be more agile and nimble than the
competition. This requires having an agile IT foundation that enables the
company to make rapid changes. IT leaders understand this well and is the
primary reason why companies spent over $12 billion globally on technologies related
to digital initiatives.
a digital organization means having to be more agile and nimble than the
competition. This requires having an agile IT foundation that enables the
company to make rapid changes. IT leaders understand this well and is the
primary reason why companies spent over $12 billion globally on technologies related
to digital initiatives.
However,
companies can only be as agile as the least agile component, and today that is
the network, particularly the wide area network (WAN).Legacy networks are rigid
in nature and slow to change. In fact, in a study conducted last year, ZK
Research found that, on average; it takes over four months for businesses to
make even a simple network change.
companies can only be as agile as the least agile component, and today that is
the network, particularly the wide area network (WAN).Legacy networks are rigid
in nature and slow to change. In fact, in a study conducted last year, ZK
Research found that, on average; it takes over four months for businesses to
make even a simple network change.
Complex
changes can sometimes take over a year to implement – hardly the calling card
of a business that is striving to be agile.
changes can sometimes take over a year to implement – hardly the calling card
of a business that is striving to be agile.
You don’t want to be
stuck on the losing side of a price war with your service provider
stuck on the losing side of a price war with your service provider
For
all the hype regarding cost savings regarding SD-WANs — and the cost savings
can be significant — that isn’t the true value of the technology. I’ve never been
a big supporter of implementing new technologies to save money, as unforeseen
things can happen along the way that could diminish the cost savings.
all the hype regarding cost savings regarding SD-WANs — and the cost savings
can be significant — that isn’t the true value of the technology. I’ve never been
a big supporter of implementing new technologies to save money, as unforeseen
things can happen along the way that could diminish the cost savings.
Also,
the success of an IT project should not be determined on how much money it
saves; cost savings are hard to calculate unless all the specific variables and
cost inputs are known and can be measured both before and after deployment. In
fact, it’s always been my belief that, with the WAN, if an organization really
wants to save money and nothing else, then let the contract expire and hammer
your service provider for bigger savings. In this competitive environment, that
will yield at least 5%-10%.
the success of an IT project should not be determined on how much money it
saves; cost savings are hard to calculate unless all the specific variables and
cost inputs are known and can be measured both before and after deployment. In
fact, it’s always been my belief that, with the WAN, if an organization really
wants to save money and nothing else, then let the contract expire and hammer
your service provider for bigger savings. In this competitive environment, that
will yield at least 5%-10%.
The
true value of an SD-WAN is that it makes the network dynamic and agile and
enables an organization to compete at digital speeds. This becomes particularly
important as IT becomes network-centric in an era that is highly mobile and
cloud-first. This shift means that organizations that want to leverage mobile
and cloud as part of their digital strategy must also consider the network.
A slow, static network means digital strategies will fail. A dynamic, agile
network means the business can implement new strategies quickly.
true value of an SD-WAN is that it makes the network dynamic and agile and
enables an organization to compete at digital speeds. This becomes particularly
important as IT becomes network-centric in an era that is highly mobile and
cloud-first. This shift means that organizations that want to leverage mobile
and cloud as part of their digital strategy must also consider the network.
A slow, static network means digital strategies will fail. A dynamic, agile
network means the business can implement new strategies quickly.
The network is at the
centre of digitization – where are you?
centre of digitization – where are you?
Common
wisdom may say that moving to new technologies like SD-WAN creates some
business risk. In this case though, with the network being at the center of
digitization, it’s risker not to move — and that’s something all business
leaders should be considering.
wisdom may say that moving to new technologies like SD-WAN creates some
business risk. In this case though, with the network being at the center of
digitization, it’s risker not to move — and that’s something all business
leaders should be considering.
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