Networking Trends 2023

The networking landscape is evolving at an incredible pace, thanks to the digital transformation of the modern world. Highly distributed IT environments, created by hybrid and remote teams are forcing brands to rethink the way they approach connectivity. At the same time, we’re seeing a rapid increase in the number of technologies designed to power modern networks.

Today’s organizations have access to everything from AI/ML enabled interfaces, enhanced security systems, and 5G or Wi-Fi 6 connections. It’s an incredible time to be investing in your tech stack. However, it can be difficult to figure out where to begin.

Companies hoping to stay one step ahead of the technological revolution will need to ensure they’re keeping track of the biggest trends in the networking space. Fortunately, we’re here to help, with some of the top technology trends worth monitoring in 2023 and beyond.

1. The Rise of Networking as a Service (NaaS)

The shift to cloud, and as-a-service based solutions is nothing new in the business space. For years, companies have been exploring CCaaS, CPaaS, SaaS, and countless other solutions to help reduce costs and increase agility. As budgets continue to dwindle in the years ahead, many brands may begin shifting into the networking-as-a-service (NaaS) space too.

NaaS offers employees to access applications they need wherever they’re working, making it ideal for the hybrid and remote working landscape. It also ensures companies can scale to suit changing business requirements rapidly, with minimal investment in hardware. According to IDC, around 70% of IT leaders are planning to invest in the switch to NaaS within the next 12 months.

2. Automation Continues to Thrive

Automation has proven to be a valuable investment for businesses in the last couple of years, reducing networking threats, compliance risks, and inefficiencies. As businesses continue to expand, with new remote and hybrid workers, the interest in automation will likely continue to grow. New products are already emerging in the market to help teams automate more of their networking processes.

Going forward, network automation won’t just be about streamlining configuration changes. It will also be something companies can apply to their workflows more frequently, to ensure networks continue to operate seamlessly at all times. Automation combined with intelligence will even allow organizations to rapidly troubleshoot and repair networking issues.

3. AI and Machine Learning Grows

Speaking of AI, we’re likely to see more intelligent tools in the networking space in the years ahead too, particularly as artificial intelligence becomes more advanced. Today’s developers are creating a host of unique tools, perfect for everything from troubleshooting problems, to analyzing large amounts of data in minimal time. We’re even seeing the rise of concepts like generative AI, produced by vendors like Open AI with ChatGPT.

Machine learning technology is already making a huge difference to the networking space, through intelligent event handling applications. These systems can correlate events and provide direct insights into issues that might impact network operations. There may even be a future for ChatOps systems, which communicate outages to networking teams in a way that drives faster problem detection, root cause identification, and issue resolution.

4. Next Gen Connectivity Makes its Mark

The connectivity landscape has come a long way in the last couple of years. In 2020, the world was introduced to Wi-Fi 6 for the first time, and by 2025, experts believe the value of this technology in the US alone will reach around $1.6 trillion. Enhanced Wi-Fi connectivity will allow companies to prioritize traffic more effectively for multiple devices, reduce latency, and increase speed.

At the same time, 5G is emerging as a commonplace solution for mobile connectivity, with some organizations already discussing the potential of 6G in the future. For mobile companies, 5G will increase the speeds of connections dramatically, and make it easier for hybrid and remote workers to communicate and share information on the go. While 5G has yet to make it into every part of the world at this point, the demand for it is certainly growing.

5. SD-WAN Becomes Commonplace

For years, networking experts have been discussing the potential benefits of solutions like SD-WAN and SASE for more controlled, secured networking connections. Traditional WAN protocols are no longer suitable for today’s cloud-centric world. SD-WAN offers companies the opportunity to reduce operational costs, sometimes by up to 40%, and improve efficiency, without compromising on security. It’s little wonder adoption levels are growing.

At the same time as SD-WAN is becoming commonplace in the network environment, we’re also seeing the introduction of new networking solutions, like intent-based networking. This concept combines software-defined networking components with machine learning to optimize traffic flows based on specific business goals and outcomes. It will be interesting to see how this technology develops in the years ahead.

6. IoT Continues to Proliferate the Landscape

Already, the number of connected devices in the world today is reaching massive volumes. However, by 2030, that number is expected to triple. On the one hand, IoT solutions present a number of benefits to businesses, from the ability to monitor technologies more effectively, and reduce the risk of downtime, to increased efficiency and business data.

However, IoT devices can be difficult to secure. The variety and scale of devices in the landscape today can make it harder for businesses to ensure all of their solutions are fully protected. To make matters worse, IoT solutions generate and share huge amounts of data, which make them a target for many criminals. According to one study, once an IoT device is hacked, it can take less than 6 minutes for a full-scale business attack to be launched.

7. Security Strategies Will Evolve

With new threats to consider, such as the rise of IoT and the introduction of new remote and hybrid working environments, companies will need to take a new approach to security. Today, businesses are already exploring zero-trust network architecture, and SASE solutions. Many vendors in the networking environment are also beginning to offer a wider range of security solutions, designed to protect companies in the evolving digital world.

Companies in the modern age of networking will need to ensure they’re not only securing their network perimeters, but also thinking carefully about the steps they take to defend endpoints. With many employees now using their own devices in the workplace, there are various threats to consider from smartphones, tablets, and computers alike. Organizations will need to take a holistic approach to ensuring they stay one step ahead of criminals.

8. Digital Twins Transform Networking

According to the ESG report on technology spending initiatives, the top goal of many IT groups today is to improve operational efficiency. Evolving digital twin technology could be one of the best ways for business leaders to achieve their goals. With digital twins, network operational teams can build identical virtual or digital environments which replicate the elements of the company’s network.

Using this digital twin, operations teams can make changes to their ecosystem virtually, and see what might happen as a result, without harming any physical network connections. Organizations using this technology will be able to ensure higher levels of business resiliency, and may be able to track potential problems before they occur a lot faster than their competitors.

9. Multi-Cloud Networking Continues to Thrive

The last few years have introduced a massive increase in the number of companies using multiple clouds in their networking strategy. According to one ESG report, around 86% of companies are using multiple public clouds as part of their strategy. Combining numerous public clouds into a single ecosystem can create exceptional agility for a business, but it also leads to more complexity for the operational teams within a company.

This is an issue many companies will need to be aware of as they continue to build on their cloud plans for the years ahead. After all, more than half of the companies surveyed in the report above said they were struggling to find professionals with the right cloud and IT architecture skills to manage their network. The good news is that a number of vendors are beginning to introduce tools to the market that can help to minimize some of the complexities associated with multi-cloud environments.

10. The Introduction of Network Management Services

Although automation tools and artificial intelligence are making it easier for companies to gain more visibility into their networks, there’s likely to be an increased demand in the marketplace for solutions and services that can help companies to thrive. Digital Experience Monitoring services, for instance, are becoming more important for brands who want to maintain a clear view into how their network solutions and applications are performing in an evolving ecosystem.

In 2023 and beyond, companies will be able to choose between accessing a solution to help them monitor and track their network connections more effectively, with built-in AI support, or leveraging the services of a professional monitoring team. Either way, it’s safe to say consistent visibility will be a core priority for many businesses in the years ahead.

Adapting to the New Age of Networking

Ultimately, the networking landscape is one of the fastest-moving spaces in the technology world. Every month, and every year, new technologies and solutions are emerging to transform the way we connect, and manage our connections. As companies continue to move into the future, exploring hybrid work, new cloud environments, and improved connectivity options, there will be plenty of opportunities for brands to enhance their networking stance.

If you need help finding a vendor to assist you on your transition into the new age of networking, check out the UC Advisor comparison matrix to start your journey.