Intent-Based Networking: Coming Soon

Technology advancements in network administration have awakened the probability of an I Dream of Jeannie world of possibilities with a system designed to implement and maintain new commands from a network administrator.

The concept is known as intention-based networking, or IBN, and San Jose-based Cisco Systems is working to introduce as it moves away from its current predominant identity as a producer of hardware.

Intent-based networking is software that aids a network in planning and designing its operation to be more effective and agile. The software essentially builds on widely-used “software-designed network” technology that was developed to support cloud computing efficiency and infrastructure portability.

It is designed to take the capabilities of software-designed networks to the next level, and implements a system able to adapt and ensure the execution of new network requirements.

“Intent-based networking augments software-designed networks, by delivering the network agility that organizations require to accelerate their digital transformation,” says John ApostolopoulosOpens a new window , the chief technical officer for Cisco’s Enterprise Systems.

Nascent Technology

Cisco has been among the most vocal companies to describe its progress in developing this new technology, but according to Andrew Lerner of the Gartner Blog NetworkOpens a new window , mainstream adoption of the intent-based networking is still several years away. He notes that several start-up companies, including Apstra, Forward Networks and Veriflow, are working on supporting innovations that could help drive the technology.

The potential for adoption means that now is the time to start thinking about the software and its future potential down the road.

“Intent-based networking is nascent, but could be the next big thing in networking as it promises to improve network availability and agility, which are key as organizations transition to digital business,” said Lerner. “I&O leaders responsible for networking need to determine if and when to pilot this technology.”

The broader vision of intent-based networking aims to address the growing complexity of making changes to the software-designed networks.

“Today’s networks are extremely manually intensive to operate,” says Zeus Kerravala, founder of ZK ResearchOpens a new window . “Engineers must be familiar with a cryptic command line interface and repeat many tasks, box after box, to implement a change.”

Intent-based network system is designed to change this process, as it differentially takes a command from network administrations and integrates it into the software’s performance. This concept, known as “translation,” thus could allow a specific business policy to be integrated into the network immediately rather than requiring manual implementation.

The benefits of intent-based networking systems can be visualized by likening it to a car designed to park itself. Once the driver has selected a spot, the car would then execute the mechanics of fitting into the desired space automatically and without human intervention.

Automatic Implementation

So it is with the intent-based network system, which then continuously enforces the command established by the network manager and enforces and monitors the desired state of the network, automatically gathering data to do so. It is designed to take corrective actions if needed, a concept that designers refer to as “dynamic optimization.”

“IBN lets network administrators issue commands like “put all my Internet of Things devices in a single zone” or “prioritize bandwidth for the top 10% of my UC customer base” and rely on the network for all the behind-the-scenes magic that makes it happen,” Kerravala says. “If devices move or things change, the network automatically reconfigures to adapt.”

The intent-based system also removes one of the biggest threats to network systems: human-generated mistakes.

“Network operations are slow and error-prone,” Kerravala says. “My research shows that even with automation, the Number One cause of downtime is still human error, which occurs because engineers are constantly cutting and pasting commands and tweaking the system, often without realizing what the changes mean to the broader environment.”