The four giants of the internet age – Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon – are outstanding examples of how firms now have the platform to grow at lightening speed and spread their tentacles across the planet. Recently on December 10th, however, Google, the master of computing, encountered a computer hiccup when it’s various internet services were disturbed by an error in the company’s computing infrastructure. While problems were reported with Gmail, Chrome also repeatedly crashed for users, because of problems with Google Drive. The issue was swiftly sorted out, but Google’s stumble illustrates how crucial it is for companies to ensure the apparatus and software that support corporate IT systems operate as easily and efficiently as possible.
There has been a wave of excitement in the IT world caused by a new technology called Software Defined Networking (SDN) which guarantees to make networks cheaper and smoother to manage. Many people think the new technology could challenge Cisco, an American company renowned for being the leader of the networking market. In 2013 it has been forecast that SDN will transform today’s networks which currently depend on costly, proprietary blends of routers, network switches and software made by Cisco, Juniper Networks and other companies. SDN takes the type of so-called virtualization software that a decade ago transformed the server business and made cloud computing possible, and modifies it for networking.
By using SDN, firms can save almost half on their networking bills which are on average 10-15% of IT budgets. Many networking tasks, such as security, will be done with inexpensive servers and remotely programmed to handle different types of workload, like supercomputing or serving video streams. Tasks such as delivering internet addresses and balancing workloads around the network can also be done more efficiently. The technology’s strongest advantage is it allows companies to acquire a great deal more computing capacity out of their present apparatus.
Unsurprisingly, Facebook and Google have been inspecting SDN closely. Google operates two massive networks; one that connects its vast data centres together and a second that delivers its services to the outside world. While Google has so far installed SDN throughout its data centre network, extending it to the external network is bound to happen. Apart from improving network performance and simplifying management, SDN enthusiasts and tech firms hope it will also improve security, protecting firms from external threats by strengthening the way firewalls can protect the network architecture.
Internet companies such as Amazon or Google, which dedicate hundreds of engineers to their cloud systems, have built their own solution to network configuration but this is not a reasonable approach for most companies. Large financial institutions and telecoms firms are experimenting with SDN as it gains popularity and it’s likely they’ll combine SDN with traditional networking technology, especially in areas where cloud computing is a strong part of the business.
Interest from venture capitalists, who are looking for ways to flood cash into SDN start ups such as Big Switch, is a strong demonstration of faith in the future of this new technology, as is activity from large tech firms who have been buying SDN start ups lightening fast. I am certain we will hear more of SDN over the coming year as the UK plays catch up with America, where this technology is already having a huge impact.
Paul Hunt in managing director of Phoebus Software Ltd