In a hybrid cloud IT environment, the enterprise network is the backbone for organizations, enabling the connections between and across systems and applications. Today, IBM announced we are expanding our enterprise networking portfolio with new offerings for Cisco networking with limited regional availability, including IBM Support and Implementation Services for Software Defined Networking[1] as well as IBM Network Health Check,[2] to help clients build a more integrated networking environment designed for today’s IT challenges.

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Focusing on reliable enterprise network design in a hybrid cloud environment

In many clients’ IT environments, unplanned downtime could lead to significant revenue loss and damage to brand reputation. A 2023 IDC survey found that for servers, 60% of the downtime events reported were due to configuration errors — and 60% of those deployments were completed by mostly internal IT personnel. These results highlight the potential benefits of considering an external provider for technology deployments, with expertise that can help avoid configuration errors that lead to downtime.[3] As the main connective tissue across an IT organization, enterprise networking can often be the main contributor to unplanned downtime if it is not supported or maintained properly.

We have seen that many clients can struggle with enterprise network design due to challenges such as unidentified network outages, security exposures, multi-vendor complexity, and lack of visibility into network management – all of this could happen against the backdrop of increased demands for high performance and high availability. As a result, enterprises may look to transition from traditional WAN services to cloud solutions with SD-WAN. The new IBM offerings announced today aim to help clients with their SD-WAN adoption and implementation strategies and provide more visibility into networking environments.

IBM Implementation and Support Services for Software-Defined Networking (SDN) for Cisco

IBM Implementation Services for SDN provides comprehensive services to design and deploy new Cisco SDN solutions for clients or implement them into their existing network infrastructures. IBM TLS supports more than 500,000 Cisco networking devices worldwide,[4] and Cisco has 45.1% of the overall ethernet switch market share for Q3 2023, according to IDC. [5] IBM’s global team of networking engineers now provide implementation services during a transition to Cisco software-defined networking (incl. SDN and SD-WAN) configurations.

IBM Support Services for SDN provides an end-to-end support service solution in collaboration with Cisco across multiple network paths. This service includes access to a named IBM Technical Account Manager (TAM) who will act as focal point for any support issue, providing a personalized approach with deep technical expertise. It combines hardware and software technical skills along with IBM’s deep expertise in Cisco’s Software-Defined technologies (SDN and SD-WAN). Many IBM engineers who are dedicated to level 3 networking issues hold the Cisco Certified Internetworking Expert  technical certification, the highest level of technical certification as defined by Cisco.

"As a Cisco Global Integrator Gold partner, IBM plays a pivotal role in empowering our customers with the essential tools to build a network that keeps business running smoothly,” remarked Denzil Samuels, Global Vice President of CX Partner Success, Cisco. "IBM's new enterprise networking insight, support and implementation services are invaluable resources for clients seeking to reduce networking complexity and improve resilience in their networking environment. Whether prioritizing concerns related to security, performance, or overall hardware health, these services are designed to offer tailored solutions to ensure the optimal functioning of their network infrastructure."

Collaborating with IBM for both implementation and support services for SDN provides a single vendor for clients as they plan, design and deploy their new SDN solutions.

The new services are engineered to help organizations reduce networking complexity   and enhance network traffic management, visibility, security, performance, and network high availability. They are part of IBM’s overall portfolio of networking and security solutions, which include vendors across industries.

IBM Network Health Check

The IBM Network Health Check is designed to help clients avoid network problems through preemptive identification of network exposures to improve overall network availability and security. It is a remote assessment service aiming to provide a personalized and comprehensive report on the status of network infrastructure. The dedicated IBM architect team, which includes  SMEs with decades of experience, will provide bespoke recommendations aimed to help clients increase network stability and reduce downtime, risk, and potential losses. The assessment relies on several data collection tools including IBM SevOne and IBM Support Insights, which delivers analytics driven insights, asset management and preventative maintenance recommendations to help clients improve infrastructure availability.

IBM Technology Lifecycle Services Portfolio

These new offerings add to IBM's Technology Lifecycle Services (TLS) portfolio of professional services and support for enterprise networking environments, and our overall Network and Security offerings. With over 4,000 customers, over 12,000 support contracts across 1 million supported devices, a skilled team of arcitects and as a designated Cisco Global Integrator Gold partner, IBM TLS is well-positioned to provide lifecycle services globally.

For more information on the offerings announced today, please visit this website or contact your IBM Technology Lifecycle Services representative.