INTELLIGENT BRANDS // Software for Business

Companies shift to flexible software-defined systems for tighter security , lower costs , continued cloud migration , ISG Provider Lens report says .

The 2024 ISG Provider Lens Network — Software-defined Solutions and Services report for APAC finds that companies in the region – which for this report covers Australia , New Zealand , Southeast Asia and India – are seeking more efficient , secure and flexible networks to address rising business challenges .

Many are reported as still adding expensive traditional network links and need to modernize connectivity for cloud migration . Demand for SDN is expected to remain strong in the coming years , especially in high-growth emerging markets such as India .

“ Asia Pacific enterprises want to keep growing in the face of new demands to decarbonize and utilize AI in their operations – to carry out Digital Transformation initiatives , they need rapid , cost-efficient network provisioning ,” said Michael Gale , Partner and Software-defined wide-area networks ( SD-WANs ) have been the preferred infrastructure for remote workforces and cloud-connected applications for several years .

But as recently as 2021 , APAC companies struggled to negotiate SD-WAN carrier contracts , the report said .

Since then , service providers and carriers have introduced cost-competitive options with plug-and-play setup . Expanded offerings from system integrators and traditional network service providers have helped to drive SD-WAN growth .

APAC remains slightly behind the US and UK in adopting fully managed or co-managed SD-WAN services , which can reduce costs and implementation risks while allowing automated monitoring and reporting with single-screen administration , the report notes .

Yet , compared with these other markets , APAC organizations have even higher expectations for savings , flexibility and technological advancement through these services , ISG says .

For a growing number of large enterprises in APAC , SDN adoption is part of implementing a secure access service edge ( SASE ), a comprehensive set of managed services in which enterprise networking and security fully converge , the report says .

Companies often procure SASE as a fully managed service from an IT service provider , though clients in the Philippines and Indonesia more commonly turn to network equipment vendors and telcos – while those in Singapore and Malaysia tend to rely on cloud service providers .

“ Enterprises across Asia Pacific remain deeply concerned about network security ,” said Jan Erik Aase , Partner and Global Leader , ISG Provider Lens Research .

“ SD networks form the basis for complete SASE implementations that can meet their security expectations .”

The report also examines other SDN trends in Asia Pacific , including the growing adoption of SD-WANs by smaller enterprises and the steady expansion of edge computing that has helped to drive network modernization . p

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