SDN: Letting go of legacy

Binesh George (left), and Wesley van Rayne, Redvine

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The software-defined networking (SDN) market is on track to reach $72 billion by 2027, with a CAGR of nearly 28%. Its momentum is driven by improved control over network infrastructure with more visibility, agility and scale. However, as Forrester points out, the promises made by SDN remain largely unmet by many organisations. There’s been hype, but there’s also been too much complexity. The technology demands extensive resources, can be challenging to implement within legacy architectures, and the benefits are often lost in the confusion.

SDN uses software controllers or APIs to connect with hardware and direct data on a network. On a traditional network, hardware such as routers and switches control the traffic.

Why is the technology gaining ground? According to Floyd Robertson, IT infrastructure specialist, Lancet Laboratories, it was visibility that drove the company’s move to the software-defined approach.

“We have a complex network across South Africa and, at the time, there was a lot of legacy equipment with multiple links we couldn’t manage to the point where we wouldn’t know if a primary link was up or a secondary link was down,” he says. “There were too many moving parts involved for us to monitor such a big network and actively have everything up and running smoothly.”

“There are so many hits and misses around SDN regarding what it entails, the cost factors and time to integrate and the security, so companies are legitimately wary.”

Greg de Chasteauneuf, Saicom

This led Lancet to a solution that would improve visibility and provide stability. “Visibility was the main feature we were looking for in terms of monitoring link statistics,” says Robertson.

One of the biggest challenges affecting SDN uptake is the fact that companies are stuck on their heritage network infrastructure – the cost of upgrading is high, and many cite security as a significant barrier to entry. Research undertaken by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in South Africa backs that up: companies are struggling with the integration of SDN within their existing networks, primarily because it is challenging to manage individual legacy network nodes and there is the risk of network downtime.

“Many local businesses have a significant investment in legacy technologies that are not compatible with SDN technology. The complexity and cost of integrating old and new systems can deter businesses until all their legacy technology has been transitioned out of their environments,” says Bruce Barrett, director: technology solutions, networks, NTT DATA, Middle East and Africa.

Interoperability and vendor lock-in are also important considerations for South African businesses, particularly as proprietary APIs and protocols restrict flexibility. This makes it a point of hesitation for local companies due to potentially high switching costs in the future, says Cleshenton Britton, Juniper networks channel manager, Westcon-Comstor Southern Africa.

Cost is never going to stop being an issue for the modern business. In the tailwind of 2024, even more so, and SDN is expensive to implement. As Barrett points out, implementing SDN requires an investment in new hardware, software and skills development and for many companies, these costs can be prohibitive.

“SDN requires upfront investments that inhibit uptake even with the long term savings,” says Britton. “It also offers more efficient network management and reduces operational expenses, but the initial cost remains a barrier to widespread adoption.”

This is a sentiment echoed by the CSIR, which says that South African companies often misunderstand the benefits of SDN when it comes to saving money. The upfront cost is high as is the potential for disruption to business during the implementation phase and the lack of readily available skills to manage and maintain the technology. But SDN also improves usage of existing network infrastructure, lowers operating costs, and reduces the number of employees needed to manage the network.

“Companies don’t fully understand the extent of what SDN does for them and I think education is a big factor here,” says Greg de Chasteauneuf, chief technology officer, Saicom. “Companies need to know what it is, what the use cases are, and how it benefits the business. Many customers were locked into expensive, last mile connectivity links that were a huge investment for them and now they’re being asked to pivot in a new direction.”

MPLS works, but SDN is more cost effective and its modular approach means companies can add on services as they need them, gradually enhancing their network posture. Still, some companies don’t see why they should bother with the transition. What’s the point?

“There are so many hits and misses around SDN regarding what it entails, the cost factors and time to integrate and the security, so companies are legitimately wary,” says De Chasteauneuf. “But the truth is, companies know very little about their network, how it was architected, the quality of service, the controls, so they don’t see how SDN will add value. They’re asking why they need to bother fixing what already works.”

The answer lies in the words always used in connection with cloud-based, software-driven technologies: lower total cost of ownership; improved flexibility and mobility; optimisation for remote and hybrid operations; enhanced visibility and security; deeper control over the network; and reduced overall operational costs.

“Our goal was to deploy 120 SDN routers into our main labs and we gave ourselves a year,” says Lancet’s Robertson. “With the first five sites we used our proof of concept and ran into a few issues, which helped us figure out the setup we needed. It was a matter of having engineers from Redvine available, working with me back and forth to ensure things went smoothly and then I managed to do the 120 sites within a year. Now we’re at 146; SDN has simplified my life.”

Lancet Laboratories felt the technology won because of its ease of deployment and the visibility it offered. For Robertson, these were the benchmarks, particularly in light of the complexity of the company’s network and the importance of the work it does.

“As soon as we open a new lab, we deploy SDN; that’s now our standard going forward,” he says.

Says Mohamed Salama, head of fixed networks, Middle East and Africa, Nokia: “The real game-changer is when SDN is done as part of the whole end-to-end ecosystem. I think uptake in South Africa means unpacking the company’s strategy and readiness. People also need to be upskilled so their mindset shifts with the technology.”

The convoluted complexity of networking is daunting, which means people are going to be resistant. Without the proper training, expertise and team readiness, SDN integration and value will drift. Ultimately, Salama says, there has to be a focus on training and knowledge transfer so SDN delivers that promised network transformation.

Binesh George, CEO, Redvine, says: “It comes down to human nature and people sticking with what they know. They may think it’s just a phase or some kind of marketing buzz that will blow over. It’s a massive transformation. But there are benefits, and there are specialists that can guide them through the experience. This technology does work, it does deliver cost and performance benefits that add value.”

It also provides organisations with a solid software defined foundation from which to evolve their digital, cloud and data capabilities while stepping into an opex-driven future.