Modernized Network Operations in the Automation-Everything Era

Our future as a society depends upon the trusted connectivity of people and innovations. Service providers are poised to deliver on this future by placing network operations in the critical path. As a result, we must focus our efforts on reinventing software to prioritize operations first, using software that automates and optimizes the network’s dynamically changing conditions.

So, how can service providers position themselves for success by driving automation and agile approaches to network management?  Choosing the right automation and orchestration technology partner is crucial to maximizing return on these emerging technologies. We are proud to provide industry-leading solutions in network automation and orchestration with Cisco Crosswork and Network Services Orchestrator.

What are some ways to implement network automation?

We offer a few key insights below to help guide your path in the network automation journey, based on our experience and industry expertise.

1. Network device management and data collection model: Basics often become more challenging when operating at scale. As traffic grows exponentially, operators require tools to give them a solid real-time pulse of the network. This begins with a highly scalable and consistent model for network device management and pervasive data collection across your end-to-end network.
2. Network service orchestration: In a network that supports highly programmable devices, network service orchestration is a critical piece to aid in the deployment of new devices or perform proactive remediation when issues are discovered. Using software effectively enables implementation and ongoing operations to be accomplished consistently and without errors.
3. Pervasive telemetry and programmability: This positions the path to extend automation capabilities to adapt the network for massive bandwidth swings and optimize path selections to avoid congestion for latency-sensitive traffic. These goals can be accomplished with software that generates insightful recommendations.
4. Closed-loop operations: The goal is to work towards closed-loop operations where these foundations are fully integrated so mean time to value and remediation are improved, thus transforming operations to the modern era.

Research and customer successes offer key proof points

The benefits of investing in network automation prove very significant in addressing one of the service provider’s biggest challenges―reducing high operational costs and complexity of managing mass-scale networks.

What does successful automation do for me?

We are excited to share some new, real-world proof points around the benefits of automation based on a recent study by ACG Research.  In this study, ACG Research estimates that a reduction of the time to launch a new service can be reduced by 85 percent, approaching the goal of a 90 percent reduction. Network automation can reduce the overall OpEx by 55 percent, with task, device, and domain automation giving 50 percent and cross-domain orchestration contributing 5 percent.

 We have also partnered with leading global service providers such as Telefónica to tackle this effort. The analyst firm Heavy Reading recently completed a case study on how Telefónica is transforming its multi-vendor networks through the deployment of an automated, intent-based IP network leveraging the Cisco Crosswork Network Automation platform as the foundation for their modernized network operations. A video and whitepaper describe Telefónica’s approach.

 

Learn More

We invite you to view our on-demand webinar with Light Reading on the topic of Automating Multi-Vendor Networks to learn more from the experts.

To find out what Cisco Crosswork and Network Services Orchestrator can do for your business, please visit here.

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