Covid-19 accelerates enterprise investments in cloud networking

With Covid-19 accelerating remote work, about 60% of Indian information technology decision-makers (ITDM) plan to increase their investments in cloud-based networking as compared with only 38% of the ITDMs globally, according to a recent survey.

Enterprise networking solutions firm Aruba, which recently released the findings of its latest report, also found that only one-third of the global IT leaders have increased bets on artificial intelligence-based networking, compared to 60% Indian ITDMs.

Part of San Jose, California-based IT giant Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE), Aruba said that with cloud solutions allowing for remote network management at large scale, these capabilities are particularly attractive for IT teams when being on-premise is either not possible or becomes challenging.

Aruba found that among the countries surveyed, India also had the highest preferences for subscription models. Aruba pointed out that in financially challenging environments, ITDMs are attracted to the reduced risk and cost advantages offered by a subscription model.

Read: Why Covid-19 will accelerate the cloud computing era across enterprises

"With the emergence of the hybrid workplace, IT leaders are being asked to deliver a delicate balance between flexibility, security and affordability at the edge. Every part of the workplace needs to evolve: the campus must be embedded with technology to support social distancing and contactless experiences, and the home office must offer enterprise-level connectivity, security and support," Prakash Krishnamoorthy, director of Aruba India, said in a statement.

The report was conducted by technology research organisation Vanson Bourne for Aruba. It surveyed 2,400 ITDMs in over 20 countries and eight key industries. The survey looked at how they have responded to IT and business demands in the wake of Covid-19 and what investment decisions are being made as a result of the crisis.

"With the needs of customers and employees having changed so comprehensively in recent months, it’s no surprise to see IT leaders seeking more flexible solutions. They are having to adapt fast and ensure that more complex, distributed networks can securely support the experiences users demand. The need for agility and flexibility in network management is now greater than ever,” Krishnamoorthy added.