A growing cloud-first approach is introducing new possibilities and potential for enterprises but also putting increased pressure on U.K. networks, according to a new research report published today by Information Services Group (ISG) (Nasdaq: III), a leading global technology research and advisory firm.
The 2023 ISG Provider Lens™ Network — Software Defined Solutions and Services report for the U.K. predicts that software-defined inter-cloud connectivity will serve as the backbone of next-generation networks. Because U.K. enterprises may have users distributed across thousands of sites, telcos have adopted a strategic approach to ensure uniform quality of the end-user experience.
“Providers recognize that employer networks are no longer monolithic,” said Jon Harrod, director, network advisory, for ISG in the UK. “That is why network orchestration has taken center stage.”
According to the ISG report, over the past few years, customer applications have grown far more distributed. That trend is expected to continue in the short to medium term, the report says. While moving office connectivity to the cloud and/or the internet can be complex and incur substantial costs for enterprises, several providers have directed their efforts to making this connectivity seamless and more cost-effective. In addition, the steady growth of edge computing will require a more inclusive cloud ecosystem, ISG says.
As enterprises move more of their workload to the cloud, especially in multicloud environments, network service providers are structuring their offerings to help customers connect to and establish connections between clouds, the ISG report says. Several service and solution providers are developing strategies to make this inter-cloud connectivity a key differentiator for cloud-native network investments. According to the ISG report, these providers are focusing their efforts on intent-based networking (IBN), a highly automated and orchestrated process that improves network operations and uptime by handling certain day-to-day networking tasks automatically instead of depending on manual intervention from engineers.
“Enterprises seek reduced latency and higher throughput,” said Jan Erik Aase, partner and global leader, ISG Provider Lens Research. “That is why many of them are adopting a cloud-first, cost-saving approach.”
The report also examines how enterprises are moving toward zero trust network access (ZTNA) and adopting cloud-based security services, especially to support hybrid and remote workers.
The 2023 ISG Provider Lens™ Network — Software Defined Solutions and Services report for the U.K. evaluates the capabilities of 47 providers across five quadrants: Managed SD-WAN, SDN Transformation Services (Consulting and Implementation), Enterprise Networks Technology and Service Suppliers, Edge Technologies and Services, and SASE Solutions and Service.
The report names BT, HCLTech, Orange Business, Tech Mahindra, Vodafone and Wipro as Leaders in all five quadrants, while Colt and Deutsche Telekom are named as Leaders in four quadrants each. Tata Communications and VMO2B are named as Leaders in three quadrants each, while Accenture, Microland and NTT are named as Leaders in two quadrants each. Lumen and Verizon are named as Leaders in one quadrant each.
In addition, DXC Technology and Microland are named as Rising Stars — companies with a “promising portfolio” and “high future potential” by ISG’s definition — in two quadrants each, while Logicalis is named a Rising Star in one quadrant.
A customized version of the report is available from Microland.
The 2023 ISG Provider Lens™ Network — Software Defined Solutions and Services report for the U.K. is available to subscribers or for one-time purchase on this webpage.
