Software Defined Everything - Thematic Research

Summary

Advances in broadband network technology, the emergence of cloud computing, and dramatic year-on-year improvements in price-to-performance ratios for commodity hardware have combined to ensure that technology functionality, previously only achievable using specialist hardware, can be delivered using a combination of general-purpose computing hardware and software. In this software defined data center (SDDC), the underlying hardware becomes less relevant, and the focus shifts to a virtualized software layer. As data pervades all aspects of our lives, we are moving into an era that can only be described as software defined everything (SDE), where the value within data networks shifts decisively from hardware to software.

Key Highlights

• Data is useless unless it can be interpreted. That is the job of a server. To manage hyperscale data, racks of servers need to be as tightly bound with a data center’s storage resource as possible. Until a decade ago, the prevailing image of a data center was that of a mainframe computer (the server) backed up by a hard disk drive (the storage). Over the last 10 years, led largely by Google, Amazon, and Facebook, data center architecture has changed radically and quickly.
• The costly black box approach of traditional data center equipment manufacturers - like Cisco, HPE, IBM, and Dell - has been systematically undermined by commoditized white boxes designed by the internet service giants themselves and controlled by a software layer.

Scope

• This report provides an overview of the software defined everything theme.
• It identifies the key trends impacting growth of the theme over the next 12 to 24 months, split into three categories: technology trends, macroeconomic trends, and regulatory trends.
• It includes a comprehensive industry analysis, including up-to-date forecasts for the SDN controller platform and software defined storage platforms markets to 2024.
• The detailed value chain comprises an infrastructure layer, made up of the software defined equipment providers, and an application layer, comprised of the different users of SDDC technology.

Reasons to Buy

• SDE technology helps enterprises drive aggressive cost savings and improve the efficiency and flexibility of their networks and data centers.
• This is reflected in the growing number of companies embracing the technology. This report tells you all you need to know about SDE, including identifying the biggest beneficiaries from its adoption.