Today’s IT landscape requires dynamic, optimized, and agile networks to improve performance and flexibility. The challenge for any IT team is how to transform their networks in a cost-effective manner to achieve these objectives?
This is the era of network virtualization.
Through this technology, IT professionals can create, provision, and manage their networks using software instead of physical resources. As a result, IT teams are empowered to accelerate provisioning and time to market, automate manual processes, ensure greater adherence to policies, and strengthen security.
As IT professionals grapple with new IT trends and roadblocks at a rapid pace, network virtualization is an essential tool to have in hand. Here is why.
The state of IT
The tech industry is undergoing dramatic shifts that are evolving IT environments faster than ever.
The rapid rise of generative AI and machine learning has changed IT as many tech professionals once knew it. While new AI tools can accelerate processes, provide enhanced data analysis, and improve threat detection, they also create new vulnerabilities in virtual infrastructures, require hefty and expensive computing power, and pose the risk of bias.
Edge computing, which brings data processing and storage closer to end users, is also growing in popularity. It speeds up data processing, reduces latency, improves bandwidth efficiency, and enhances data privacy and security, though its distributed networks require careful management.
Another major change is IT’s movement to the cloud en masse. The majority of organizations are shifting to public, private, or hybrid cloud environments — and 76% are using multiple clouds, according to the VMware State of Kubernetes 2023 Report. This shift is driving the adoption of tools such as Kubernetes and cloud management platforms, which provide crucial support to multi-cloud environments but introduce complications of their own.
These changes all lead to one inevitable conclusion: modern IT infrastructures are larger and more complex than ever before. Such infrastructures can create resource constraints, security vulnerabilities, and other headaches for the IT teams that must maintain and troubleshoot them.
Top challenges facing IT professionals
As these shifts continue to impact tech, here are the top four obstacles modern IT teams are facing.
- Network congestion and performance issues: Congestion slows data transfer speeds and increases latency, which harms network performance and frustrates end users and IT teams alike. Resolving network congestion also drains teams’ time and resources, especially if network components need to be reconfigured — driving up IT professionals’ already taxing workloads.
- Scalability and flexibility: Scalability and flexibility are a must for modern IT infrastructures, but they come with a burden that often falls on IT teams. To implement a scalable and flexible network, teams must account for proper load balancing and allocation of numerous resources, including virtual machines and containers. These systems can be difficult to monitor, secure, and optimize.
- Security and data protection: Cyber threats are constantly evolving, making security a top concern for IT teams. Teams have several entry points to close off, not to mention data protection regulations such as GDPR and HIPAA to abide by. With countless employees working from home or using their own devices, there are also more attack surfaces than ever for IT professionals to defend.
- Cost efficiency: Technical debt is mounting at many organizations, pressuring IT teams to be as cost-efficient as possible. Keeping up with the latest technological advancements and software updates can be expensive, and some teams also fall victim to vendor lock-in that prevents them from switching to more cost-effective solutions. Moving on from legacy systems and resource over-provisioning can also drive-up expenses.
How network virtualization eliminates these barriers
Network virtualization addresses network performance issues by creating multiple virtual networks that can be isolated to prevent one network’s congestion from carrying over to another. Virtualization empowers IT professionals to manage each network’s traffic and bandwidth, enabling load balancing and preventing over-provisioning — ultimately supporting organizations’ scalability goals.
Network virtualization also aids scaling by pooling network resources, allowing for dynamic resource allocation and efficient utilization. Dynamic allocation provides needed flexibility for changing application and service requirements, so resources can be shifted to different workloads and projects with minimal downtime.
By isolating and segmenting networks, network virtualization gives each network its own security policies and contains potential breaches to a single network. This technology also reduces attack surfaces, prevents unauthorized network access, and enables thorough monitoring and visibility into network traffic.
Virtualized networks help IT teams reduce network operating and management costs in the short- and long-term. Network virtualization can also be integrated with legacy systems or used to modernize existing systems, further reducing costs.
The value of certification
Want to gain the technical expertise required to implement network virtualization? Start by earning a certification.
A network virtualization certification teaches you critical networking skills, such as networking fundamentals, segmentation, access control, load balancing, and troubleshooting. Validating your skills gives you hands-on experience and demonstrates your expertise to stakeholders, paving the way for a promotion or new professional opportunity.
Getting certified also helps you build soft skills critical to success in your career, such as problem-solving and critical thinking. The majority of certification earners also report becoming more confident, having more autonomy, and experiencing more job satisfaction, according to the Pearson VUE 2021 Value of Certification Report. Even more importantly, these skills make you a better leader and communicator, opening countless doors for any IT professional.
And the numbers speak for themselves: 86% of certification holders plan to earn additional certifications, per Pearson.
Start learning with VMware
VMware Learning is here to support all of your network virtualization learning goals with our certification programs. We offer five network virtualization certifications for learners ranging from entry-level professionals to networking experts, helping you develop skills aligned with your networking objectives. In our courses, you’ll work with VMware Certified Instructors who are committed to engaging students, providing valuable feedback, and equipping you to navigate the modern IT world.
Don’t miss out! Learn more about our network virtualization certifications.
