EDITOR’ S QUESTION
MARKUS NISPEL, CTO OF EMEA AT EXTREME NETWORKS
Over the past year, we have seen a rapid convergence of networking, AI and security. Without that trio working in harmony on a smooth, unified platform, it’ s impossible for businesses to achieve all objectives at once: growth, security, AI, compliance and insights. Think of networking, AI and security as links in a chain; inextricably connected and dependent on each other.
The challenge is that businesses tend to think in the binary way of task + tool = solution, especially when it comes to AI. What they often forget to consider is whether their network infrastructure – and IT department – is equipped to handle the digital weight and management of all these tools and traffic.
Once you have the right infrastructure and data governance in place, you can maximise AI’ s potential. It can gather far more impactful insights from a larger data pool, strengthen threat detection and action, and create a higher-performing network that’ s easier for IT to manage.
For example, with built-in zero-trust security, the system doesn’ t just detect vulnerabilities; it proactively isolates and mitigates them in real-time, eliminating the complexity of juggling multiple security vendors. The result? A simplified, streamlined approach where security isn’ t a separate function.
It’ s an intrinsic part of the network.
Many are not, and that can weaken one or more links in the chain. Growth depends on insights and on AI’ s ability to gather and analyse enough data, which it won’ t get without a cloud-native platform where networking, AI and security are integrated into a single, user-friendly system.
Ultimately, platformisation creates a network that can handle growth in a digital age without drowning IT in work or sacrificing security. When networking, AI, and security work together as one, businesses can scale with confidence, without compromising performance, compliance or innovation.
BURLEY KAWASAKI, GLOBAL VP OF PRODUCT MARKETING AND STRATEGY AT CREATIO
There is immense pressure on businesses to scale and expand – to add new customers, new products, new industries and new markets. However, as your business scales the sheer volume of data businesses must handle is staggering, and the regulatory landscape( especially with new industries or new markets) is a minefield.
Balancing scalability with security has become a challenge, especially when AI is thrown into the mix. Many companies find themselves struggling with a collection of disconnected AI tools, each addressing a specific need but failing to work together. This fragmentation creates security gaps and makes compliance a logistical nightmare.
However, the emergence of unified AI stacks that integrate predictive, generative and agentic AI, offer a solution, aiming to bring order to this chaotic environment by consolidating AI capabilities into a single, cohesive framework. This integration allows for a holistic view of data, helping users to understand and visualise large quantities of information and thus enabling businesses to implement security measures across all AI-driven processes.
Furthermore, unified AI stacks streamline data governance and compliance by consolidating AI functionalities and data flows within a secure, centralised platform. This approach enables businesses to enforce access controls, monitor regulatory requirements and maintain strict data privacy – critical for industries like finance and healthcare.
With built-in AI governance, role-based access and encryption, businesses can scale AI-driven automation while mitigating security risks. By eliminating disconnected AI tools, organisations reduce compliance overhead, prevent unauthorised data exposure, and ensure AI-driven decisions remain explainable and auditable – key to maintaining trust and regulatory alignment in a data-driven world.
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