While many in the IT sector might consider enterprise-class network management to be a mature and stable science, with little to improve or change, recent tectonic shifts in IT technologies and architectures, including Cloud and server virtualization in particular, are combining to force a re-assessment of that position. These shifts bring with them new demand and expectations for network capacity, performance, and resilience, and once again are returning the network to a position of essential enabling prominence in IT strategy. Behind all of this change can be seen a subtle yet unmistakable trend of growing operational convergence and consolidation, with networking pros and network management systems seated in the front row and, increasingly, leading the charge.

This EMA research report looks in detail at six major areas of change and evolution affecting network management, including cross-domain operations, expanding use of packet inspection management technologies, performance diagnostics, WAN optimization, and the growing direct and indirect impacts of server virtualization and cloud services. In order to set appropriate context, the report also examines the influence that broader IT and organizational priorities and projects are having on network management strategies, as well as consequential emerging requirements for network management products and solutions. The final results and findings of this report should serve as a source for establishing and tuning enterprise network management tools, technologies, and practices plans for 2012 and beyond.