The complexity of enterprise and industrial networks has outpaced the capabilities of traditional management tools. More than 30% of cloud professionals surveyed by Cisco last year said they have struggled to maintain operational consistency between cloud environments and existing network infrastructures.
In addition, more than half prioritize end-to-end network visibility, a crucial step in navigating the complexities of modern networks.1 According to the Cisco Hybrid Work Index, this urgency is underscored by a 2.4-fold increase in malicious remote access attempts, which adds to the burden faced by IT teams.2
As network demands evolve with a workforce that is increasingly mobile and distributed—and the consumption of sensitive data escalates—IT teams are turning to the cloud to meet the challenges of supporting hybrid work at scale. Cloud network management helps enable remote monitoring, cross-network automation, and rapid data collection from IoT and end-user devices for quicker decision-making. Plus, there is no need for an on-premises physical network management appliance.
One compelling aspect of cloud network management is that IT teams are free to monitor, manage, and maintain complex networks from anywhere. Using a cloud-monitoring platform, organizations can proactively monitor the availability, performance, and security of their cloud environments. This lets the IT team find and fix problems before they impact the end-user experience—whether the issue is local or miles away.
Adopting cloud monitoring can be a strategic move for any organization aiming to improve its network operations. Here are three compelling reasons to consider making the shift:
1. Skill gap mitigation: Cloud monitoring platforms are designed to be intuitive and user friendly, which means they can be effectively operated by IT professionals with varying levels of experience, according to the Cisco 2024 Global Networking Trends Report. This is particularly beneficial as it helps bridge the gap between seasoned network architects and those newer to the field. With cloud monitoring, less experienced team members can perform advanced network troubleshooting tasks, ensuring operational continuity and giving more experienced staff time to focus on more complex issues.
2. End-to-end network assurance: In a hybrid network environment, maintaining visibility and control over both on-premises and cloud-based components can be challenging. The Cisco Trends report noted that 39% of respondents said they have either limited visibility or full visibility into the digital experiences among users, devices, applications, and services by using multiple consoles. In contrast, cloud monitoring offers an integrated solution that allows for seamless visualization across the entire network. This unified oversight eliminates the “swivel-chair approach” of managing multiple systems and the potential for missing critical issues. With end-to-end visibility, IT teams can proactively detect and resolve problems before they impact business operations.
3. Vendor simplification and cost savings: Managing a hybrid network often involves dealing with a variety of tools and vendors, which can lead to complexity and increased costs. By adopting a cloud monitoring solution, organizations can consolidate their network management tools into fewer platforms, if not a single platform. This not only simplifies the network troubleshooting process but also can lead to significant cost savings by reducing the number of vendors and associated expenses. A simplified platform approach also ensures that IT teams have a holistic view of the network, enabling them to make more informed decisions and optimize network performance.
Robust, easy-to-manage, and scalable networking solutions
Cloud monitoring presents an opportunity for organizations to enhance their network management capabilities, providing a scalable, intuitive, and cost-effective solution for maintaining robust, secure, and efficient IT operations. Cisco networking solutions simplify operations, meeting customers where they are with unified and extensible platforms that converge key capabilities aligned with how operations are run—cloud-managed, on-premises managed, or a combination of both—so that IT personnel can focus on business rather than changing management preferences.
Start now and see how you can secure and scale your network and manage diverse traffic, bandwidth, and latency demands with an AI-enabled, platform-based architecture.
[1] Cisco 2023 Global Networking Trends Report
[2] Cisco Hybrid Work Index
[3] Cisco 2024 Global Networking Trends report
