CIO & LEADER-November 2017 (1)

Insight
1. SDN has lift off!
With software-defined networking
(SDN) deployments now live around
the globe, companies are beginning to
explore what they can really do with
the security, agility and flexibility of
virtualized network services. The next
big thing is application-aware networking
– managing the performance,
capabilities and security of applications
to make the most of bandwidth
- ever more critical in an increasingly
complex content world.
2. Security goes
underground
Security will undertake a step change
in 2018, and become embedded into
the platform, supporting everything
a business does. We’re talking end-toend
managed security infrastructure
for the network, the developer and
applications. In today’s threat landscape,
it’s all about global scale – but
openness and information sharing to
combat the bad guy, both online and
in the real world will also become the
norm. With this step change, measuring
security effectiveness is imperative
so that cyber-risks can be integrated
into any enterprise risk assessment.
The quantification of security posture,
maturity and hygiene will not only
enable effective risk management, but
also establish a security ROI - a key
ability for the C-suite.
3. Digital collaboration is
table stakes
Savvy organizations have been moving
away from aging PBXs to IP-based
telephony systems over recent years
- but 2018 will be the year when digital
technologies really begin to transform
workplace collaboration, not least as
third party compliance becomes a
major frustration. Employees expect to
be able to seamlessly access calendar
information, share documents and
schedule calls across platforms, quickly
and securely. The focus is therefore
on enabling multi-channel access to
improve both the user experience and
productivity. Software-defined networking
will facilitate intelligent data
management and multi-platform call
routing for more effective collaboration,
and mobile apps will put the
power of information directly into the
hands of employees or consumers.
4. Artificial Intelligence
and Robotics take on the
Internet of Things
IoT will become part of the fabric of an
organization in 2018 – the challenge
will be how to integrate device management
into overall IT infrastructure
in a way that doesn’t overwhelm the
organization. This is where AI and
robotics will come into their own,
offering intelligent automation of
managed IoT deployments cheaply
and efficiently.
5. People take control of
the digital experience
Consumers are increasingly aware of
the power of their data, and in 2018
will become choosier about their
engagements. Brands will need to be
aware of how they deal with data, as
their customers will be looking for
mobile, secure, simple interactions for
a higher level of intimacy. Brands that
can deliver on this will stand out.
6. Interoperability will
be a priority for public
safety
2017 has seen a large number of both
terrorist incidents and natural disasters
around the globe. Seamless, secure
connections across rapidly deployable
networks -- particularly those dedicated
to first responders – will be a critical
focus in 2018, particularly in the
United States in the context of FirstNet.
Interoperability will let companies
and public safety organizations benefit
from choice in network and technology
services, will drive innovation through
market competition, and will also
help control costs. Most importantly,
interoperability will better enable first
responders to keep in touch and communicate
with authorities and private
citizens, should disaster strike.
7. Simple is the goal
As the world becomes more complicated,
business success is increasingly
about separating out core versus chore.
Successful organizations will focus
on delivering key business outcomes,
and will outsource the non-core to key
partners. Working out who does what
to quickly reduce complexity to the
point where things become simple will
define future business success
November 2017 | CIO&LEADER
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