In a recent post entitled SDN. A fad, like 3D-TV? Only in technology defined enterprises, I described the impact of software defined networking (and indeed software defined data centres) thus:
“SDN, and software defined other things like Data Centre, will be the biggest transformation in how we design, deploy, operate and provision IT services in the next 20 years.”
Little more than a month later, I stand by that view. In fact, I’d go further. ‘Software defined’ will transform networking and data centre infrastructures into service platforms – the foundations on which service defined enterprises will be built, with internal enterprise service providers (today known as IT departments) playing a vital enabling role.
My enthusiasm is well documented on this blog, so it is worth standing back and taking a look at what the wider market thinks – and even a cursory glance tells us that the world is sitting up and taking notice. Logicalis is not alone in recognising the transformative potential inherent in SDN and SDDC. Major vendors, systems integrators and consultancies are beginning to shout about it – from Cisco, HP and IBM, to VMWare and Accenture – and, perhaps more importantly, the analyst community is getting on board too.
Most recently, IDC released a MarketScape report entitled Western Europe Network Virtualization Solutions 2013 Vendor Analysis. Therein, points out that, “SDN enables cost reduction and faster services introduction”, and that, by cutting costs and increasing the ability to create and deploy new applications and services more quickly, SDN can play a key role in transforming an IT organisation “from a cost centre into an enterprise service provider.”
Sound familiar? Don’t get the wrong idea; I’ve never been one for congratulating myself. But, in a hype-weary, cynical world in which enthusiasm is all too often dismissed as so much hot air, it’s very good to see a credible third party, like IDC, share my views – and those of a great many of my colleagues at Logicalis and beyond.
The overall message I think is pretty simple: SDN and SDDC are the real deal and do have huge transformative potential for those organisations with the vision to see it – and, based on my recent conversations with CIOs, that vision is in increasingly abundant supply.
In other words. Watch this space.
An excerpt from the full IDC MarketScape Report: Western Europe Network Virtualization Solutions 2013 Vendor Analysis is available here.
More information at our Software Defined Networking - SDN - Resources page