Network security threats increase along with complexity

New research from Daisy Corporate Services in the UK shows that 69 percent of organizations have seen an uptick in network security threats over the last 18 months.

The survey, of 250 UK IT decision-makers, highlights that growing network complexity is making it more difficult and costly for organizations to secure and manage their networks.

Almost two-thirds (64 percent) say their current network is made up from a patchwork of different vendor technologies, and 87 percent say this has created network management issues. Unsurprisingly, 88 percent of organizations say that simplifying their network infrastructure is now a priority.

"At a time when the network perimeter is becoming increasingly virtual and a growing number of business processes and applications are online, it has never been so important to be able to maintain and manage a secure boundary between your network and the outside world," says Joel Cunningham, head of connect at Daisy Corporate Services. "Simply hoping your remote employees will enable a VPN outside the office doesn’t constitute a robust network security strategy."

Increased pressure is being put on many networks due to the number of cloud applications being used in the workplace, according to 81 percent of those surveyed. What's more, over a third of organizations (37 percent) say ensuring cloud application performance is one of the main networking challenges they face. This is especially true in office environments where hot desking and large meeting rooms are putting WiFi networks under strain.

However, 60 percent say the cost of upgrading devices is delaying their move to WiFi 6. In fact, only 21 percent of those surveyed currently have WiFi 6 deployed across most of their organization. Despite being aware that they need to simplify and update their network infrastructure, 30 percent of IT budgets are currently still spent on maintaining legacy network hardware.

Legacy technology is also a significant factor in whether organizations can meet their sustainability goals; with legacy network hardware accounting for 34 percent of organizations' overall IT power consumption. More positively, 91 percent believe modernizing their network infrastructure will contribute to them meeting ongoing sustainability targets. However, being able to dispose of legacy equipment in an environmentally friendly way remains a challenge for 59 percent of organizations.

The full report is available from the Daisy site.

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