Enterprise networks have never been more important than they are now. Networking teams routinely deliver networking as a trusted component of the business. This means keeping up with evolving standards, technology, and expectations. However, network teams face greater challenges when trying to support these new demands.
While significant networking changes are sweeping the enterprise, IT departments are simultaneously facing flat budgets and staff shortages. Aspiring IT professionals are now less likely to specialize in networking than in other work areas, and seasoned professionals are moving towards retirement.
Despite this complexity, generative AI (GenAI) continues to evolve into a versatile technology that can eventually support network operations. Once generative AI reaches a sufficient level of maturity, it has the potential to help network teams automate routine tasks, respond to incidents, address workforce reductions, and more.
How GenAI can support networking
GenAI tools have the potential to assist overburdened network teams in a number of ways. If network teams layer machine learning AI tools with generative AI with an aptitude for natural language, they may be able to handle increased workloads even with reduced headcount.
GenAI helps network professionals with:
- Write programs and scripts.
- Create a document.
- Develop policies and configurations.
- Assist with audits.
- Respond to incidents.
- Serve as a virtual assistant or mentor for network professionals.
write programs and scripts
Network teams in some organizations have already experimented with GenAI or are currently using GenAI tools to write network automation scripts. GenAI helps network professionals script in the following ways:
- Provides a stub for the program.
- Write the structure.
- Please check the syntax.
- Provide feedback.
However, network engineers should not immediately use the code provided by GenAI tools without question. Although GenAI gives networking teams an edge on projects, it still requires code to be checked, modified, and completed before execution.
Creating a document
GenAI tools also help network professionals create complete, human-readable documentation about their networks. A network professional can input configuration files, inventory files, network mapping data, and other developed notes into her GenAI tool, and the tool can generate a complete written explanation and, in some cases, diagrams.
Develop policies and configurations
GenAI tools that are properly trained on the configuration syntax of various networking tools can create network policies. For example, a network administrator can input verbal descriptions of network intents into her GenAI tool, and the tool can generate commands to implement those intents. The same applies vice versa. GenAI tools can examine the configuration and create a description of what the network does, and network experts can compare output to intent.
assist with audits
If GenAI tools can review configurations, they may also be able to assist with network audits. Comprehensive auditing tools are already available that can quickly provide insight into configuration drift and misconfigurations, but network professionals prefer to incorporate this functionality into a single tool that also includes policy analysis and documentation assistance. There may be cases.
Incident response
Many AI and machine learning tools are already adept at incident response. For example, you can categorize many alerts and alarms, sort out trends, identify unifying factors, and find unusual but benign events. If these tools include his GenAI capabilities, they will be able to better understand human questions and provide easy-to-understand answers.
Act as a virtual assistant or mentor for network experts
Current GenAI tools have a long way to go, but they have the potential to support static or reduced workforces. For example, tools can fill gaps to train new talent and support existing staff.
On the one hand, GenAI could act as an all-purpose assistant for network engineers, helping them automate daily tasks and submit change management requests. On the other hand, GenAI could also serve as a mentor for new network professionals entering the field. These tools train network professionals in best practices for network management and operations, teach specific technical skills, and serve as an encyclopedic reference for questions.
GenAI requires further development before being widely used
GenAI has the potential to support networking, but the technology is not yet there. It may take some time before GenAI is capable and reliable enough to support network operations. Tools that can cause people to hallucinate or refuse to cooperate are not reliable enough for use in corporate networks. Even if GenAI becomes widely used, it will likely take more time before the cost of a capable tool reaches most organizations.
However, the potential of GenAI tools can be huge for network teams. GenAI makes networks more reliable and secure, reducing the challenge of keeping networks fully staffed and responding to evolving needs and challenges.
John Burke is CTO and Principal Research Analyst at Nemertes Research. With nearly 20 years of technology experience, he has worked in his IT department at all levels including end user support specialists, programmers, system administrators, database specialists, network administrators, network architects, and systems architects. I did. His areas of focus include AI, cloud, networking, infrastructure, automation, and cybersecurity.
