Applications are becoming more sophisticated and mission-critical. More software is written to take advantage of dynamic IP parameters. And an economic slowdown has companies relying on network-based technologies that reduce Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and save money.

Consolidation is another trend bolstering IT efficiencies. Servers and storage are often the first affected by a consolidation initiative. However, data center consolidation is just as important in terms of optimizing infrastructure security, compliance and integrity.

The flourishing area of unified communications offers further testimony to the increased significance of the network. UC provides substantial benefit to the enterprise in terms of capabilities that allow staff to collaborate in real time, access critical information and communicate seamlessly with coworkers and customers — regardless of location.