Managing Tomorrow’s Networks: The Impacts of SDN and Network Virtualization on Network Management – Report Summary

Managing Tomorrow’s Networks
The Impacts of SDN and Network Virtualization on
Network Management – Report Summary
Target: Communication Service Providers and Enterprises
Research report by Shamus McGillicuddy, An ENTERPRISE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATES® (EMA™)
End-User Research Report December 2015
Source: http://www.enterprisemanagement.com/research/asset.php/3159/Managing-Tomorrow's-Networks:-The-Impacts-of-SDN-and-Network-Virtualization-on-
Network-Management
Sponsored by:

2 © 2016 CA. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Report Summary and Findings
SUMMARY: This research study examines the impacts of Software-Defined
Networking (SDN) and Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) technologies
on network management tools and practices within both enterprises and
network service providers. It is based on a survey of 150 enterprises, IT
professionals and 76 service-provider networking professionals who work
within organizations that have either begun production deployments of
SDN/NFV technology or have specific plans to do so within the next 12
months.
FINDINGS: “The majority of enterprises and service providers have discovered
that their existing network engineering, monitoring, and troubleshooting tools
do not fully support SDN, NFV, and network virtualization.”

Communication Service Provider Study
Findings

Communications Service Providers Target Productivity
Boosts, Revenue Growth with Early SDN Adoption
Service providers name the top benefits targeted with SDN-based network transformation efforts.
Source: Managing Tomorrow’s Networks: The Impacts of SDN and Network Virtualization on Network Management, by Shamus McGillicuddy, An ENTERPRISE MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATES® (EMA™) End-User Research Report December 2015,
Sponsored by CA Technologies

Top SDN/NFV Use Cases Communication Service
Providers Are Pursuing To Support Business Goals
More than anything else, service providers are building virtual private clouds on their
infrastructure with SDN and NFV.
49%
61%
51%
36%
46%
53%
0%
4%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Series1

Communication Service Provider SDN/NFV Network
Management Readiness
Only 1/3 or less say their current tools are ready
Todays’ network management systems unprepared to support SDN/NFV in Service Provider
networks

Communication Service Providers Have New
Requirements for Their SDN/NFV Network Management
CSPs reveal a number of new functional requirements for their network management systems to
support SDN/NFV.

Communication Service Providers Divided On How To
Address SDN/NFV Network Management Gaps
SDN/NFV Performance Management SDN/NFV Fault Management

Enterprises Target Productivity Boost, Revenue Growth,
Customer Retention with SDN/NFV Adoption
The most important business benefits sought as result of network transformation efforts with
SDN and network virtualization.

Top Engineering and Operational Improvements
Enterprises Are Pursuing to Support Business Goals
44%
43%
40%
42%
43%
38%
0%
1%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Series1
The data center in particular is an area in which enterprises can innovate with SDN/NFV in order
to support their business goals.

Enterprise Network Management Readiness For SDN
Data Center SDN Use Case
Todays’ network management systems Unprepared to support SDN in the Enterprise Data Center.

Enterprise Network Management Readiness For SDN
Campus SDN, SD-WAN and NFV Use Cases
All SDN technologies present problems to todays’ network management tools for the Enterprise.

Enterprises Have New Requirements for Their SDN/NFV
Network Management
SDN/NFV adopters uncovered a number of new functional requirements for enterprise network
management systems.

Enterprises Divided On How To Address SDN/NFV
Network Management Gaps
SDN Overlay Performance Management Enterprise NFV Troubleshooting

Conclusion: A Major Threat to SDN and NFV Success Looms
Network Management Tools Must Evolve for SDN/NFV
 Organizations surveyed expect their SDN initiatives to boost end-user
productivity and grow revenue.
 Before SDN can help companies be successful, they must make sure they
have the right network management tools in place.
 This research has demonstrated that most service providers and
enterprises have determined that their existing network management
systems are ill-prepared to fully support SDN and NFV.
 Service providers and enterprises are divided on whether they will modify
their existing tools or acquire new tools to address these gaps.

Conclusion: A Major Threat to SDN and NFV Success Looms
Network Management Tools Must Evolve for SDN/NFV
 EMA recommends that service providers and enterprises carefully
evaluate their SDN/NFV management tool strategy. They should not
assume their existing tools will fully support their SDN/NFV investments.
– Ask network management vendors about their SDN roadmaps.
– Is your network management vendor addressing the new functional requirements you
need for business success?
– Can you complement your existing network management systems with a new tool?

For more information on how to transform your network
management to SDN/NFV Assurance, please visit
www.ca.com/vna

Managing Tomorrow’s Networks: The Impacts of SDN and Network Virtualization on Network Management – Report Summary

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Managing Tomorrow’s Networks: The Impacts of SDN and Network Virtualization on Network Management – Report Summary