INDUSTRY VIEW with security policy automation as well as ransomware and malware protection .
DDoS detection and monitoring are now a priority for 27 %, while 26 % are prioritising investment in ransomware and malware protection services . The same percentage are looking to focus on security policy automation and the simplification and integration of disparate point solutions .
CSPs must continue to improve their network security if they want to keep up with the growing number and sophistication of cyberattacks . With threats evolving rapidly to target the everwidening attack surface and lengthening digital supply chains , CSPs and security vendors must be proactive , flexible , and nimble .
Cloud migration
As customers continue to transform to digital businesses and migrate to the cloud , CSPs can now assess the impact this is having on their business . For almost two-thirds of respondents to the survey , 63 %, it has been positive .
One-quarter have seen direct revenue growth , one in five has evolved to offer public cloud and managed datacentre services , and 19 % have differentiated their services so that they stay relevant and match changing customer demand . Inversely , only 16 % of respondents said they had lost revenue because of this shift to cloudbased data storage .
Cloud is affecting CSP buying decisions , too . A cloud-native form factor was the top purchasing criterion for new network equipment , while integration with existing networks and systems was also high on the list .
Key takeaways
• Although there are several key themes from the report , the central one , and the one driving other investments and reforms , is the expectation of demand .
• This year , respondents were aiming for more mature , multilayered , and defence-in-depth approach with security policy automation as well as ransomware protection .
• Despite general optimism around growth , the global CSP community is still dealing with a significant number of challenges , namely fallout from pandemic and invasion of Ukraine .
• Priority for those surveyed were the number of vulnerable application programming interfaces left exposed by use of AI , open source , and application modernisation .
• A cloud-native form factor was the top purchasing criterion for new network equipment .
• Integration with existing networks and systems was also high on the list for purchasing criterion for new network equipment .
• Rising demand will put increasing pressure on CSPs to overcome IP address scarcity by making the switch to IPv6 .
Rising demand will put increasing pressure on CSPs to overcome IP address scarcity by making the switch to IPv6 , which will exponentially increase the number of addresses for sites on the web . However , the study showed that only 30 % expect to successfully achieve this in the next two to three years .
Instead , more than one-third are adopting a strategy of carefully managing their IPv4 pools and gradually transitioning to IPv6 , while 34 % aim to run the two in parallel .
Industry pressures
Despite general optimism around growth , the global CSP community is still dealing with a significant number of challenges , namely the fallout from the pandemic as well as the invasion of Ukraine . The first priority for those surveyed were the number of vulnerable application programming interfaces , APIs left exposed by the use of AI , open source , and application modernisation more generally .
The second most common concern was around supply chains with more than a third of respondents saying that issues have meant that they couldn ’ t find the staff to meet their growth expectations . Challenge number-three was the constant struggle to provide a quality service and avoid outages .
What Next ?
The research shows that CSPs are at a crucial
point as they aim to capitalise on demand and seize opportunities to grow and diversify . To realise their full potential , service providers need to scale their networks while ensuring they are increasingly secure .
CSPs should work with security partners to scale and transform their networks safely . This process should include the overhaul of legacy systems with the use of AI , machine learning , and threat intelligence capabilities that match the rapidly evolving and ever numerous cyberthreats present in the market . •
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