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Research and Markets: Application Networking Services Can Help Better Integrate Branch Offices With HQs at Global Enterprises

Posted on: Thursday, 28 August 2008, 06:00 CDT

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/b0b0b5/application_networ) has announced the addition of IE Market Research Corp.'s new report "Application Networking Services can help better integrate branch offices with HQs at global enterprises, but enterprises need to select business critical applications and architectural policies" to their offering.

This report presents key results from the 2008 Global Enterprise Telecommunications Survey and discusses what they mean for application-focused consulting and managed network services. The survey results suggest that migration to various technologies such as MPLS IP VPNs is 3 - 5 years away. Considering that network services have evolved to include application-focused consulting and managed network services, the report argues that enterprises should use application networking services for optimizing application performance. Then, based on all of the available information, the report gives strategy recommendations for enterprises that want to begin an application networking initiative.

Many enterprises experience performance issues with their applications and are unable to optimize application deployment across their network. With demand for mobile connectivity and deployment of applications across various mobile networks set to increase over the next 2-3 years, we believe that application networking services will form an important part of the IT budgets at Global 2000 enterprises.

Often, IT departments at enterprises lack skills to establish comprehensive solutions that are truly enterprise-wide. A range of application networking services has emerged to assist enterprises in improving application performance levels. These include network service providers (NSPs) and IT service providers (ITSPs). Our analysis of the industry and interviews with key channel partners suggests to us that most NSPs are still network-centric in their service approaches, sometimes only offering point solutions that are not very well integrated. Further, only a few providers offer application-focused service-level agreements (SLAs).

To alleviate deficiencies in internal skills, enterprises could use application networking services to ensure the acceptable performance of all networked applications. This is especially important if the enterprise has a remote office with limited technical resources. NSPs also have the added advantage of offering help-desk support, especially for global enterprises stretched across time zones. Enterprises should also focus on business-critical applications to keep costs in check and should establish sufficient expertise in-house to make architectural and policy decisions about access and security.

Key Topics Covered:

Executive Summary

Results of IEMR's 2008 Global Enterprise Telecommunications Survey and what it means for application-focused consulting and managed network services

Network services have evolved to include application-focused consulting and managed network services

Application Networking Services can be used for optimizing application performance

Strategy recommendations for enterprises that want to begin an application networking initiative

- Traffic baseline discovery is the first step in any application networking initiative

- Application Impact analysis should be done before adding new applications on the network

- Enterprises should use application traffic management and monitoring services but only when it is well integrated with their IT policies and business priorities

- Distributed enterprises should use NSPs with global coverage rather than systems integrators for their managed application performance optimization services

- If an NSP manages application performance and the network, they should guarantee an application's performance

Annex A: IEMR's Methodology

Charts:

Chart 1: Migration to technologies such as MPLS IP VPNs is 3 - 5 years away

Tables:

Table 1: Global 2000 enterprises take migration to IP-based networks seriously

Table A1: Sector breakdown of respondents

Table A2: Respondent's company size by employees

Table A3: Respondent's company size by sales

Table A4: Respondent's IT areas of responsibility

Table A5: Geographical location of respondent's company

Companies Mentioned:

- Forbes Global 2000 enterprises

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/b0b0b5/application_networ

Source: Business Wire

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