Germany is seeing a dramatic move away from traditional networking technologies and increasingly adopting software-defined networking (SDN) and network function virtualisation (NFV) tools to assist with their migration to cloud environments, according to a report published today by Information Services Group.
The 2020 ISG Provider Lens Network – Software Defined Solutions and Services Partners Report for Germany found enterprises are increasingly focused on migrating their IT and network operations to the cloud and embracing SDN-related technologies to reduce complexity and risks when moving to single or multi-cloud environments.
German enterprises also see SDN and NFV technologies improving integration, automation, orchestration and management of network resources and processes, the report says.
ISG DACH partner Andrea Spiegelhoff said: “This trend is driven by the desire to increase flexibility and agility and seamlessly add applications and network resources to meet business and usage goals more efficiently and securely.”
SDN technologies allow enterprises to respond quickly to customer inquiries and rapidly provide new services on the network, the report adds. As a result, SDN tools can improve customer satisfaction while increasing sales. In addition, SDN tools create the flexibility needed for German enterprises to experiment with innovative technologies such as intent-based networks, artificial intelligence, rapid hot spot provisioning and data flow allowance, the report adds.
Enterprises in Germany also are using SDN to simplify the management and planning of networks and integrate them with other IT initiatives, the report says. SD-WAN, by moving its control layer to the cloud, can be managed with a single-pane-of-glass control tool, and companies can integrate the network with other applications and IT services.
In recent years, many telecommunication providers, network services providers and system integrators in Germany have rolled out new SDN and SD-WAN products, the report adds. Many offer SD-WAN solutions that cater to specific enterprise sizes and industries or desired interactions with customers or users. Other providers offer SD-WAN implementations focused on delivering benefits in the short term, while preparing for advanced technologies like intent-based networks, artificial intelligence and machine learning.
The report sees the German SDN market flooded with international and local suppliers, with a more fragmented group of providers than in many other Western European markets. Some consolidation of the market is beginning to happen, resulting in a smaller number of medium-sized and large providers that are likely to be available to enterprise customers in the coming years.
The report names IBM and Vodafone as leaders in all six quadrants, and Deutsche Telekom as a leader in five. Orange Business Services is named as a leader in four quadrants, and BT, Computacenter and NTT are named as leaders in three. Colt, GTT, Juniper Networks, Riedel Networks and Verizon are leaders in two quadrants, and AT&T, Axians, Cisco, Damovo and Extreme Networks are leaders in one.
A customised version of the report is available from Colt.
