EDITOR ’ S COMMENT
WHAT ARE YOUR KEY BUSINESS PRIORITIES FOR THE YEAR AHEAD ?
YAROB SAKHNINI , VICE PRESIDENT , EMERGING MARKET , EMEA , JUNIPER NETWORKS
The year 2020 has been a challenging year by many measures . Organisations around the world had to quickly , suddenly adjust to a ‘ new normal ’. Many of them had to rethink their digital strategies entirely to meet the demands of new working and operating environments . As a result , reliable and secure networks have become more important than ever ( and track and trace capabilities for the workplace have become important too ). I think these requirements are likely to continue into 2021 .
With a relentless rise in the number of end-user devices and even more network connections as a result , it is unsurprising that security concerns have been top of mind for many organisations ’ IT decision makers and will likely still be for the coming 12 months . In fact , a recent study commissioned by Juniper Networks found that 93 % of Middle Eastern IT senior professionals are experiencing challenges when attempting to secure their organisations ’ networks , especially in the current climate with larger than usual employee numbers working remotely .
Network reliability and performance is another important aspect for our customers as we contemplate 2021 . As many as 80 % of Middle East survey respondents felt that they needed to improve their network ’ s reliability and performance , as it is ‘ the beating heart ’ of an organisation that is undergoing or sustaining Digital Transformation . Interestingly , on average 45 % of IT employees ’ time in the Middle East ( 47 % globally ) is absorbed by ‘ keeping the lights on ’ in the network , instead of pursuing innovation .
Another trend we are expecting in 2021 is enabling companies to better monitor employee safety in the workplace . Juniper Networks ’ Mist solution is designed around contact tracing methods that leverage AI analytics , Wi-Fi networks and Bluetooth technology to help keep employees safe . The technology offers a seamless and cost-effective deployment and can flag hot zones within the office , provides information on the movement of staff within its set parameters and traces interactions to help minimise future exposure
to the virus . By leveraging Mist ’ s proven AI-driven Wi-Fi , patented virtual Bluetooth LE and Premium Analytics solutions , these use cases can be delivered in a scalable manner , while simultaneously providing customers with the controls to protect individual privacy . Businesses know they must rapidly innovate , take advantage of new digital tools and leverage cloud services to navigate the crisis with momentum for the long-term transformation of their business in the altered global landscape . Extending visibility and enforcement to every point of connection on the network is essential . This is the premise of Juniper Connected Security : security starts with the network .
By leveraging Mist ’ s proven AIdriven Wi-Fi , patented virtual Bluetooth LE and Premium Analytics solutions , these use cases can be delivered in a scalable manner , while simultaneously providing customers with the controls to protect individual privacy .
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