This year’s Hughes User Group (HUG) 2021 provided rich insights into the digital transformation of the enterprise and government markets. A broad spectrum of topics was covered, including AIOps, Hybrid Cloud, Cybersecurity/SASE, and Edge-Computing. Collectively, these components provide a robust structure for a comprehensive enterprise technology stack.
AIOps
Over the past years, Hughes has been on a journey to operationalize the enormous flood of data collected as a managed network service provider to over 400,000 locations. Through real-time analysis of numerous data channels, Hughes has learned to anticipate failure conditions and take action before the actual outages occur. To date, Hughes has avoided thousands of outage hours through preemptive corrective actions. The establishment of a dedicated Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) team ensures a future of increasingly intelligent, automated operational execution.
Hybrid Cloud
The enterprise migration to the cloud has reached a new phase of maturity. From simply “lifting and shifting” data centers into the cloud, the enterprise is embracing DevOps, continuous integration/continuous delivery (CI/CD), and agile methodologies to accelerate its ability to respond to new market requirements. Dynamic market conditions have blended previously homogenous tech stacks with heterogeneous complexity.
The hybrid cloud introduces the need for a single pane of glass to manage a multiple cloud environments. In addition, numerous cloud optimization techniques should be employed to avoid routing problems such as hair-pinning, which destroys application performance.
Edge Computing
After migrating to the cloud, the next natural step is to extend those hard-earned DevOps benefits to the edge in the store or branch office. With edge computing solutions, the enterprise will substantially increase its operational capacity by eliminating application performance issues associated with network issues. Furthermore, edge computing simplifies the user experience by eliminating the need to install a mobile app. With a simple browser, commonly available on most devices, customers and employees have access to a rich digitally-enabled brand experience.
Cybersecurity/SASE
As the enterprise has become increasingly dependent on technology to provide a differentiated customer and employee experience, the exposure to cybersecurity threats has dramatically expanded. In response, the enterprise has begun to embrace a broader portfolio of advanced cybersecurity solutions. AI/ML cyber threat analysis with real-time response to cyber threats will soon become an industry norm.
With the migration to the cloud, the enterprise has new cloud-based cybersecurity solution capabilities, like Zero Touch Network Access (ZTNA). Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) supports greater granularity in access control of individuals and services. It provides for a common independent orchestration layer for greater flexibility to accommodate multi-vendor implementations.
Together, AIOps, Hybrid Cloud, Edge Computing, and Cybersecurity/SASE provide a robust foundation to support the evolving digital transformation needs of the enterprise market.
To learn more about the Hughes User Group, please visit https://www.hughesusergroup.org/