EXPERT OPINION
such a way that everyday business can
continue while the switch is changed.
When the device is restored, the system
monitors will be immediately aware, so
that system visibility and performance
monitoring continues uninterrupted. All
this can be managed in real time from a
single management console and simple
graphical interface.
Mansour Karam, CEO of Apstra
It is easy to see how this centralisation
and automation of management saves
a lot of time and labour, as all those
relatively fiddly and boring parameter
settings are automatically and precisely
rolled out across the network.
‘Relatively’ is the key word here because,
even for small leaf spine networks, network
administrators have to manually track
and verify thousands of logical and virtual
elements, as well as physical components. But in practice it is the reduction in human
error that provides the biggest saving.
If just one of these is wrongly configured
or fails, a cascading effect can affect
multiple compute, network and storage
nodes with unpredictable consequences
for system performance, user experience,
business – and ultimately reputation. The network operator’s role is becoming
less like a motor mechanic and more
like a Formula 1 driver, with a clear
view of the road, the vehicle’s position,
speed and remaining fuel – all that is
needed to fulfil intent – without being
overwhelmed by technical data about
the system’s inner workings.
If, for example, the network operator
needs to remove or adjust a working
switch in the middle of the business day,
an advanced intent-based network will
allow the traffic to bypass that device in
42
Issue 07
Trusting networks to
run themselves
language that business understands. We
can now rely on the most advanced intent-
based networks to identify the root causes
of problems, but can we yet trust them to
apply their own corrective actions?
How soon that will happen in the real world
is as much a question of the operators’
level of trust, as it is about the technology
itself. What would it feel like to take a first
trip in a driverless car or aeroplane? ◊
THE NETWORK
OPERATOR’S ROLE
IS BECOMING
LESS LIKE A
MOTOR MECHANIC
AND MORE LIKE
A FORMULA 1
DRIVER.
The IT team can now meet deadlines,
guarantee performance levels, specify
upgrade requirements and speak the
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