- 93% of organizations view their network as more crucial to operations than two years ago.
- 80% of organizations report increased network complexity.
- AI is being leveraged to automate network tasks, improving uptime and reducing costs.
- Extreme Networks partners with Intel to advance its AI Expert solution.
- The collaboration integrates data from Extreme’s networks and Intel-powered PCs using generative AI and Intel’s Connectivity Analytics SDK.
- Extreme Labs is testing the AI Expert tool, which replaces keyword searches with natural language queries for better issue resolution.
- The partnership aims to enhance network performance and threat detection.
- Intel Connectivity Analytics expands to include data from various providers, improving network insights.
- Extreme AI Expert will be integrated into Extreme’s products later this year.
- The partnership could lead to a trend of unifying data across PC and networking industries for better management.
Main AI News:
The network’s strategic significance continues to escalate, with a recent ZK Research and The Cube Research study revealing that 93% of organizations now consider it more critical to their operations than two years ago. Concurrently, 80% of respondents report increased network complexity during this period, setting the stage for potentially unmanageable conditions.
Artificial intelligence (AI) presents a solution to this growing complexity by automating network management tasks, resulting in improved uptime, cost reduction, and simplified operations. However, the effectiveness of AI-driven insights hinges on the quality of data. The maxim “good data leads to good insights” underscores the challenge faced by many companies, which often operate with fragmented data sources.
To address these challenges, Extreme Networks Inc. has partnered with Intel Corp. to advance its AI Expert solution, now in testing at Extreme Labs. This collaboration integrates data from Extreme’s networks and Intel-powered PCs with generative AI and Intel’s Connectivity Analytics SDK, aiming to enhance network intelligence, speed, and reliability.
Extreme Labs, a new innovation hub, is spearheading this initiative with Extreme AI Expert, a tool designed to revolutionize network issue resolution. By substituting keyword searches with natural language queries, the AI scans a comprehensive database of technical documents, delivering pertinent recommendations for rapid IT response to security and performance challenges.
The partnership with Intel enhances Extreme AI Expert’s capabilities by incorporating data from Intel-connected devices, promising even more precise recommendations. Intel Connectivity Analytics, initially developed in collaboration with Cisco Systems Inc., has expanded to include other providers, leveraging PC and network data to tackle connectivity issues and drive networking innovations.
The integration of Intel’s advanced analytics with Extreme’s AI solution is anticipated to significantly boost network performance and threat detection. Real-time data monitoring will aid in identifying potential security threats, thereby reducing data breach risks and bolstering overall network security.
Extreme introduced AI Expert at Extreme Connect 2024 and plans to incorporate it into its products later this year. Extreme’s Chief Technology Officer, Nabil Bukhari, emphasized the company’s focus on embedding intelligence into networks to enhance user experience. The addition of Intel data will streamline end-to-end customer experience visibility, encompassing both network and client devices.
For many organizations, the network is central to operations, encompassing point-of-sale systems, video conferencing, security, and environmental controls. The collaboration between Intel and Extreme aims to deliver superior insights by unifying historically siloed data. This partnership could herald a new trend where PC manufacturers and IoT device makers collaborate with networking companies to consolidate data for improved network management.
Conclusion:
The partnership between Extreme Networks and Intel marks a significant advancement in network management through AI integration. By combining data from various sources and leveraging advanced analytics, this collaboration aims to address the growing complexity of network environments. This move not only enhances network performance and security but also sets a precedent for future collaborations between PC manufacturers and networking companies. Such partnerships could drive a broader trend of data unification across industries, leading to more streamlined and efficient network operations, and potentially influencing market dynamics by pushing other companies to adopt similar integrative approaches.
