2025 IT Networking Trends
If you work in education, local government, or serve these sectors, here are a few key points you need to know.
As we transition into 2025, understanding key trends in IT networking is crucial for sectors like education and local government, which increasingly rely on robust and efficient networks, but lack the budgets of corporate/enterprise organizations.
These trends not only highlight emerging technologies but also underscore the importance of aligning infrastructure with evolving digital demands.
Here’s what we believe you need to be aware of:
IN THIS ARTICLE
Generative AI: beyond the hype & beyond the budget
AI tools are rapidly advancing, but their success hinges on the underlying network infrastructure. Institutions embracing AI for administrative automation, predictive analytics, or interactive learning must ensure their networks can handle increased traffic without bottlenecks. Poorly optimized networks lead to delays and inefficiencies, undermining the potential of AI.
The other element is a harsh financial reality: the costs of AI innovation are fully incremental. IT and financial departments will have to work together to find savings elsewhere to fund AI implementation. Prior investments in enterprise network technology are hard to justify – it may be time to look at high-performance network technology without huge license/maintenance costs.
The takeaway? Investing in a high-performance network is critical for leveraging AI effectively; and there are ways to save some money while at it.
Hybrid and Multi-Cloud Strategies
The shift to hybrid and multi-cloud environments continues to gain traction. For schools and government offices, this means greater flexibility but also heightened reliance on stable, high-speed connectivity. Networks act as the “artery” linking users to these cloud-based services. From students using cloud-powered tools to public service portals for access to critical government services, seamless access is non-negotiable.
Many institutions in government and education found that the rise of costs of managed services is forcing them to make hard choices. Rather than cutting some services or functions out completely, they choose to overtake systems and application management from their Managed Service Provider (MSP), using similar tools. Operational expenditures and ease of use are critically important. That leads to the use of typical single-pane-of-glass management tools by end users, who have learned how efficient these tools are to operate.
The Integration of AV and IT
The convergence of audiovisual (AV) and IT systems is transforming how organizations operate. Classrooms are adopting AV over IP for interactive learning, while local governments are enhancing public events and communications. This merger ensures reliable, flexible, and scalable solutions for events, announcements, and day-to-day operations. However, the shift demands network upgrades to support AV applications effectively.
Organizations have found, the hard way, that the dream of a super-converged network for all these IP protocols is not realistic. Very quickly we see IT and AV being separated in purpose-built networks. The extra advantage is the considerable infrastructure cost saving, also because of the relative simplicity of management.
WiFi 7: The Unsung Hero
WiFi 7 is set to revolutionize connectivity with unparalleled speed and capacity. Imagine a school handling 500 students, each using multiple devices for AI and cloud-based tasks, or a government office where high-definition video calls and data sharing are routine. WiFi 7 ensures no lag, even in the most demanding environments. It’s the invisible hero making connectivity, roaming and cloud access instantly, seamless and efficient.
Balancing Security and Performance
Increased focus on cybersecurity often hampers network performance. There are two issues here, actually.
The rapid deployment of Zero Trust (ZT) or Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) models has lead to systems delays and low performance, frustrating users.
Much of the post-COVID budgets for networking and info-security have been used for modern security improvements, often at permanent and significant cost increases for large organizations. The result is that other parts of the IT infrastructure, like wired and wireless networks, have become bottlenecks, worsening over-all performance even more.
The challenge for 2025 will be finding a balance, both technically as well as financially: implementing robust security measures while maintaining optimal network speed and accessibility.
The NETGEAR Business Solution
For organizations with tight budgets, these advancements might seem out of reach when using typical classic enterprise vendors.
NETGEAR Business offers a cost-effective alternative by reducing network expenses by up to 50%. With affordable multi-gig hardware and simplified cloud management solutions, upgrading to WiFi 7 and beyond is both faster and cheaper than renewing outdated enterprise contracts.
What It means for Education and Local Government
For schools: Better networks mean enhanced learning environments, smoother digital transitions, and the ability to implement cutting-edge technologies without hiccups.
For local governments: Faster, more reliable networks improve citizen engagement, and streamline operations.
2025: An Exciting Year of IT Innovation
2025 promises exciting innovations in networking. However, the ability to capitalize on these trends will depend on strategic investments in infrastructure that prioritize speed, reliability, and scalability.
With solutions like NETGEAR Business’s cost-effective options, institutions can stay ahead without breaking the bank. We will get you a personal approach with a team of presales and post-sales support in an easy, no-strings-attached approach.
For more insights or tailored networking solutions, don’t hesitate to reach out!
Richard Jonker
Vice President Marketing & Business Development
rjonker@netgear.com
https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardjonker/
