COVID-19 Is Accelerating the Shift From Legacy Networks to NetOps 2.0: Opengear VP

“Google, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft, et al wouldn’t exist the way they do had they not used hyperautomation to cut costs and manage globally distributed data centers. The foundation for this technology is Linux and other open source tools (Openstack, Kubernetes, etc), along with SDN.”

NetOps 2.0 is the new concept organizations worldwide are embracing to repurpose their networks to meet business needs. As GartnerOpens a new window defines it, NetOps 2.0 requires the use of automation and network analytics tools to make enterprise networks agile, resistant to outages, and scalable. However, none of these tools will have any effect unless organizations build NetOps teams that can work on insights obtained from network analytics data, adopt problem detection and mitigation practices, and proactively anticipate future requirements.

The adoption of NetOps 2.0 is, however, easier said than done. The continued use of legacy networking equipment, complexities in decades-old networks, and traditional networking concepts make the switch an enormous challenge. The emergence of 5G, the carrier edge, WiFI 6, private networks, and cloud SaaS, on the other hand, are enabling fast-paced digital transformation at organizations of all sizes.

In an interview with Toolbox, Douglas WadkinsOpens a new window , VP, Product Management & Strategy for Digi International’s Opengear and Cellular Router Businesses, describes the best NetOps automation approach enterprises should pursue, how hyperautomation is redefining NetOps, and why this technology is a must for organizations looking to evolve and expand in global business environments.

Key takeaways from this interview:  

• • Challenges faced by organizations switching to NetOps 2.0
  • The ideal NetOps automation approach businesses should pursue
  • The impact of hyperautomation on network agility and scalability
  • The importance of network console servers in modern networks

Here’s the edited transcript of the interview with Douglas Wadkins:

1. What are the challenges an enterprise-scale organization face when embracing NetOps 2.0? Do factors like cost and diverse networks make migration an enormous challenge?

All of those things are always factors. The most significant challenge we always face with new technologies is that our ability to create technology far outpaces our ability to consume it. NetOps is a considerable shift away from legacy systems, and there are millions of people trained to operate those legacy systems. This makes the task of switching away from legacy networks a long-drawn affair unless there are compelling events.

Cisco’s CCIEOpens a new window (Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert) program was very difficult and complex, so much so that a CCIE certificate on a cube wall was considered a badge of honor. There are around 3.5 million CCIEs globally, so this bit of complexity was ultimately a winner. The same complexity that helped Cisco attain close to 90% enterprise market share has greatly affected its customers. Some of them are starting to feel like lobsters in a rapidly warming pot.  

Enterprise networks were upgraded 20 years ago for Y2K and to support Power over EthernetOpens a new window (PoE). Aside from a couple of events that prompted select verticals to change and the emergence of hyper-scale applications and clouds, the stacks of teal-colored metal remained unchanged in many enterprises. However, since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic in March last year, enterprise access networks changed polarity overnight. 

A vast percentage of potent network and compute resources installed in corporate buildings were suddenly outside the network and mainly in employees’ homes. The sudden rush of internet traffic, including real-time video traffic, led to the explosion of VPNs. Before this, access edge issues were primarily centered around a bit of IoT and specialized app deployments, and replacing old Cisco technology wasn’t in anyone’s critical path. 

The COVID-19 pandemic created a compelling event for enterprises, and the technical underpinnings of NetOps 2.0 are well understood by a different type of engineer. 

This is comparable to the development of VoIP protocols of the ‘90s. H.323Opens a new window was an ITU standard, based on ISDNOpens a new window , complex and only a couple hundred-thousand people worldwide understood the complexity. On the other hand, SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) was modeled after HTTP that millions of people understood, and SIP engineers and H.323 engineers didn’t hang out in the same bars. It wasn’t until 3GPP (the 3rd Generation Partnership Project) realized lower development costs and the benefits of LTE converged voice and data that SIP became the predominant protocol. 

Learn More: Big Cloud, Small Data Centers: Meeting the Network Resilience Needs of 2021

2. What is the ideal NetOps automation approach an enterprise should pursue to minimize outages, drive network resilience and make IT infrastructure more secure?

The complexity associated with NetOps 1.0 and making any change to it is the cause of many outages. Gartner states that Cisco IOS (Cisco’s flagship network infrastructure software) has 22 million lines of code, and Cisco has in some ways monetized that complexity.   A typical CiscoLive event has over 1000 sessions and labs to teach people how to manage their systems’ complexity. Upgrading legacy NOS (Network Operating System) software is a time-consuming and potentially disruptive process. The NOS goes into a lab and goes through numerous tests to ensure the new software doesn’t have any unintended adverse effects. 

On the other hand, Linux is compartmentalized by its very nature. You can update one component without having to touch the rest of it. Docker packaged and popularized Linux containers.  With Linux, the quality-assurance cycle is greatly simplified. Let’s say you want to apply a security patch. That will apply only to one module of the NOS code; it has nothing to do with data handling modules, so there’s no need to test them, perform QA analysis, and so forth. It adds up to less work for your network operations team and, in most cases, reduces network downtime. 

3. How did hyperautomation evolve and how did it help Big Tech thrive in the aftermath of Y2K?

Legacy networking equipment has built-in hardware obsolescence. It carries a painful cost structure of a premium luxury goods brand, so it is not difficult to cut costs when there is a viable alternative. Hyperautomation technology originated with the hyper-scale web companies to cut costs and manage globally distributed data centers. The foundation is Linux and other open-source tools (Openstack, Kubernetes, etc.) along with SDN. Google, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft, et al. wouldn’t exist the way they do without that foundation, and any other business can take full advantage of their contributions to the open-source community.

Learn More: Preventing Outages: The Best Defense Is a Resilient Network 

4. Can you discuss emerging trends in hyperautomation in the post-pandemic era?

The arrival of 5G standalone networks, the carrier edge, 802.11ax (WiFi6) CBRS, and private networks is now reshaping enterprise wireless. The “cloud” SaaS has reshaped enterprise IT application development as well. These disruptive trends are creating an incentive for enterprises to upgrade their network infrastructure using a software-based approach.

5. How can IT decision-makers assess whether SDN is the best fit for their organization?

For businesses that don’t need to evolve, which means their business is either a niche or is on its way to extinction, there is no need to transition to an SDN. Those looking to evolve and expand will either transition on their own or their competition will drive change. Look at the banking and financial services sectors to see how this plays out. 

Traditional banks have much older legacy network access infrastructure compared to their more modern FinServ counterparts. So it’s the FinServ companies that are far outperforming the banks in terms of network agility and ability to respond to issues brought about by events like COVID-19. The FinServ sector is much farther along the adoption curve of open networking than more conservative banks. For example, one of the largest financial services companies has already replaced over 2,000 Cisco campus and access switches with open switches and a Linux NOS and has had zero failures in over a year of operation.

Learn More: Opengear CTO on How to Future-Proof Network Infrastructure

6. What is the role of industrial console servers in NetOps automation? Share use cases of how Opengear’s NetOps console servers have helped end users improve their network resilience and reliability?

Hardware will always exist even in a hyper automated world, and console servers provide a management plane to that hardware. While console servers are traditionally relied upon to provide emergency access to data during outages, they can also be used to create an independent management plane, giving NetOps engineers a resilient and reliable method to access both hardware and software assets. Yes, it can be used to control critical traffic if the rest of the network suffers an outage, but it also enables everyday secure management of the network, and even Day one provisioning.

NetOps Console servers have TPM chipsOpens a new window to allow a secure boot process, and with an embedded cellular modem, enable network engineers to provision a new rack without visiting the site.

Opengear’s NetOps Console servers have containerized partitions that allow applications and Python scripts to run, making them inherently flexible while maintaining the performance and reliability necessary for an independent management plane. Network engineers can run automation routines on their equipment to improve efficiency and reduce the number of repetitive tasks.

About Douglas WadkinsOpens a new window : Douglas is currently serving as Vice President, Product Management & Strategy for Digi International’sOpens a new window OpengearOpens a new window and Cellular Router businesses, and is a strong leader with data driven passion for customer experience and building high performance teams. He has deep product management, strategy, business development, and general management expertise in unified communications, cloud PBX and contact center, enterprise, carrier, and mobile networking, IoT, security and subscription-based business models. When not researching economic, market, and technology trends, Douglas can likely be found enjoying various activities that put the wind in his face. 

About OpengearOpens a new window : Opengear brings network resilience to IT organizations, ensuring business continuity through Smart Out-of-BandOpens a new window management solutions. Over its fifteen-year history, the company led the evolution from simple terminal servers to complex console servers with the development of centralized management software, embedded 4G-LTE cellular access, and NetOps-ready appliances.

About Tech TalkOpens a new window : Tech Talk is a Toolbox Interview Series with notable CTOs and senior executives from around the world. Join us to share your insights and research on where technology and data are heading in the future. This interview series focuses on integrated solutions, research and best practices in the day-to-day work of the tech world.

Have network automation tools helped your business attune to the post-pandemic business climate? Comment below or let us know on LinkedInOpens a new window , TwitterOpens a new window , or FacebookOpens a new window . We would love to hear from you!