Digitization has undoubtedly created new opportunities in all areas. Not only have new expectations of flexibility and agility emerged for companies, but there are also new opportunities for outsourcing and integration in many areas. For people, digitization is now also integrated into the way they work.

With more people connected than ever before and that number continuing to grow, automated and high-performing networks are an absolute necessity. But managing increasingly complex enterprise networks isn’t easy. Below are the key challenges and how companies can best address them.

1. New requirements in network management

Companies rely on new ways of working, new technologies and new outsourcing opportunities. Not only digitize, but also remain competitive. As more and more people and devices are connected to the network, the current network architecture must also be constantly adapted. However, the technical requirements for efficient, sustainable and safe operation are often not yet in place. Network management solutions must be scalable and intelligently structured to meet new challenges. In addition, organizations must adapt to the new normal and ensure that data traffic between their offices and remote workers meets current standards of quality and security.

Managing enterprise networks from the cloud is the answer to this new reality. Cloud-managed network solutions offer features such as zero-touch provisioning. This enables network administrators to easily add, set up and connect new network components. Plus, new sites can be connected with just a few clicks while policy-based security standards are implemented. These automated solutions greatly increase scalability and flexibility for organizations and their employees, while reducing manual, error-prone workloads.

2. Lack of IT staff and increasing complexity

It is still a challenge for companies around the world to recruit the necessary staff and continue to digitize. This not only has major consequences for many innovation projects that no longer take place, but also for the digital transformation of these companies.

And the implications are big for network administrators, too. Processes such as problem solving and network documentation require expert staff who can work flexibly and quickly. As IT networks and connectivity become the backbone of our digitized world of work, it also means that problems need to be prevented or fixed as quickly as possible. If you don’t respond quickly enough, the network can be exposed to vulnerabilities that can affect connectivity—and with it, the productivity of the entire organization.

In this regard, cloud-managed network solutions can bring many benefits. IT staff shortages are far from over and networks are only getting more complex. Cloud-based network management solutions help network administrators spend as little time as possible on routine tasks. This leaves them more time for other, innovation-oriented tasks.

3. Network security challenges

With the emergence of new technologies and increasing complexity, security challenges also increase. According to a new network management survey by techconsult, more than half of the companies surveyed report network security problems, and 52 percent see security as a major challenge in today’s network management. This requires network transparency so that those responsible have an overview of their work and solutions.

Thanks to the cloud, more and more smart security features are becoming available, such as early warnings when an unknown device tries to connect to the network. Not only can these features greatly improve the security of the network, but they can also provide greater control over one’s systems and greater visibility of the network.

Demand for cloud-managed network solutions is high today and will continue to grow in the coming years. Techconsult’s research also shows that 85 percent of companies want to move to the cloud and around 52 percent are already using hybrid network management solutions. Many companies have also said goodbye to on-premise solutions and migrated completely to the cloud. This is largely due to the flexibility, added security, and predictable cost that cloud-managed network models offer. These solutions also make network management much easier, less time-consuming and error-prone, and cost-effective.

Today’s companies need a dynamic and effective management tool. Network management, especially from the cloud, is indispensable for the future.

The most important results of techconsult’s research are presented below.

This is an article by Ajin Ku, Country Manager Benelux at LANCOM Systems. Click Here for more information about the company’s solutions.