Technology changes fast, and today it's changing faster than ever. Cloud computing, software-defined networking, DevOps, and mobile computing are all transforming the enterprise and shaking up the status quo.
There's no escaping these growing trends. For example, even though it's still early days for software-defined networking, the data center and enterprise SDN market grew a whopping 192% from 2012 to 2013, according to Infonetics Research. That includes SDN controllers and SDN-capable Ethernet switches. The growth puts an end to any question of SDN playing a role in data center and enterprise networks, according to Cliff Grossner, directing analyst at Infonetics.
Infonetics predicts the market for SDN Ethernet switches and controllers will reach $18 billion by 2018, when it expects SDN adoption to go mainstream.
Meanwhile, a Puppet Labs report on DevOps, based on a global survey of 9,200 IT pros and software developers, found that organizations are adopting DevOps at a faster pace and reaping competitive benefits.
DevOps, SDN, and other hot technology trends like containers and the Internet of Things will be in the spotlight at Interop New York Sept. 29 to Oct. 3. Don't miss your chance to get clarity on these trends (featured in this slideshow) that promise to alter the IT landscape forever.
(Image: geralt/Pixabay)
InteropNet SDN Lab
For the past 28 years, volunteers have built the InteropNet from scratch to provide the IT environment and network connectivity to all the exhibitors and attendees at the Interop conference. At this fall's Interop New York conference, the InteropNet Labs is changing things up by creating a purpose-built lab to test software-defined networking systems and applications, using open source software and vendor-supplied hardware and software. (In-house networks will provide conference connectivity.) The InteropNet SDN Lab will test the interoperability of open source and vendor products and demonstrate SDN concepts. The lab's work will be on display during expo hours at Interop.
DevOps workshop
DevOps holds a lot of promise, but at the same time, it's generated a lot of debate, confusion, and even fear. It's described variously as a cultural shift, a new corporate role, and use of automation tools. At Interop New York, a workshop will provide clarity by focusing on DevOps as a way to achieve operational excellence by leveraging automation frameworks to speed and optimize infrastructure deployment. "Achieving Operational Excellence Through DevOps" will feature a panel of experts, including Jeremy Schulman, founder of the network automation tools startup Schprokits, who has unique insights into the culture and tools of DevOps and how they could affect the network. Another session, "The DevOps Pay Raise: Quantifying Your Value To Move Up the Ladder," will look at how IT pros can use tools such as Puppet and Chef to quantify their value to their corporate management.
Containerization
Just when we were getting a handle on virtual machines, along come containers to shake things up. The Cloud Connect Summit, which is collocated with Interop New York, will have two sessions on this trend that's taking the industry by storm. "Containers and the Cloud: Separating Myth from Reality"" will explain what containers are, how they work, and deployment configurations. Led by James Turnbull, vice president of services at Docker, "Are VMs Passé?" will discuss the pros and cons of containerization and whether it puts VMs on the road to obsolescence.
OpenStack
OpenStack, the open source cloud computing platform, continues to generate buzz as enterprises look for way to reap the scale and agility benefits of IaaS. What started in 2010 as a joint project between Rackspace and NASA has turned into a massive community with more than 200 companies supporting its development. At Interop, the "Introduction to OpenStack: Enterprise Boot Camp" will provide IT pros with a working understanding of the technology and will cover topics such as enterprise readiness for OpenStack. It will also provide an overview of the OpenStack ecosystem.
Internet of Things
As companies try to get a handle on the cloud and mobile computing, the Internet of Things looms on the horizon. The estimates of the number of connected devices are certainly eye-popping. For example, Cisco predicts 25 billion devices will be connected by 2015, rising to 50 billion by 2020. All these connected devices, of course, have ramifications for networking, storage, and security. A half-day workshop at Interop, "Internet of Things Summit" will help attendees understand how to prepare for -- and take advantage of -- the IoT. Topics include security and data governance.
Social WiFi
A hot trend, especially for retailers, is social WiFi. When users sign into wireless networks via their social networking credentials, organizations can collect a wealth of data that they can use to fine-tune their marketing efforts and improve the customer experience. "The Social WiFi Goldmine: Should You Be Digging?" will examine the kinds of information that can be gathered and analyzed, and explore vendor options for social WiFi. It will also discuss protection of customer information and balancing data collection with customer privacy concerns.
(Source: Charleston's TheDigitel)
Startups
There are a lot of startups out there with innovative technology, but organizations can be leery of the "bleeding edge." At Interop New York, the "Startup Hot Seat" will give attendees the opportunity to hear from startup executives talk about their cutting-edge technologies, and also ask the executives questions. Scheduled to appear are Adam Johnson, general manager of the SDN startup Midokura; Ed Samson, CEO and founder of the management tools company Basic 6; and Sash Sunkara, co-founder and CEO of the cloud services firm RackWare.
Subsea cable alternatives can provide a level of comfort for those concerned about disruptions. Realistically, they will continue to play a small, but critical role in the short term.
Maintaining existing network infrastructures often incurs huge technical debt before newer technologies are adopted over time.
Amid ongoing regional uncertainties, telecom infrastructure in the Middle East has expand to include terrestrial low-latency network infrastructure, which offers resilience and agility in navigating political complexities without relying solely on undersea networks.
