Daisy Corporate Services' State of Networking Report 2024 also found that almost three-quarters (71 per cent) of respondents said cybersecurity threats are the biggest networking challenge they currently face, with 85 per cent stating that remote and hybrid working is the biggest contributor to heightened threat levels.
The report has highlighted that growing network complexity is making it more difficult and costly for organisations to secure and manage their networks. Almost two-thirds (64 per cent) said that their current network is made up from a patchwork of different vendor technologies and 87 per cent said this has created network management issues. Added to that, 88 per cent of organisations said that simplifying their network infrastructure is now a priority.
“At a time when the network perimeter is becoming increasingly virtual and a growing number of business processes and applications are online, it has never been so important to be able to maintain and manage a secure boundary between your network and the outside world,” said Joel Cunningham, head of connect at Daisy Corporate Services (pictured, right). “Simply hoping your remote employees will enable a VPN outside the office doesn’t constitute a robust network security strategy.”
The report found that increased pressure is being put on many networks due to the number of cloud applications being used in the workplace – according to 81 per cent of those surveyed. What’s more, more than one third of organisations (37 per cent) said that ensuring cloud application performance was one of the main networking challenges they face. This is especially true in office environments where hot desking and large meeting rooms are putting WIFi networks under strain.
Yet even seemingly simple upgrades – such as moving to the newer WiFi 6 standard is a challenge for many, the study revealed, with 60 per cent of respondents saying the cost of upgrading devices is delaying their move to WiFi 6. In fact, only 21 percent of those surveyed currently have WiFi 6 deployed across most of their organisation.
Despite being aware that they need to simplify and update their network infrastructure, 30 per cent of IT budgets is currently still spent on maintaining legacy network hardware. This makes it harder for organisations to implement modernisation and improvement programs, resulting in a vicious circle where legacy systems need to be maintained, as there isn’t an alternative.
Legacy technology is also a significant factor in whether organisations can meet their sustainability goals; with legacy network hardware accounting for one third (34 per cent) of organisations' overall IT power consumption. However, the majority of organisations (91 per cent) believe that modernising their network infrastructure will contribute to them meeting ongoing sustainability targets. Despite this, being able to dispose of legacy equipment in an environmentally friendly way remains a challenge for 59 per cent of organisations.
Cunningham added, “Legacy networking equipment remains a huge cost centre, preventing organisations from reaching their sustainability goals and causing significant overspend across maintenance and power consumption. The traditional approaches to managing wide area networks often fall short in addressing these complex issues.
“However, software-defined wide area networking has emerged and evolved into a transformative solution. This powerful technology not only solves the problem of optimising network performance but enhances security measures, giving organisations an edge in the ever-evolving threat landscape.”