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Software has always been a critical part of networking infrastructure (being found in hardware devices and virtual appliances), and its importance has continued to grow with the advent of software-defined networking. Yet debates on the type of network processing hardware (ASICs versus merchant silicon) draw a disproportionate amount of attention. A clear understanding of where the hardware matters and where the software matters will provide clarity on how to make purchase decisions. ESG recommends that customers evaluate their devices in a holistic manner that includes reviewing the software capabilities in addition to the core hardware capabilities. The networking vendors need to provide clear metrics on their software capabilities, quantified if possible.
In order to assess IT spending priorities over the next 12-18 months, ESG recently surveyed 601 IT professionals representing midmarket (100 to 999 employees) and enterprise-class (1,000 employees or more) organizations in North America and Western…