Network virtualization, David Hughes, CEO of Silver Peak, argued, is already shifting how enterprises think about their wide-area and virtualized network layers. His 2015 outlook pairs a push toward Software Defined WAN with a stance that Network Function Virtualization can be implemented without relying on SDN deployments.
In the same set of predictions, Hughes also tied the SD-WAN direction to alternatives to MPLS—framed around combining two internet connections and managing paths dynamically.
SD-WAN should accelerate even if SDN in the data center stays 2vague2
Hughes said SDN remains 2vague2 in the data center, but that deployment of SD-WAN would keep increasing. He also claimed that leading companies already distribute more than 75% of their products in SDN form, implying the SDN movement would expand further.
He further forecast that Ethernet solutions would become more attractive for SAN storage networks because of network virtualization, with some commentators moving toward an era of a Software Defined Datacenter (SDDC).
NFV adoption can proceed without SDN
Hughes said NFV functionality can be implemented without SDN. He predicted that the growing adoption of NFV in 2015 would happen independently of SDN deployments.
Beyond MPLS: two internet links, 99.9% availability claims, and Dynamic Path Control
On connectivity, Hughes framed 2the other side2 of MPLS as an upcoming alternative. He stated MPLS is currently the only network option providing 99.9% availability, and offered a two-internet-connection approach as the solution.
He said the two-connection approach would be faster and less costly while delivering equal or superior quality of service. He added that it is administrable via the Dynamic Path Control mechanism and predicted it would attack the MPLS market next year.
Convergence pressure: internet, cloud, CDN, and managed networks
Hughes attributed the technical shift to a blurring of boundaries between the internet, the cloud, and enterprise networks. He said this leads to an unavoidable convergence of routers, CDNs, managed networks, and cloud services, and suggested the change would push the industry toward a new balance among players.