Extreme Networks is rolling out an AI-infused networking platform that aims to help enterprise customers integrate, manage and automate a broad range of network and security technologies.
Extreme’s Platform ONE is a cloud-based package that integrates its wireless, wired and security products and ties in analytics services as well as capabilities from its partners, which include Intel, Microsoft and ServiceNow. Extreme’s product line includes its core Cloud IQ cloud-based network management package, Universal switches, and a variety of security, wireless, and SD-WAN networking software under its Network Fabric umbrella.
All the information gleaned from these systems is combined into one customizable dashboard that simplifies operations and reduces the time it takes to spot and solve enterprise-wide problems, said Nabil Bukhari, chief product and technology officer with Extreme.
“The dividing lines between network and security technologies have blurred massively over the last few years – at what place does networking stop and security start?” Bukhari said. “In addition, there are more and more teams that are either direct stakeholders into the networking or are dependent on that information and telemetry. That really increases [complexity]. That’s where a platform approach, where all of this information is collected in one place and can be served to various different personas in an organization, through our composable workspace, is very effective.”
AI functions exist throughout Platform ONE, so that no matter what the customer is doing – whether it is a network person doing visualization or network monitoring or a SecOps person doing troubleshooting or problem remediation – AI can be used to speed things along and help out, Bukhari said.
“AI isn’t an add-on, it is a core component of Platform ONE that can be applied to every workflow coming through the system,” Bukhari said. “Being able to manage and govern this data in one place is a massive advantage of this kind of platformization approach.”
Extreme’s AI Expert technology will let customers pose natural language queries about network issues, for example. A query such as “show me all network anomalies,” will generate specific charts and other details about a customer’s network, what anomalies might be causing problems, and what a customer can do to address them, according to Extreme.
AI Expert works by collecting data from a combination of Extreme’s public repository, knowledge base and customer network details. It pulls and combines data from applications and devices across the network, including information from third parties such as Intel, to establish intelligence related to performance and experience, Extreme stated.
Platform ONE isn’t just a repackaging of the company’s core products, Bukhari said.
For example, the company has completely redesigned the management of its Extreme Networking Fabric so customers, for the first time, can get a complete visualization of the networking, topology and service level layers, Bukhari said.
With Platform ONE, customers can figure out, in real time, where the traffic for a specific user or an application is flowing in the network. In addition, Extreme has enhanced the visualization of third-party devices, such as through built-in integrations with Intel and Microsoft, Bukhari said.
“We are adding a lot more correlation between security and networking to help customers more quickly spot and analyze security breaches, remediate them or isolate them in the network automatically, without human intervention,” Bukhari said.
Platform-based approaches gain interest
Extreme is laying out an ambitious vision with this launch, according to Brandon Butler, senior research manager, enterprise networks, at IDC.
As Platform ONE comes to market in 2025, it will be key for Extreme to show customers specific use cases for Platform ONE, and particularly how customers can best leverage the AI capabilities. Platform ONE represents an opportunity for Extreme to appeal to more security-focused buyers, as well as buyers outside the IT domain, for example in finance, procurement or line of business, Butler said.
“Overall, one of the keys to networking platforms is reimagining the ‘experience’ that network and security operators have when doing their jobs. Cloud-based management tools have become commonplace in enterprise networking today. But the problem is, if organizations are using multiple cloud-based management tools, it can be difficult to centrally manage them,” Butler said.
“For example, different tools for controlling wired and wireless LAN, campus and branch networking, or networking and security can lead to operational inefficiencies, as well as a lost opportunity to apply more centralized AI functions across domains. Networking platforms are meant to provide a more unified experience across these domains, to enable easier lifecycle management of the network, with AI-powered automation capabilities, conversational interfaces and personalized visualization dashboards,” Butler said.
Extreme is looking to tap into a growing trend of platformization.
IDC research has shown that organizations are increasingly interested in using platform-based approaches to manage their networks, Butler noted. “Fundamentally, networking platforms are defined by IDC as an integrated set of infrastructure, software, licenses, and advanced management tooling that enables consistent control across disparate domains of IT,” Butler said.
IDC in its recent AI networking special report asked more than 1,200 global respondents about their preferred approach for a technology stack to support their organization’s genAI workloads. Almost two-thirds of respondents (64%) prefer a platform approach that includes integrated technology from a single provider, compared to 36% that prefer a best-of-breed technology solution from different providers.
“Opportunities to simplify the evaluation, deployment and ongoing management of the network is one key factor,” Butler said. “Having increased integrations across different domains of the network is another; and leveraging advanced, AI-powered automation capabilities in networking and security is another.”
Licensing simplicity
Another key component of Platform ONE is simplified licensing.
“For Platform ONE, there is a networking centric subscription, and then there is a security centric subscription – customers can buy one or both as needed, and the AI is included in both,” Bukhari said.
The simplicity of licensing is notable for customers, Butler said.
“[There is] a two-tier structure of standard or advanced licenses, both of which include the conversational AI interface, network & security management and network fabric visualization, with the advanced tier adding additional AI workflows, personalized dashboards and pro-active compliance alerting, Butler said.
Extreme Platform ONE will be generally available in the second half of 2025.
Source:: Network World