2014 trends

Allied Telesis, a global provider of secure IP/Ethernet switching solutions; and an industry leader in the deployment and provision of IP Triple Play networks and networking infrastructures, looks ahead to the trends that will have impact on enterprise markets during 2014.

The growth of cloud services, big data and the increasing mobility of BYOD in 2014 will be the catalyst for enterprises to redefine their strategies for managing, securing and optimising their network infrastructures over the next 12 months.

As businesses look to leverage an increasing number of cloud services and applications, and support flexibility in how and where people work, Allied Telesis predicts the spotlight will fall on the underlying network infrastructure in 2014. Lowering the total cost of ownership (TCO) will be critical, but efforts and resources must be dedicated to achieving the very high levels of resiliency and security that are essential for the optimization of effective and fit-for-purpose networks.

Network management tools will also become important, as enterprises redefine the strategies to manage their infrastructure and take a centralised approach that enables easier management and better network utilisation.

James Blumlein, UK distribution sales manager, Allied Telesis, comments: “There is no doubt that enterprise network infrastructures will change and evolve considerably over the next 12-18 months. As we predicted in 2013, the cloud has become a major influence within the ICT industry and mobile connectivity is also key, as the increasing use of mobile devices and development of BYOD strategies influences the way businesses operate. 2014 will be the year that network strategies need to be considered and redefined, ensuring businesses have integrated infrastructures that can be managed with ease, yet provide the reliability and security required to support an increasingly mobile and services-based working world.”

Allied Telesis has already launched a number of initiatives that will enable companies to redefine their approach to network management and put in place the technologies to support a move to the cloud. These include the Allied Telesis Management Framework (AMF) - an innovative new technology that helps enterprises centrally manage the network to reduce the complexity and cost of network management by up to 60%, providing a practical way to take advantage of the benefits of software defined networking (SDN), without a hefty price tag.

During the past year, Allied Telesis featured the Gartner report: Focus on Five Dimensions of Network Design to Improve Performance and Save Money, published in March, which provides a framework for network professionals to improve user experience and reduce expenditure by 30%. During the course of 2014 the company will continue to invest in developing intelligent networking solutions, able to meet customers’ expectation to build bespoke systems; simplifying the implementation and management of the infrastructures.

The Allied Telesis EcoSystem Partner Program supports strategies to facilitate the integration of different technologies within next generation networks. The EcoSystem partnership signed with leading data network solutions provider Brand-Rex in 2013, demonstrated how Allied Telesis have continued their contribution to building solutions that meet customers’ requirements. This commitment will continue into 2014, with a focus on solutions that impact the bottom line and drive efficiencies for partners and customers.

Given the growing importance of mobility in 2014, the Company has enhanced the Enterprise Wireless Platform to complement the Allied Telesis portfolio of switches and offer significant advantages in terms of set up and ongoing deployment.

This choice of availability was specifically introduced into the Allied Telesis portfolio in order to protect customers’ investments, and to offer scalability and future-proofing to solutions; a feature that will become important to enterprises during 2014.