Connectivity

The ongoing transition to hybrid work has changed network usage patterns in ways that push legacy wide-area network (WAN) architectures to their limits. Decades-old network architectures designed chiefly to support email and web browsing simply can’t handle the rigorous remote access and cloud connectivity demands of today’s highly distributed workforces.

Fast and reliable wired broadband has always been the preferred connectivity option for wide-area networks (WANs), but that’s not always an option in today’s increasingly distributed network environments. Growing numbers of remote users and locations simply can’t be reached by physical connections such as cable, DSL and fiber optic lines.

Hybrid IT has become the dominant IT deployment model, with 94 percent of organizations either currently employing a hybrid environment or planning to do so within the next year, according to one new report. However, many are finding that having key resources scattered across a variety of cloud, edge and on-premises infrastructure has dramatically increased IT complexity.

The vast majority of organizations have embraced the idea of a hybrid work environment in which employees split their time between onsite and office work — 82 percent, according to one recent study. However, many are finding the transition is more difficult than they imagined.