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Networking, Cybersecurity and Observability Are Converging

Harnessing the power of network-derived intelligence and insights is critical in detecting today's increasingly sophisticated security threats across hybrid and multi-cloud infrastructure, according to a new research study from IDC, conducted for Gigamon.

With 95% of organizations claiming to have experienced a ransomware attack in 2022, security remains top of mind for IT leaders regardless of their industry. According to the IDC White Paper, over 60% of respondents believe that today's observability solutions serve narrow requirements and fail to provide a complete view of current operating conditions.

To address today's rapidly evolving security requirements, enhancing traditional observability capabilities that rely on metrics, events, logs, and traces (MELT) with real-time network-derived intelligence and insights is essential to mitigate security risks across hybrid and multi-cloud infrastructure. Only with this deep observability can organizations find the greatest value from observability across both on-premises systems and cloud services, core and edge components, and cybersecurity functions.

"Networking, cybersecurity, and observability are becoming intertwined. IT organizations are looking to leverage an immutable source of truth and more collaborative management efforts to break down siloed technology approaches, position themselves for long-term success, and, ultimately, deliver the best possible business outcomes," said Mark Leary, Research Director with IDC. "Deep observability must be prioritized as IT organizations look to fully realize the transformational promise of a resilient and responsive digital infrastructure and continually maintain a strong security posture to meet today's digital business requirements."

Observability benefits include security, productivity and user experience

The top cited benefits of observability include security (34%), staff productivity (33%), and digital/user experience (25%). Observability also delivers a mix of both tactical (e.g., resolution, continuity, tracking) and strategic (e.g., experience, governance, innovation) benefits.

Deep observability will support automation

Over 75% of organizations use or plan to use deep observability solutions to support automation efforts in future years. Deep observability can enable a hierarchical platform-based approach in which detailed data and artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning (ML)–driven analysis can produce a single source of truth, converge data and tools, and enable talent to deploy, operate, repair, and enhance digital infrastructures in a timely manner.

Cloud is priority

The market will see increased investments in cloud services over the next few years, with over half of respondents (51%) citing it as a priority. In fact, 72% of organizations strongly agree that cloud service intelligence should be leveraged to optimize costs and secure information. Cost from technical debt and the complexity of supporting multiple generations of infrastructure are some of the biggest barriers for organizations in achieving their digital infrastructure resiliency goals.

Network-derived intelligence can support Security

Network-derived intelligence can support adherence to SANS 20 Critical Security Controls, potentially eliminating 98% of possible attack vectors. Today, over 50% of respondents state that they actively share network intelligence across IT teams, and more than 60% of organizations are making progress in leveraging these insights in their security management practices.

"Over 90% of organizations operate in a hybrid and multi-cloud world, yet security blind spots remain a significant barrier for technology leaders looking to get the most out of their cloud investments," said Chaim Mazal, Chief Security Officer of Gigamon. "This research not only points to the critical role that deep observability plays in securing complex cloud environments but the necessary convergence of NetOps and SecOps teams in fortifying modern cybersecurity practices. "

Methodology: The findings are based on a survey, conducted by IDC, of over 900 global IT leaders across North America, APAC, and EMEA, which included a mix of major industries (financial, manufacturing, retail/wholesale, healthcare, transport/utilities, education, government, and professional services). All respondents held roles of manager or above, with key decision-making responsibilities for observability functions and solutions that span across IT operational domains, including networking, security, and cloud.

The Latest

In the final part of APMdigest's 2025 Predictions Series, industry experts offer predictions on how AI will evolve and impact technology and business in 2025 ...

E-commerce is set to skyrocket with a 9% rise over the next few years ... To thrive in this competitive environment, retailers must identify digital resilience as their top priority. In a world where savvy shoppers expect 24/7 access to online deals and experiences, any unexpected downtime to digital services can lead to significant financial losses, damage to brand reputation, abandoned carts with designer shoes, and additional issues ...

Efficiency is a highly-desirable objective in business ... We're seeing this scenario play out in enterprises around the world as they continue to struggle with infrastructures and remote work models with an eye toward operational efficiencies. In contrast to that goal, a recent Broadcom survey of global IT and network professionals found widespread adoption of these strategies is making the network more complex and hampering observability, leading to uptime, performance and security issues. Let's look more closely at these challenges ...

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The 2025 Catchpoint SRE Report dives into the forces transforming the SRE landscape, exploring both the challenges and opportunities ahead. Let's break down the key findings and what they mean for SRE professionals and the businesses relying on them ...

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The pressure on IT teams has never been greater. As data environments grow increasingly complex, resource shortages are emerging as a major obstacle for IT leaders striving to meet the demands of modern infrastructure management ... According to DataStrike's newly released 2025 Data Infrastructure Survey Report, more than half (54%) of IT leaders cite resource limitations as a top challenge, highlighting a growing trend toward outsourcing as a solution ...

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Gartner revealed its top strategic predictions for 2025 and beyond. Gartner's top predictions explore how generative AI (GenAI) is affecting areas where most would assume only humans can have lasting impact ...

The adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) is accelerating across the telecoms industry, with 88% of fixed broadband service providers now investigating or trialing AI automation to enhance their fixed broadband services, according to new research from Incognito Software Systems and Omdia ...

 

AWS is a cloud-based computing platform known for its reliability, scalability, and flexibility. However, as helpful as its comprehensive infrastructure is, disparate elements and numerous siloed components make it difficult for admins to visualize the cloud performance in detail. It requires meticulous monitoring techniques and deep visibility to understand cloud performance and analyze operational efficiency in detail to ensure seamless cloud operations ...

Imagine a future where software, once a complex obstacle, becomes a natural extension of daily workflow — an intuitive, seamless experience that maximizes productivity and efficiency. This future is no longer a distant vision but a reality being crafted by the transformative power of Artificial Intelligence ...

Enterprise data sprawl already challenges companies' ability to protect and back up their data. Much of this information is never fully secured, leaving organizations vulnerable. Now, as GenAI platforms emerge as yet another environment where enterprise data is consumed, transformed, and created, this fragmentation is set to intensify ...

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Crashplan

Networking, Cybersecurity and Observability Are Converging

Harnessing the power of network-derived intelligence and insights is critical in detecting today's increasingly sophisticated security threats across hybrid and multi-cloud infrastructure, according to a new research study from IDC, conducted for Gigamon.

With 95% of organizations claiming to have experienced a ransomware attack in 2022, security remains top of mind for IT leaders regardless of their industry. According to the IDC White Paper, over 60% of respondents believe that today's observability solutions serve narrow requirements and fail to provide a complete view of current operating conditions.

To address today's rapidly evolving security requirements, enhancing traditional observability capabilities that rely on metrics, events, logs, and traces (MELT) with real-time network-derived intelligence and insights is essential to mitigate security risks across hybrid and multi-cloud infrastructure. Only with this deep observability can organizations find the greatest value from observability across both on-premises systems and cloud services, core and edge components, and cybersecurity functions.

"Networking, cybersecurity, and observability are becoming intertwined. IT organizations are looking to leverage an immutable source of truth and more collaborative management efforts to break down siloed technology approaches, position themselves for long-term success, and, ultimately, deliver the best possible business outcomes," said Mark Leary, Research Director with IDC. "Deep observability must be prioritized as IT organizations look to fully realize the transformational promise of a resilient and responsive digital infrastructure and continually maintain a strong security posture to meet today's digital business requirements."

Observability benefits include security, productivity and user experience

The top cited benefits of observability include security (34%), staff productivity (33%), and digital/user experience (25%). Observability also delivers a mix of both tactical (e.g., resolution, continuity, tracking) and strategic (e.g., experience, governance, innovation) benefits.

Deep observability will support automation

Over 75% of organizations use or plan to use deep observability solutions to support automation efforts in future years. Deep observability can enable a hierarchical platform-based approach in which detailed data and artificial intelligence (AI)/machine learning (ML)–driven analysis can produce a single source of truth, converge data and tools, and enable talent to deploy, operate, repair, and enhance digital infrastructures in a timely manner.

Cloud is priority

The market will see increased investments in cloud services over the next few years, with over half of respondents (51%) citing it as a priority. In fact, 72% of organizations strongly agree that cloud service intelligence should be leveraged to optimize costs and secure information. Cost from technical debt and the complexity of supporting multiple generations of infrastructure are some of the biggest barriers for organizations in achieving their digital infrastructure resiliency goals.

Network-derived intelligence can support Security

Network-derived intelligence can support adherence to SANS 20 Critical Security Controls, potentially eliminating 98% of possible attack vectors. Today, over 50% of respondents state that they actively share network intelligence across IT teams, and more than 60% of organizations are making progress in leveraging these insights in their security management practices.

"Over 90% of organizations operate in a hybrid and multi-cloud world, yet security blind spots remain a significant barrier for technology leaders looking to get the most out of their cloud investments," said Chaim Mazal, Chief Security Officer of Gigamon. "This research not only points to the critical role that deep observability plays in securing complex cloud environments but the necessary convergence of NetOps and SecOps teams in fortifying modern cybersecurity practices. "

Methodology: The findings are based on a survey, conducted by IDC, of over 900 global IT leaders across North America, APAC, and EMEA, which included a mix of major industries (financial, manufacturing, retail/wholesale, healthcare, transport/utilities, education, government, and professional services). All respondents held roles of manager or above, with key decision-making responsibilities for observability functions and solutions that span across IT operational domains, including networking, security, and cloud.

The Latest

In the final part of APMdigest's 2025 Predictions Series, industry experts offer predictions on how AI will evolve and impact technology and business in 2025 ...

E-commerce is set to skyrocket with a 9% rise over the next few years ... To thrive in this competitive environment, retailers must identify digital resilience as their top priority. In a world where savvy shoppers expect 24/7 access to online deals and experiences, any unexpected downtime to digital services can lead to significant financial losses, damage to brand reputation, abandoned carts with designer shoes, and additional issues ...

Efficiency is a highly-desirable objective in business ... We're seeing this scenario play out in enterprises around the world as they continue to struggle with infrastructures and remote work models with an eye toward operational efficiencies. In contrast to that goal, a recent Broadcom survey of global IT and network professionals found widespread adoption of these strategies is making the network more complex and hampering observability, leading to uptime, performance and security issues. Let's look more closely at these challenges ...

Image
Broadcom

The 2025 Catchpoint SRE Report dives into the forces transforming the SRE landscape, exploring both the challenges and opportunities ahead. Let's break down the key findings and what they mean for SRE professionals and the businesses relying on them ...

Image
Catchpoint

The pressure on IT teams has never been greater. As data environments grow increasingly complex, resource shortages are emerging as a major obstacle for IT leaders striving to meet the demands of modern infrastructure management ... According to DataStrike's newly released 2025 Data Infrastructure Survey Report, more than half (54%) of IT leaders cite resource limitations as a top challenge, highlighting a growing trend toward outsourcing as a solution ...

Image
Datastrike

Gartner revealed its top strategic predictions for 2025 and beyond. Gartner's top predictions explore how generative AI (GenAI) is affecting areas where most would assume only humans can have lasting impact ...

The adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) is accelerating across the telecoms industry, with 88% of fixed broadband service providers now investigating or trialing AI automation to enhance their fixed broadband services, according to new research from Incognito Software Systems and Omdia ...

 

AWS is a cloud-based computing platform known for its reliability, scalability, and flexibility. However, as helpful as its comprehensive infrastructure is, disparate elements and numerous siloed components make it difficult for admins to visualize the cloud performance in detail. It requires meticulous monitoring techniques and deep visibility to understand cloud performance and analyze operational efficiency in detail to ensure seamless cloud operations ...

Imagine a future where software, once a complex obstacle, becomes a natural extension of daily workflow — an intuitive, seamless experience that maximizes productivity and efficiency. This future is no longer a distant vision but a reality being crafted by the transformative power of Artificial Intelligence ...

Enterprise data sprawl already challenges companies' ability to protect and back up their data. Much of this information is never fully secured, leaving organizations vulnerable. Now, as GenAI platforms emerge as yet another environment where enterprise data is consumed, transformed, and created, this fragmentation is set to intensify ...

Image
Crashplan