What is Network Orchestration?
Network Orchestration can also be referred to as Software-defined networking (SDN). It is a process that involves the automatic programming of a network’s behavior. This is conducted so that the network is able to smoothly coordinate with the software and hardware elements so that the services and applications are further supported. The main idea behind network service orchestration is the separation of the network services from the components of the network, yet configuring the network automatically as per the provided service specifications. With that in mind, below, we are going to discuss network orchestration in further depth, including why it is so important.
Why is Network Orchestration Vital?
When you are implementing a software-defined environment, you are not required to orchestrate your network. It is still feasible for you to run SDN, virtualizing functions through network function virtualization minus orchestration. These virtual servers can be spun manually up or down, going through all of the motions required by the processes.
However, while you do not need network orchestration, this doesn’t mean that you should overlook it! There are many compelling reasons why this is the best route to go down. If your main aim and objective are to automate and digitize, orchestration is critical to provide a faster and cleaner path to this goal. It makes it much easier and faster for you to deploy the functionality that is required. You are also going to be able to resolve issues without having to take critical systems offline for days or hours, as well as being able to introduce innovations to consumers at rapid speed.
Exploring the Business Benefits
As touched upon, there is a multitude of benefits that are associated with network service orchestration. One of the most obvious benefits is that your business is going to be able to run more efficiently and your employers will be able to focus on core business tasks. This is because network and IT management staff will not need to spend as much time on routine tasks, which can drain resources and stop your employees from working on those projects that are really going to drive your company forward. As organizations grow and they rely more on artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, some of them are going to want to reallocate employees to those areas for programming and planning.
There are a number of other benefits of a network orchestration business model that you should consider as well. This includes operational improvements, accelerated time to market for innovations and services, enhanced network managed through fast remediation and automation, and improved customer experience as well. Don’t overlook better budget management either. network orchestration plays a key role in areas such as security, where processes can be monitored and automated. It also plays a vital role in DevOps, enabling numerous tasks to be streamlined and automated for faster development.
It is also important to consider the integration and flexibility benefits as well. Traditional service deployment is usually based on OSS and BSS, and it is usually siloed because there is not a practical way for disparate components to be integrated. If you bring them together, customer software is usually needed, which is not practical in a lot of instances. With APIs that have been standardized, service components will become interoperable, eliminating barriers to networking. On-premises and cloud systems will work together seamlessly, and this will result in the elimination or reduction of dependencies on certain hardware resources. What was previously a number of networks that were coupled together loosely can become one network with subnetworks as needed. Being able to upgrade and change service configurations dynamically is critical to consumers that have growing requirements. One of the main points of SDN set up is flexibility, and it should be easy and quick to replace. With network orchestration software, consumers are going to encounter virtually no delays when changes are being made. They will be able to get services that have been tailored to their needs as and when they need it. Of course, this all results in your business offering more value and enhancing your reputation.
So there you have it: an insight into network orchestration and the benefits that are associated with it. When you take all of the discussed areas into account, it is not hard to see why more and more businesses are going down this route today. While the benefits are vast, this is only going to be the case if you implement your strategy effectively, so take the time and effort to get network orchestration right at your business.
