Patrick Hubbard

Intent-Based Networking: How Close Are We (and Should You Prepare)? Over the last several months, intent-based networking (IBNS) has gained momentum as a newly viable technology that aims to further automate traditional network management. Although IBNS has existed for a few years now as a general concept, it was more buzz than reality until Cisco® launched its first IBNS software package earlier this year. What is intent-based networking? Traditionally, network administrators manually translate business policies into network device configurations, a time-intensive and error-prone activity that contributes to rising OpEx. But as digital transformation initiatives continue to reshape the way organizations approach their business and IT strategy, it's becoming more difficult to stay on top of policy and configuration changes by hand. Enter intent-based networking, whic... (more)

Should You Be Considering Web-Scale Networking? | @CloudExpo #IoT #M2M #Cloud #DataCenter

Should You Be Considering Web-Scale Networking? Web-scale networking, also known as hyperscale, is a concept that has been popularized by companies like Google, Netflix and Facebook, who adopted this model for its proven cost economics, resiliency, scalability, and in some cases, better performance for large companies. In recent months, the web-scale strategy has begun to gain the attention of enterprises in response to the changing data center landscape and growth of compute-heavy, complex technologies like AI, machine learning, and big data analytics initiatives. What should IT... (more)

IoT Network Visibility | @ThingsExpo @SolarWinds #IoT #IIoT #M2M #API

Why Network Visibility Beyond the Firewall Is Critical in the IoT Era In the hybrid IT era, complexity is the name of the game. In fact, according to the recent SolarWinds IT Trends Report 2017, IT professionals report the number one challenge of hybrid IT is increased infrastructure complexity. Accelerating complexity is just one challenge in how hybrid IT is affecting IT departments. Internet of things (IoT) implementations are a great example of one more unexpected, emerging technology IT teams must address. In the report, IT professionals reported the second greatest challenge ... (more)

The In-House IT and MSP Dynamic | @CloudExpo @SolarWinds #AI #Monitoring

We Can Work IT Out: The In-House IT and MSP Dynamic In-house IT professionals and managed service providers (MSPs) have had an interesting relationship over the course of IT history. Yes, they are vastly different, but if we drew a Venn diagram of IT and the MSP, the intersection of the two is worth exploring, particularly regarding how IT professionals can best manage their MSPs and work harmoniously to advance the common goal of IT performance. For IT professionals, the very utterance of the acronym "MSP" may conjure feelings of skepticism and fearing the reaper, which doesn't ... (more)

IT-Cloud Services Providers | @CloudExpo @SolarWinds #API #CloudNative #AI #DX #Analytics

Who Do You Trust? Thoughts on the IT-Cloud Services Provider Relationship Trust is a fickle thing, and making the leap to fully trust someone or something isn't always easy, especially in new or unfamiliar circumstances. Take for example hybrid IT, where new cloud-based IT infrastructure has introduced a level of uncertainty, or at least less-proven technologies and processes, for IT professionals. In fact, the SolarWinds IT Trends Report 2017: Portrait of a Hybrid IT Organization explored this notion of trust in the hybrid IT era, particularly as it pertains to the IT profession... (more)