For 81% of Indian enterprises, the future network environment will be cloud-based, with private cloud being the preferred one
To mitigate the impact of cyber attacks, 26% of Indian enterprise have already implemented a Zero Trust model
As for technology investments, 47% of Indian enterprise shave deployed AI & ML in the last 12 months
MUMBAI,INDIA– 23rdJUNE, 2022 –A10 Networks (NYSE: ATEN) today published global research revealing the challenges and priorities of enterprise organizations in today’s post pandemic era, as we learn to live with COVID-19, and how this is shaping future technology requirements.
Of the 250 enterprise organizations surveyed in India, nearly all (97%) showed high levels of concern around all aspects of enterprise digital resilience. Overall levels of concern were highest around optimization of security tools to ensure competitive advantage and delivering superior user experience with customers accessing their ecosystem both easily and securely. Further, organizations were also extremely concerned about their internal capability to service IPv4 and migrate to IPv6 as well as demonstrating awareness of the importance of balancing security and efficiency.
Private Cloud is the Preferred Environment
Rising network traffic has compounded the challenges respondents face with 93% of Indian enterprise organizations witnessing network traffic increase in the last 12 months, which is higher as compared to the survey average of 86%.
When asked about the expected split of their future network environment, 81% of Indian enterprise organizations said it would be cloud based with private cloud being their preferred environment. However, they are not reassured by their cloud service providers, with more than half (51%) saying that they are failing to meet their SLAs.
The Enterprise Perspectives 2022 study was undertaken by independent research organization, Opinion Matters, among 2,425 senior application and network professionals from across ten regions including UK, Germany, Southern Europe, Benelux, Eastern Europe, Nordics, USA, India, Middle East and Asia Pacific.
The research was conducted to understand the challenges, concerns and perspectives of large enterprise organizations as they continue adapting their IT strategy and infrastructure to the rigors of digital transformation and a hybrid work environment.
Cyber threats are Escalating
Without a doubt, the escalating threat landscape is causing a broad spread of concerns from Indian respondents. Compared to other regions, Indian respondents were more concerned about the loss of sensitive data and assets should they suffer a data breach due to a cyber attack. Other concerns included financial loss leading to revenue loss, and potential downtime or a lockdown should they experience a DDoS attack.
In response to these concerns, the research showed an evident shift to Zero Trust security approaches with 26% of Indian enterprise organizations saying they have already adopted a Zero Trust model in the last 12 months and 8% intending to adopt one in the next 12 months.
The New Normal may Resemble the Old Normal
While there has been an infrastructure shift to support distributed home and remote work, 82% of Indian enterprise organizations say all or most employees will work in offices over the long term. Only 6% say that a minority or no employees will work from the office and the majority will be remote. This runs contrary to the predictions of a seismic shift to a permantly hybrid enterprise with application and network professionals expecting the old normal to reassert itself.
Commenting on the research, Sanjai Gangadharan, Area Vice President – South ASEAN at A10 Networks: “The world has changed irrevocably and the pace of digital transformation has accelerated beyond expectations. But as we move beyond crisis mode, organizations are now laser-focused on digital resilience, moving to the cloud and how they can shore up their defences. There is clearly a need to support employees to work in ways they are most comfortable. And we are seeing Indian organizations pivot to Zero Trust models. The movement back to the office environment could be because of the high anxiety that IT professionals have around security, cloud and aspects of digital resilience and continuity and whether their IT systems can cope.”
He added, “Enterprises across the world are witnessing increasing state-sponsored cyber threats and digital aggression as a result of geopolitical tensions. The primary target of these offensives are typically enterprises holding sensitive assets and strong government ties, as well as government organizations themselves. Thus, we expect adoption of cybersecurity initiatives to be higher, including adoption of Zero Trust model with more widespread implementation as enterprises become better educated around the benefits of such a strategy and model.”
Technology Investment Priorities
In terms of investment priorities, artificial intelligence and machine learning have undoubtedly come of age, with 47% of Indian enterprise organizations saying they have deployed these technologies in the last 12 months. Additionally34% say they have deployed IoT devices to help business functions.
Interestingly, when asked about the most critical technology for business resilience in the year ahead artificial intelligence and machine learning scored highest for Indian respondents, followed by 5G technologies, and a notable proportion are also looking at deploying IoT devices to help business functions.
Looking to the future, the adoption of cyber security initiatives will likely become higher, and this includes Zero Trust models. With more widespread implementation expected, as Indian enterprise organizations become educated around the benefits. It is clear from the study that there is unlikely to be any relief from the pressure on Indian businesses in the coming years.
Sanjai concludes: “With the escalating threat landcape, post-pandemic fallout, the current Russia-Ukraine conflict, not to mention rising energy prices and inflation, there is a lot for enterprise organisations to consider. To address these issues, companies must continue to invest in modern technologies that enable automation and protection that strike the balance between defence and agility for an increasingly multifaceted infrastructure.”
To download the full study: Enterprise Perspectives 2022: Zero Trust, Cloud and Remote Work Drive Digital Resiliency
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About A10 Networks
A10 Networks (NYSE: ATEN) provides secure application services for on-premises, multi-cloud, and edge-cloud environments at hyperscale. Our mission is to enable service providers and enterprises to deliver business-critical applications that are secure, available, and efficient for multi-cloud transformation and 5G readiness. We deliver better business outcomes that support investment protection, new business models and help future-proof infrastructures, empowering our customers to provide the most secure and available digital experience.
Founded in 2004, A10 Networks is based in San Jose, Calif. and serves customers globally. For more information, visit www.a10networks.com and follow us @A10Networks.
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