March 24, 2022

Three trends currently impacting digital networking

New technologies are being developed and rolled out across all industries at a rapid rate. These digital innovations are changing the face of business in a variety of ways, from cloud communications and cryptocurrency to autonomous vehicles and telemedicine. Despite the fact that these technologies serve very different purposes, network architecture underpins them all.

Digital networking is the way of the future for both business and everyday life. Enterprises that forge ahead with their digital transformation goals will need next-generation network architecture in order to succeed.

In the realm of digital networks, there are three major trends at the present time: the rollout of 5G networks, network cloudification and efforts to define 'the edge'. In a rapidly changing world, these trends will determine whether businesses keep up with their competitors or fall behind.

The rollout of 5G networks

5G is one of the most recent network connectivity breakthroughs and it is presently being implemented in many countries around the world. Although it is substantially quicker than 4G, it is still limited in terms of accessibility.

China is now leading the industry in terms of 5G network deployment, with over 20% of mobile connections in the country now using the technology. The use of this technology in other nations is expected to increase in the near future, resulting in an increase in private 5G LTE networks for businesses. These provide better security, privacy, and cost savings in the long run.

In terms of speed, responsiveness, greater capacity and reduced latency, healthcare providers, manufacturers, financial institutions, government agencies and retailers can all benefit from 5G networking. Since fibre is the backbone of 5G, the two technologies complement rather than compete with one another.

Network cloudification

Updating and improving business networks still rely on technicians when it comes to on-premise servers, modems, adaptors and firewalls. Businesses, on the other hand, have begun to move away from physical infrastructure and toward cloud-based solutions. This cloudification approach has been popular for a few years now and it is only expected to grow in popularity in the years ahead.

Cloud-based computing, workload management, file storage, automation and operations are all becoming commonplace in today's business world. The cloud provides higher networking function and process agility, scalability and delivery. Since the cloud environment can be accessed from anywhere, it has significant advantages for global enterprises and businesses that have made the transition to remote working.

Defining 'the edge'

‘The edge' refers to the "what" and "where" of networking architecture. It can be defined in a variety of ways and no single definition of 'the edge' exists. The edge is a distributed architecture that processes data at the network's periphery (i.e. the edge).

The expanding number of Internet of Things (IoT) devices is generating a massive volume of data that needs to be stored somewhere other than centralised data centres. To process this data, modern businesses require edge computing services with low latency and high reliability.

In order to maximise the potential of their networks, businesses must find tailored edge solutions that integrate with the cloud. This means partnering with the right cloud and networking provider. SEACOM Business provides a variety of connectivity solutions, including cloud services and networking infrastructure, to help your business gain a sustainable competitive advantage.

Cloud-first networking is unquestionably the way of the future. To remain cost-effective as a business grows, a company's computing, data storage and network infrastructure must be flexible, agile and scalable. For more information or to get a quote for our various networking services, email us at marketing@seacom.com or leave us a message.


SEACOM owns Africa’s largest network of information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure, including fibre optic networks and subsea cables. We offer a wide range of industry-leading scalable ICT solutions for large companies that operate throughout the region.

SEACOM is privately owned - making it adaptable to the needs of the client. We are the preferred ICT and internet connectivity supplier for African enterprises. We can guarantee fast, reliable and secure internet and networking services at affordable prices.

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