Today’s business environments are highly digitized, data driven, and dynamic—a powerful combination for driving growth and innovation, but a significant challenge for traditional network management methods.
Traditional networking infrastructures often involve complex manual configurations that require frequent IT intervention. This approach increases downtime, raises operational costs, and makes it difficult to respond quickly to changing business needs.
Zero Touch Fabric is a next-generation networking solution that brings automation and simplicity to network management. Zero Touch Fabric uses intelligent software and hardware solutions to create networks that self-configure, automate provisioning, and adapt to changes automatically. These capabilities reduce the burden on IT teams and enhance network performance and reliability.
To illustrate how Zero Touch Fabric and Provisioning transform network management, let’s look at how networking has evolved and where Zero Touch Fabric fits in relation to other popular networking models.
Early networks employed simple point-to-point connections to handle the limited amount of information being shared. But, as demand for data increased, so did the need for networking strategies and technologies that could securely and efficiently transfer information across various devices and globally distributed networks.
As data demands became increasingly complex, simply connecting devices was no longer enough. The traditional protocol stack—a layered architecture that organizes network communication into manageable parts—emerged as a reliable and secure data transfer option.
This technology laid the foundation for modern networking by standardizing how information flows across interconnected devices; however, it also introduced configuration, network management, and resource allocation challenges that extended deployment times and increased the risk of configuration errors.
In response to these challenges, networking models emerged that introduced more simple, scalable, and flexible approaches to management.
Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) is a routing technique that uses labels to bypass routing tables and direct data from one node to another. MPLS is ideal for environments in which bandwidth, performance, and quality of service (QoS) matter, such as video conferencing and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP).
However, MPLS’ complex configurations often require specialized knowledge to implement and maintain, which can slow down response times to network changes and new requirements.
The IP fabric architecture model uses routing protocols—such as Open Shortest Path First (OSPF) and Border Gateway Protocol (BGP)—to adapt to network changes and dynamically reconfigure itself when devices are added or modified. IP fabrics are a top choice for data centers and other environments that rely on scalable, flexible networks.
Although OSPF and BGP increase adaptability, implementation requires technical expertise, which can complicate troubleshooting and updates in rapidly changing environments.
Ethernet fabric employs a flat network structure to bypass traditional hierarchical layers, treating all connected devices as part of a single fabric. The ethernet fabric model is well-suited for data centers and cloud computing platforms that rely on high scalability, rapid deployment, and low latency.
It’s important to note that while this model’s flat structure increases efficiency with fewer layers to analyze, it can be difficult to pinpoint the root cause of issues and monitor network performance.
The limitations of traditional networking models, coupled with increasingly complex environments, are driving demand for simple, automated networking architectures. Zero Touch Fabric fulfills these needs with its intelligent orchestration and automation capabilities that reduce the need for human intervention and enhance operational efficiency.
Key features of Zero Touch Fabric include:
Integrating Zero Touch Fabric into your networking strategy is an effective way to amplify operational efficiency.
For example, Zero Touch Fabric can automate MPLS configurations, allowing organizations to maintain QoS without relying on manual processes. In IP fabric environments, Zero Touch capabilities streamline routing adjustments, ensuring that changes occur seamlessly.
Zero Touch integration with ethernet fabric helps operations run smoothly and efficiently by simplifying the provisioning and management of an ever-increasing number of devices.
Zero Touch Fabric fills gaps in traditional networking models by automating provisioning and configuration, enabling real-time network adaptability, and centralizing management, making networking more scalable, flexible, secure, and cost-effective.
By enhancing the strengths of the MPLS, IP fabric, and ethernet fabric architectures—and eliminating many of their operational challenges—Zero Touch technology transforms networks into self-managing systems that allow IT teams to focus on strategic initiatives rather than maintenance and configuration.
Ready to transform your network? Discover how Zero Touch Fabric and Provisioning can simplify and automate your operations. Schedule a demo today to see Extreme Networks' cutting-edge solutions in action!