The cloud is a desirable destination where applications and information are readily available and can be consumed quickly, efficiently, and anywhere. But the path to the cloud can be filled with unseen challenges, including the network itself.

The legacy networks used today limit business and the ability to freely move applications to the cloud. The proprietary nature of these legacy networks lock in customers and prevent them from choosing the best solution to fit their business.

Legacy networks are application indifferent, with rigid, multi-tier architectures which limit the deployment of cloud applications and impede the traffic flows across the network from the data center to the user in the campus or branch. In addition, legacy networks require dozens of disaggregated manual management applications to configure, deploy, and monitor physical and virtual networks, causing swivel-chair management and resulting in an incomplete view of the network.