Network security is ripe for automation -- except when it isn't [Q&A]
According to one analyst estimate, the market for network automation tools will grow nearly 23 percent annually from 2022-2030.
While many IT professionals are familiar with automation of business processes, they are likely less familiar with its applications in network operations (NetOps) and security. As automation technology is maturing, organizations are using network automation solutions to transform their core workflows, including troubleshooting, change management and network security, for more efficient and effective network operations.
The five most common network automation objectives
For a modern organization to meet its business goals it's essential to have a reliable, high-performing network. But as networks get more complex and heterogeneous (frequently consisting of both on-premise and cloud environments), they are becoming more difficult to manage and operate, requiring skills and resources which are inherently limited in availability.
Regular and necessary workflows performed by network engineers can quickly become overwhelming and even prohibitive due to the time it would take to execute at scale. And when these workflows continue to be manually executed, extended problem resolution timelines result since the volume of service tickets continues to climb. And these problems that need to be addressed can range from the mundane to the mission critical -- in some extreme cases shutting down key business services entirely during resolution.