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5G Enterprise Private Network: 9 Ways to Scale Your Business

5G Enterprise Private Network

Something revolutionary that solves problems becomes a product or service with many trade secrets you cannot afford to let loose in the market. All small, medium, and large businesses worry about how vulnerable they are to threats as far as data sharing within the organization is concerned. This is where a private network comes in.

Every business wants to take a technological leap for scalability. Two of the factors that private networks address are independence from commercial carriers for the network and maintaining the privacy of trade secrets. This helps achieve long-term goals to scale your business.


Powering your enterprise private network with the futuristic speeds of 5G can help your business achieve two goals at once. Take a look at why 5G has now started to matter even more.


Why 5G?

By 2026, the 5G market will reach $667.90 billion, with a CAGR of 122.3% from 2021 to 2026. It is estimated to go beyond $1.87 trillion by 2030. This massive technological transition will forever change how we communicate, process information, and connect with the cloud. A boost in turnkey research and development is one of the vital benefits of 5G that will help your business be one step ahead in the market.


What Makes the 5G Enterprise Private Network Ideal for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses?

A private enterprise network is VPN, LAN, WAN, or cloud-based. High-speed internet and low-latency data sharing or transfer are achieved using fiber optics in a 5G EPN. Expect superior service security, network slicing, enhanced service quality, and no risk of network congestion. Design your 5G EPN as per the software integrations required for your small and medium-sized business. This will allow seamless integration for present and future needs.

5G is about 100 times faster than 4G, leading to incredible speeds and unlocking many never-seen-before possibilities accelerating the speed of research for your enterprise. The network efficiency and the traffic capacity it can handle are 100x. Connecting and sharing data in almost real-time is made possible with 5G.

This means, a private 5G network can reduce the infrastructure needs of relatively more demanding managed wired networks for small and medium-sized businesses supporting 5G ecosystems. But it will keep up with the most advanced wireless technologies of the future and stop supporting older ones. In addition, 5G supports lower power consumption than 4G during data transmission. This means enterprises get better battery life on devices running 5G, including 5G IoT devices.

How Secure is a 5G Enterprise Private Network?

The 5G enterprise private networks are integrated or hybrid EPNs (enterprise private networks) and independent EPNs. It depends on whether your business wants to lease 5G spectrum from the government or a mobile network operator (MNO) and whether you will use a hybrid or independent EPN.
 
• Integrated 5G EPN: A small business can lease a private 5G line from an MNO. A public 5G network backs a virtual private network (VPN) for medium-to-small businesses. On the other hand, MEC and UPF from a public 5G network are used to set up a local network for large businesses.

• Independent 5G EPN: This is the most secure type of 5G EPN, the independent 5G EPN. It is independently built for your enterprise, owned, operated, and managed by you. You will be handling the RAN, core, edge computing nodes, and the wireless spectrum reserved for your use. These are mostly the goals of a large business that sends and stores data that needs to be very secure.

An independent 5G EPN is the best solution for large enterprises looking for the most secure private network. Also, it applies to businesses dealing with massive amounts of data.


Why Use the Cloud for Storage and Retrieval of Data in 5G EPN?

Access computing resources, data storage, development tools, and applications across the internet with the help of the cloud. The combined features of 5G and a private enterprise network create a healthy environment to implement cloud infrastructure. When thinking about using the cloud to store and get data in a 5G EPN, keep in mind the good things about it.
  • Interconnected, shared resources
  • 5G speed
  • Improved reliability
  • Increased data accessibility
  • Better privacy and security
  • Efficient connectivity

Now that we have learned networking fundamentals for a better 5G EPN are resolved with the help of the cloud, let us discover how it can help your business scale.


How Can Your Small, Medium, or Large Business Scale up With a 5G EPN Network Easily?

You can use a 5G enterprise private network, or EPN, to get the most important benefits for a small business.
  • Speed to promote an industrial digital transformation
  • IoT readiness
  • Better control over digital assets.
  • Improved security
  • Reliable coverage
  • Network slicing
  • Ultra-low latency
  • Improved bandwidth
  • Improved quality of service (QoS)

You will have complete control over configuring and customizing your EPN, managed independently by your in-house 5G networks. Explore the future avenues of 5G private networks in detail.


The Future of 5G Private Networks and Wi-Fi with Industrial Use Cases:

According to a study by RAN Research, by 2028, private 5G networks will generate about $23.5 billion, with 19% usage in the manufacturing industry and 12% of the network in the healthcare industry. The deployment of the 5G network and upgraded Wi-Fi standards will likely be saturated by 2024. Most of the investments would be towards upgrading the infrastructure and maintaining the network.

The goal of fierce competition among telecom network operators will be to gain rapid market share, bringing down the cost of usage. The new service providers will garner competition from telecom giants, while 5G private networks from different enterprises will still be dominant and mainstream in providing security, privacy, and data isolation.

 

Leading Industrial Use Cases

  • Healthcare: A revolution in healthcare benefiting from 5G technology is bound to happen with their transition to a cloud-native architecture. The need for high-speed and reliable connectivity will arise sooner or later, and 5G private networks will perfectly meet the requirement. The driving forces for healthcare to adopt 5G private networks include the shift to demographics, value-based and patient-centric care, and emergency healthcare. In addition, the use of big data analytics, the internet of medical things (IoMT), better wearable medical technology, hospital remote monitoring systems, e-Health and more will need the speed that 5G offers.

  • Manufacturing: The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) uses private 5G networks. Depending upon the software-defined implementation of the 5G network, 5G does not just allow remote monitoring of production lines; it also regulates maintenance and device lifecycle while powering industrial automation. 5G is also finding its way into implementing augmented reality for troubleshooting electronics, additive manufacturing and 3D printing, automated guided vehicles, camera-based video analytics and more. Collaborative robotics, supply chain optimization, and maintenance using a digital twin are a few other things that are worth mentioning.

  • Supply Chain: Due to near-shoring, manufacturing and distribution will decentralize. Due to Internet of Things (IoT) devices with sensors, supply chain and shipping logistics companies will be able to reduce delivery times, have better control over warehouse and transportation environments, and offer great asset management services.

Final Thoughts

Finding the right 5G private network type for your enterprise is easy. It offers enhanced security while connecting to the cloud, IoT and more. This would allow the development of futuristic products and services, touching multiple industries, with healthcare, manufacturing, warehousing, and logistics among the top. Keeping trade secrets and the latest research and development secure and enhancing the capabilities by integrating future technologies will improve with a 5G EPN. With a 5G private network for your enterprise being used on a large scale, the future of networking looks bright.

FAQs:


  • What is the difference between a public 5G network and a private 5G network?

A single location or several locations of the same institution, business, or organization are the focus of a private 5G network. On the contrary, the public 5G network is nationwide with millions of subscribers without being dedicated to serving a single entity. Because of this, 5G EPN infrastructure solutions will probably be used on college campuses, in factories, hospitals, military bases, transportation hubs, and other places.

  • What is a private 5G network and what are the benefits of a private 5G network?

A 5G private network offers low latency, high bandwidth and multiple connections with access control, which are perfect for business applications for small, medium and large enterprises. Furthermore, 5G private networks allow you to tailor them to your business requirements, making them an excellent investment for your business. Again, while diversifying your business as per customer and market demand, it is crucial to have a networking infrastructure that can adapt to your changing needs. Therefore, a private 5G network becomes even more critical.

  • How does EPN help in centralization and business continuity?

When implementing business continuity planning and centralization of your organization, a 5G EPN can provide several benefits over a public network. It makes integrations easy, provides high-quality services, improves access control and reliability, and lets your business share resources in the best way for its current and future needs.


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Considering various key network metrics, it is primarily measured from the end-users’ perspective. Measuring these metrics, analyzing performance data over time, and understanding the impact on the end-user experience is essential to assess network performance. Measuring network performance requires considering factors such as the location and timing of measurements. For instance, network performance may differ when comparing paths between cities or during periods of varying user demands throughout the day. Therefore, a comprehensive approach to monitoring network performance involves identifying these variables and identifying areas for improvement. Network performance metrics offer valuable insights into any network infrastructure and services. These metrics provide real-time information on potential issues, outages, and errors, allowing one to allocate IT resources efficiently. Understanding end-user demands can create an adaptive network to meet future business needs. 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By actively tracking latency, organizations identify and address issues that may cause delays in data transmission, thereby improving overall network responsiveness and minimizing disruptions for end-users. 2.2 Throughput Throughput metrics for network monitoring enable measurement of the data transmission rate across various network segments. Unlike bandwidth, which represents the theoretical data transfer limit, throughput reflects the successful delivery of data packets to their destination. Variations in throughput can occur across different network areas. A low throughput indicates the presence of dropped packets requiring retransmission, and highlights potential performance issues that need attention. Monitoring throughput is crucial for effective network management. By monitoring this performance metric, organizations can gain insights into the actual data transmission rate, ensuring that it aligns with expected levels. 2.3 Jitter Jitter, a key performance metric in network monitoring, refers to the variation in delay between packets, measured as the difference between expected and actual arrival times. It results due to network congestion, routing issues, or other factors, leading to packet loss and degraded application performance. Jitter disrupts the standard sequencing of data packets and can arise due to network congestion or route changes. Monitoring jitter is crucial for identifying and addressing network stability issues and ensuring reliable data transmission. By actively monitoring this performance metric, organizations can address variations in packet delay, mitigating issues that leads to packet loss and enabling proactive troubleshooting. 2.4 Packet Loss Packet loss, a performance management network monitoring metric, represents the number of data packets lost during transmission. It directly affects end-user services, leading to unfulfilled data requests and potential disruptions. Packet loss can arise from various factors, including software problems, network congestion, or router performance issues. Monitoring the entire process precisely to detect and address packet loss, ensures reliable data transmission and optimal network performance. Monitoring packet loss with the right network monitoring software enables timely troubleshooting and optimization of network infrastructure, ultimately enhancing overall network reliability and performance. 2.5 VOIP Quality VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) quality is a crucial network performance metric. It refers to the overall performance of a VoIP system in delivering clear and reliable voice communications over the Internet, replacing traditional phone lines. Factors influencing VoIP quality include network bandwidth, latency, packet loss, jitter, and the quality of end-user devices. Monitoring VoIP quality ensures optimal system functionality and high-quality voice communications. Key performance indicators (KPIs) such as mean opinion score (MOS), jitter, latency, packet loss, and call completion rates are utilized to assess and optimize VoIP quality. 2.6 MOS Score Mean opinion score (MOS) is a vital performance metric in network monitoring, rating the perceived quality of a voice call on a scale of 1 to 5. It is a standardized measurement developed by the ITU, an international agency focused on enhancing communication networks. Initially designed for traditional voice calls, the MOS has been adapted to evaluate Voice over IP (VoIP) calls. The MOS score considers various factors, including the specific codec employed for the VoIP call, providing a comprehensive assessment of voice calls quality in network monitoring. 3. Steps to Monitor and Measure Network Performance Step 1: Deploy a Software for Network Monitoring To effectively measure network performance, deploying dedicated network monitoring software is crucial. While temporary tools like traceroutes and pings can provide insights into ongoing problems, they are insufficient for troubleshooting intermittent network issues. Relying on periodic tools for intermittent issues is reliant on chance, as it may only detect problems when they occur during tool usage. By implementing comprehensive network monitoring software, one can proactively monitor and analyze network metrics, historical data, and performance, allowing for timely detection and resolution of both ongoing and intermittent network issues. Step 2: Distribute Monitoring Agents For comprehensive network performance measurement, businesses must distribute monitoring agents strategically across key network locations. These specialized software agents continuously monitor network performance using synthetic traffic, simulating and assessing the end-user perspective. By distributing Monitoring Agents, organizations can: • Measure key network metrics, including jitter, packet loss, and throughput. • Identify and troubleshoot intermittent network issues that are challenging to pinpoint. • Receive alerts regarding any performance degradation, ensuring a timely response. • Collect valuable data for in-depth troubleshooting and analysis, facilitating proactive network management and optimization. Step 3: Measure Network Metrics After deploying the monitoring agents, they continuously exchange synthetic User Datagram Protocol (UDP) traffic, forming a network monitoring session. During this session, the agents measure network performance by evaluating key metrics and conducting network traffic analysis. The metrics used in the analysis include specific parameters, and the results of these measurements are presented in a network response time graph, providing a visual representation of the network's performance characteristics. Monitoring and analyzing these metrics enable organizations to gain valuable insights into network performance, facilitating informed decision-making and convenient network performance troubleshooting. 4. Significance of Monitoring Metrics in Network Troubleshooting 4.1 Provide Network Visibility Monitoring metrics plays a vital role in network troubleshooting by offering network visibility. They enable the identification of performance bottlenecks, configuration problems, and security vulnerabilities that detrimentally affects network performance. These issues can be addressed through targeted troubleshooting efforts, resulting in improved network performance and enhanced end-user experience. Organizations identify and resolve network issues by monitoring metrics, ensuring optimal network functionality and overall business productivity. 4.2 Prevent Network Downtime Effective monitoring metrics are instrumental in preventing network downtime, a costly concern for businesses. Swift identification and resolution of network issues through proactive network performance troubleshooting help minimize downtime, ensuring uninterrupted business operations. By promptly addressing potential problems, network troubleshooting safeguards against lost productivity, revenue, and customer dissatisfaction. Maintaining a proactive approach to monitoring and resolving network issues to enhance network reliability and business continuity. 4.3 Observe Bandwidth Usage Monitoring metrics are essential in network troubleshooting as they enable the observation of bandwidth usage. This allows organizations to detect abnormal or excessive utilization, pinpoint key performance issues and ensure optimal resource allocation. It allows for identifying critical bandwidth-hogging applications or network intrusions, helping experts take immediate action to mitigate risks, safeguard data, and protect the overall network integrity. Additionally, experts can optimize network performance and ensure a seamless user experience for organizations relying on efficient network infrastructure. 5. Overcome Monitoring Challenges in Network Performance Metrics Enterprises seeking to ensure optimal network performance and improve overall business operations must overcome network monitoring obstacles. Effectively monitoring, tracking, and improving network performance requires a strategic combination of skilled personnel, advanced technologies, and well-defined strategies. Failing to address these requirements results in various challenges that hinder the ability to enhance network performance effectively. The challenges that businesses often encounter include managing scalability, handling massive data volumes, achieving real-time monitoring, dealing with multi-vendor environments, addressing network security and privacy concerns, and adapting to evolving network demands. Each obstacle presents unique complexities that require tailored approaches and expert insights. To overcome these challenges, enterprises must invest in comprehensive monitoring tools capable of handling the scalability demands of growing networks. These tools should provide real-time network visibility, robust analytics capabilities, and intelligent data filtering mechanisms to extract meaningful insights from vast network data. Establishing clear monitoring objectives aligned with business goals and defining key performance indicators (KPIs) are essential in effectively addressing network performance challenges. 6. Key Takeaway Monitoring network performance metrics is crucial for assessing the quality of services a computer network provides from an end-user perspective. It involves continuously tracking and analyzing key metrics such as latency, throughput, jitter, packet loss, VOIP quality, and MOS score. Organizations can actively monitor and assess performance, proactively identify intermittent issues, and collect valuable data for in-depth analysis by implementing dedicated network monitoring software and strategically deploying monitoring agents across the network. In addition, it is imperative to emphasize the significance of monitoring metrics in mitigating the potential financial impact of network downtime, enhancing the utilization of available bandwidth resources, and efficiently tackling the complexities inherent in scaling operations, real-time monitoring, diverse vendor ecosystems, security concerns, and the ever-evolving requirements of modern networks.

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Network Infrastructure, Network Management

Top 10 Network Monitoring and Management Certifications

Article | July 10, 2023

Enhance your network monitoring and management expertise. Learn from the industry-recognized network monitoring certifications and courses to boost your career potential with advanced solutions. As the demand for robust and secure networks continues to rise, organizations seek professionals with specialized network monitoring and management skills. Individuals can pursue industry-recognized certifications that validate their expertise and provide a competitive edge to demonstrate proficiency in this field. This article presents a curated list of the top 10 network monitoring certifications. These network monitoring and management certifications cover various technologies, methodologies, and tools, equipping professionals with the knowledge to monitor, optimize, and secure network infrastructures effectively. 1. AWS Certified Advanced Networking – Specialty The AWS Certified Advanced Networking - Specialty course is an essential credential for network monitoring experts seeking to excel in cloud-based environments. It validates expertise in designing and maintaining network architectures within the AWS product portfolio. This is one of the best network certifications for individuals with at least five years of hands-on experience in implementing complex networking solutions. Completing this course will enhance your understanding of advanced network architectures, interconnectivity options, routing, high-availability connectivity solutions, and network security features. The certification exam requires a solid grasp of AWS technology, scripting development, and automation tools. Opting for this course will equip you with the necessary skills to implement cloud initiatives and meet the organizations' networking challenges. 2. GIAC Continuous Monitoring Certification (GMON) Enhance the ability to detect intrusions and safeguard the network against anomalous activity with GIAC Continuous Monitoring (GMON) certification. As one of the top network monitoring certifications designed for experts to validate proficiency in defensible security architecture, continuous diagnostics and security monitoring, it will offer readers core knowledge of security architecture, endpoint security, and network monitoring. CyberLive testing ensures both theoretical knowledge and hands-on expertise for this certification. You will be able to improve your organization's security posture and respond more quickly to threats with the GMON certification. Technical managers, SOC analysts, and CND analysts must opt for the course to enhance their knowledge of implementing best network monitoring solutions and demonstrate the measures for threat protection. 3. CompTIA Network+ Learn from CompTIA Network+ skills to become a successful network engineer and security practitioner. It is one of the leading IT networking certifications that equips professionals with the skills to troubleshoot, configure, and manage networks on any platform, making it highly versatile and applicable to various environments. Completing this course and attaining the certification can enhance IT infrastructure and improve network management. CompTIA Network+ prepares you to support networks on any platform, unlike other vendor-specific network certifications. This certification is valuable for network monitoring experts looking to enhance networking fundamentals, implementations, operations, and security. Moreover, for those new to the industry, achieving this certification can open up job opportunities as a business analyst, systems administrator, MSP personnel, data center manager, IT server technician, data architect, or network security specialist. 4. PRTG Network Monitoring Course with LAB The PRTG Network Monitoring Course with LAB is a comprehensive training program designed for network monitoring experts seeking to enhance their skills and knowledge in deploying and managing the PRTG tool. The industry experts will be able to deploy the tool and monitor all infrastructure, including network, server and applications. It is one of the best network monitoring courses that will help you learn about IT operations management solutions that allow monitoring proactively. By opting for this course, readers will benefit from 6-5 hours of practical and condensed knowledge, immediate access to videos and files, Q&A support, downloadable installation media, and valuable links and resources. Overall, the course offers three benefits: rapid detection of network issues and identification of who needs to fix it, better allocation of IT resources with network monitoring, and providing baseline data for automatic data comparison. 5. ManageEngine OPManager Plus Network Monitoring Course This is one of the top network certification courses that trains individuals to monitor the network for performance storage, bandwidth, configuration changes, compliance and security. MachineEngine OPManager Plus is a complete course offering lab material to download. The uniquely designed course includes all key elements to understand the process of practicing VMware Workstation lab. It is a seven hours, thirty minutes course combined with practical and condensed knowledge. You will be given immediate access once you enroll for the course to collect videos, files and downloadable installation media. The required skill set to opt for the OPManager training video includes basic knowledge of Ethernet TCP/IP and the basics of Windows servers. Network monitoring experts can build a LAB-like real network through this course, analyze dashboards and graphs, and configure NCM and NTA modules. 6. Ultimate PRTG Network Monitoring with Full Lab GNS3 Learn to monitor network devices, applications, servers, and cloud and deploy custom sensors with the Ultimate PRTG network monitoring with a full lab GNS3 certification course. The course begins with an overview of PRTG's main features, covering important concepts like sensors and sensor states, as well as licensing information. It also guides participants in preparing their IT infrastructure for monitoring and provides recommendations for PRTG hardware and operating systems. This ensures a solid foundation before diving into the advanced aspects of PRTG. Opting for this course will help you delve into advanced PRTG sensors, including custom, receiver, and aggregate sensors. It will allow one to explore how to set up custom SNMP sensors, custom script sensors, and flow sensors. The course also focuses on monitoring specific areas of infrastructure, such as virtualization environments, enabling participants to gain expertise in administering PRTG effectively. 7. Network Monitoring Basics Network Monitoring basics is a course designed to learn how to use network monitoring, it helps you gain ground level base knowledge and guides you on where to start. This course, led by expert instructor Josh Werner, equips beginners entering the networking industry with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively utilize network monitoring tools. Participants will gain practical expertise in using these open-source solutions for efficient network monitoring and management with a focus on popular software such as Wireshark, Zabbix, Nagios, OpenNMS, Obiko, and NetDisco. This certification is ideal for those seeking to establish a strong foundation in network monitoring, enabling them to monitor and optimize their network infrastructure effectively. By mastering these in-demand skills, learners will be equipped to make informed decisions and ensure the smooth operation of their networks. 8. Network Monitoring Using Nagios Monitoring infrastructure equipment using Nagios requires training and acquiring the necessary techniques. The 'Network Monitoring Using Nagios Course' enables network monitoring experts to delve into knowledge related to Nagios deployment and configurations within IT infrastructure. To opt for the course, one must fulfil the basic requirements, including familiarity with Linux basic commands and networking essentials. Both network and system administrators, as well as IT students, can benefit from this highly regarded networking certification. The Network Monitoring Using Nagios course consists of three sections and spans two hours and four minutes. It is divided into eleven lectures covering crucial aspects of Nagios implementation and operation. 9. Junos, Associate (JNCIA-Junos) Junos, Associate (JNCIA-Junos) course is one of the most valuable IT networking certifications for professionals seeking to enhance their knowledge of Juniper Networks Junos OS. This certification is suitable for individuals with beginner to intermediate networking expertise. The JNCIA-Junos exam evaluates your understanding of the core functionalities of Junos OS, serving as a foundational certification for various tracks, including enterprise routing and switching and service provider routing and switching. By opting for this certification, candidates understand Junos OS comprehensively, enabling them to configure and troubleshoot Juniper devices effectively. The course covers essential topics such as routing protocols, switching concepts, security features, and network management 10. CCNA certification The CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate) certification is a credential that enhances your expertise in navigating the dynamic world of IT. This certification encompasses a comprehensive range of topics, including networking fundamentals, IP services, security fundamentals, automation, and programmability. It equips professionals with the skills to effectively manage and optimize advanced networks prevalent in today's technology landscape. The CCNA training course provides a solid foundation for individuals seeking to advance their careers in network monitoring. It caters to network administrators, technicians, and other IT professionals involved in network operations and support. Additionally, as a CCNA-certified expert, you become part of a renowned community recognized for maintaining the highest standards of excellence in networking. Key Takeaway The recommended network monitoring certifications discussed in this article provide valuable insights and guidance for networking experts in the B2B sector. These resources cover various aspects of monitoring network performance, enhancing network visibility, and addressing security concerns. By delving into these monitoring courses, professionals can gain a deeper understanding of effective network performance monitoring techniques, ensuring optimal visibility across their infrastructure. With the ever-evolving networking landscape, staying up-to-date with the latest trends and best practices is crucial for maintaining a high-performing network. These courses offer industry-relevant knowledge and empower networking experts to make informed decisions, ultimately leading to a robust and efficient network infrastructure.

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Ampliphae, HPE Athonet and Arqit deliver Quantum-Safe Private 5G using Symmetric Key Agreement

PR Newswire | January 19, 2024

Arqit Quantum Inc, a leader in quantum-safe encryption, and Ampliphae Ltd (Ampliphae), a leader in network cyber security solutions, have today announced successful completion of a project that will deliver enhanced quantum-safe security for Private 5G networks. The Security Enhanced Virtualised Networking for 5G (SEViN-5G) project, funded by Innovate UK, the UK Government’s innovation agency, leveraged Ampliphae’s network security analytics technology and Arqit’s Symmetric Key Agreement Platform to deliver a quantum-secure Private 5G testbed that can protect against both current and future cyber threats. Athonet, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise acquisition, provided the Radio Access Network (RAN) equipment for the project with a cloud core hosted on AWS. Private enterprise networks based on 5G cellular technology are accelerating digital transformation across industries including manufacturing, healthcare, defence and smart cities. Private 5G gives enterprises access to high-speed, massively scalable, and ultra-reliable wireless connectivity, allowing them to implement innovative IoT and mobile solutions that enhance productivity, drive automation and improve customer engagement. The security of these networks will be paramount as they will support safety-critical infrastructure and carry highly sensitive data. But like any new technology, 5G comes with potential new threats and security risks including the threat from quantum computing. The project finished in December 2023 and customer engagement has already begun. David Williams, Arqit Founder, Chairman and CEO said: “Enterprises want to deploy Private 5G networks with complete confidence that they will be safe from both current and future cyber threats including from quantum computers. Working alongside Ampliphae, we have shown that a quantum-safe Private 5G network is deliverable using Arqit’s unique encryption technology.” Trevor Graham, Ampliphae CEO said: “Private 5G can be hosted partly or completely in the Cloud, giving enterprises the opportunity to rapidly set up their own cellular networks customised to support their operations. With Ampliphae and Arqit they can now be certain that those Private 5G networks are monitored and secure against eavesdropping and disruption.” Nanda Menon, Senior Advisor Hewlett Packard Enterprise said: “In an era where security is paramount, the completion of the SEViN-5G project is a significant milestone. The delivery of a quantum-secure Private 5G testbed, achieved where Athonet have combined the Athonet core with CableFree radios, underscores the commitment to innovation and reinforces the confidence enterprises can have in deploying networks that are both cutting-edge and secure from both present and future threats.” About Arqit Arqit Quantum Inc. (Nasdaq: ARQQ, ARQQW) (Arqit) supplies a unique encryption Platform as a Service which makes the communications links of any networked device, cloud machine or data at rest secure against both current and future forms of attack on encryption – even from a quantum computer. Compliant with NSA standards, Arqit’s Symmetric Key Agreement Platform delivers a lightweight software agent that allows devices to create encryption keys locally in partnership with any number of other devices. The keys are computationally secure and operate over zero trust networks. It can create limitless volumes of keys with any group size and refresh rate and can regulate the secure entrance and exit of a device in a group. The agent is lightweight and will thus run on the smallest of end point devices. The Product sits within a growing portfolio of granted patents. It also works in a standards compliant manner which does not oblige customers to make a disruptive rip and replace of their technology. Recognised for groundbreaking innovation at the Institution of Engineering and Technology awards in 2023, Arqit has also won the Innovation in Cyber Award at the National Cyber Awards and Cyber Security Software Company of the Year Award at the Cyber Security Awards. Arqit is ISO 27001 Standard certified. www.arqit.uk About Ampliphae Ampliphae’s distributed network analytics technology provides insight into how networks are used to support enterprise operations at every level. A graduate of the prestigious LORCA cyber accelerator in London, and the AWS European Defence Accelerator, Ampliphae’s technology is already used by enterprises across multiple verticals to discover, analyse and secure the network traffic that supports their key applications and business processes. Ampliphae’s Encryption Intelligence product operates at enterprise scale to discover devices and applications that use cryptography, analysing their encryption capabilities to detect risks, including assets that are vulnerable to future quantum computer attack. Using Encryption Intelligence, the organisation can gather effective operational intelligence about their encryption landscape, both within and outside the organisation, and build an effective mitigation program to address current and future vulnerabilities.

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Network Security

Cato Networks Introduces World's First SASE-based XDR

PR Newswire | January 25, 2024

Cato Networks, the leader in SASE, announced the expansion of the Cato SASE Cloud platform into threat detection and incident response with Cato XDR, the world's first SASE-based, extended detection and response (XDR) solution. Available immediately, Cato XDR utilizes the functional and operational capabilities of the Cato SASE Cloud to overcome the protracted deployment times, limited data quality, and inadequate investigation and response experience too often associated with legacy XDR solutions. Cato also introduced Cato EPP, the first SASE-managed endpoint protection platform (EPP/EDR). Together, Cato XDR and Cato EPP mark the first expansion beyond the original SASE scope pioneered by Cato in 2016 and defined by industry analysts in 2019. SASE's security capabilities encompassed threat prevention and data protection in a common, easy-to-manage, and easy-to-adopt global platform. With today's announcement, Cato is expanding SASE into threat detection, incident response, and endpoint protection without compromising on the architectural elegance captured by the original SASE definition. "Cato SASE continues to be the antidote to security complexity," says Shlomo Kramer, CEO and co-founder of Cato Networks. "Today, we extend our one-of-a-kind SASE platform beyond threat prevention and into threat detection and response. Only Cato and our simple, automated, and elegant platform can streamline security this way." An early adopter of Cato XDR is Redner's Markets, an employee-owned supermarket chain headquartered in Reading, Pennsylvania, with 75 locations. Redner's Markets' vice president of IT and Infrastructure, Nick Hidalgo, said, "The Cato platform gave us better visibility, saved time on incident response, resolved application issues, and improved network performance ten-fold." (Read more about Redner's Markets and Cato in this blog. "The convergence of XDR and EPP into SASE is not just another product; it's a game-changer for the industry," said Art Nichols, CTO of Windstream Enterprise, a Cato partner. "The innovative integration of these capabilities brings together advanced threat detection, response capabilities, and endpoint security within a unified, cloud-native architecture—revolutionizing the way enterprises protect their networks and data against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats." (Read more about what Cato partners are saying about today's news in this blog.) Platform vs. Product: The Difference Matters Cato XDR takes full advantage of the enormous benefits of the Cato SASE Cloud platform, the first platform built from the ground up to enable enterprises to connect, secure, and manage sites, users, and cloud resources anywhere in the world. Unlike disjointed point solutions and security appliances, Cato capabilities are instantly on, always available at scale, and fully converged, giving IT teams a single, shared context worldwide to understand their networks, prevent threats, and resolve problems. As an autonomous platform, Cato SASE Cloud sustains its evolution, resiliency, optimal performance, and security posture, saving enterprises the operational overhead of maintaining enterprise infrastructure. Enterprises simply subscribe to Cato to meet their business needs. Cato's cloud-native model revolutionized security and networking operations when it was introduced in 2016, a fact validated three years later in 2019 when the Cato approach was formally recognized by the industry as SASE. Breach Times Still Too Long; Limitations of Legacy XDR Cato is again revolutionizing cybersecurity with the first SASE platform to expand into threat detection, empowering security teams to become smarter and remediate incidents faster. The flood of security alerts triggered by network sensors, such as firewalls and IPS, complicates threat identification. In 2023, enterprises required 204 days on average to identify breaches.1 XDR tools help security analysts close this gap by ingesting, correlating, and contextualizing threat intelligence information with the data from native and third-party sensors. However, legacy XDR tools suffer from numerous problems relating to data quality. Sensor deployment extends the time-to-value as IT must not only install the sensors but also develop a baseline of specific organizational activity for accurate assessments. Data quality is also compromised when importing and normalizing third-party sensor data, complicating threat identification and incident response. Security analysts waste time sorting through incident stories to identify the ones most critical for immediate remediation. Once determined, incident remediation is often hampered by missing information, requiring analysts to master and switch between disparate tools. No wonder in 2023, average breach containment required more than two months.1 Cato XDR and Cato EPP Expands the Meaning of SASE Cato XDR addresses legacy XDR's limitations. Instantly activated globally, Cato XDR provides enterprises with immediate insights into threats on their networks. Incident detection is accurate due to Cato's many native sensors – NGFW, advanced threat prevention (IPS, NGAM, and DNS Security), SWG, CASB, DLP, ZTNA, RBI, and now EPP/EDR. Powered by Bitdefender's world-leading malware prevention technology, Cato EPP protects endpoints from attack – in the Cato way. Endpoint threat and user data are stored in the same converged Cato data lake as the rest of the customer's network data, simplifying cross-domain event correlation. The result is incredibly high-quality data that improves the incident identification and remediation process. Cato AI uses the data to accurately identify and rank incidents, empowering analysts to focus critical resources on an organization's most important remediation cases. Cato AI is battle-tested and proven across years of threat hunting and remediation handling by Cato MDR service agents. Remediation times reduce as detected incident stories contain the relevant information for in-depth investigation. Cato's tools sit in the same console as the native engines, enabling security analysts to view everything in one place -- the current security policy and the reviewed story. Finally, incident reporting is simplified with generative AI. Purpose-built for investigations, this natural language engine provides human-readable explanations of incident stories. Analysts save time sharing incident information with other teams and reporting to their managers.

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Network Infrastructure

DISH Wireless Awarded $50 Million NTIA Grant for 5G Open RAN Integration and Deployment Center

PR Newswire | January 16, 2024

DISH Wireless, a subsidiary of EchoStar, was awarded a historic $50 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to establish the Open RAN Center for Integration & Deployment (ORCID). ORCID will allow participants to test and validate their hardware and software solutions (RU, DU and CU) against a complete commercial-grade Open RAN network deployed by DISH. "The Open RAN Center for Integration and Deployment (ORCID) will serve a critical role in strengthening the global Open RAN ecosystem and building the next generation of wireless networks," said Charlie Ergen, co-founder and chairman, EchoStar. "By leveraging DISH's experience deploying the world's first standalone Open RAN 5G network, ORCID will be uniquely positioned to test and evaluate Open RAN interoperability, performance and security from domestic and international vendors. We appreciate NTIA's recognition of DISH and ORCID's role in driving Open RAN innovation and the Administration's ongoing commitment to U.S. leadership in wireless connectivity." To date, this grant represents NTIA's largest award under the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund (Innovation Fund). ORCID will be housed in DISH's secure Cheyenne, Wyoming campus and will be supported by consortium partners Fujitsu, Mavenir and VMware by Broadcom and technology partners Analog Devices, ARM, Cisco, Dell Technologies, Intel, JMA Wireless, NVIDIA, Qualcomm and Samsung. NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson and Innovation Fund Director Amanda Toman will join EchoStar Co-Founder and Chairman Charlie Ergen, EchoStar CEO Hamid Akhavan, EVP and Chief Network Officer Marc Rouanne and other stakeholders to announce the grant and tour a DISH 5G Open RAN cell site later today in Las Vegas. During this event, DISH will outline ORCID's unique advantages, including that it will leverage DISH's experience as the only operator in the United States to commercially deploy a standalone Open RAN 5G network. DISH and its industry partners have validated Open RAN technology at scale across the country; today DISH's network covers over 246 million Americans nationwide. At ORCID, participants will be able to test and evaluate individual or multiple network elements to ensure Open RAN interoperability, performance and security, and contribute to the development, deployment and adoption of open and interoperable standards-based radio access networks. ORCID's "living laboratory" will drive the Open RAN ecosystem — from lab testing to commercial deployment. Below are highlights of ORCID: ORCID will combine both lab and field testing and evaluation activities. ORCID will be able to test elements brought by any qualified vendor against DISH's live, complete and commercial-grade Open RAN stack. ORCID will use DISH's spectrum holdings, a combination of low-, mid- and high-band frequencies, enabling field testing and evaluation. ORCID will evaluate Open RAN elements through mixing and matching with those of other vendors, rather than validating a single vendor's stack. DISH's experience in a multi-vendor environment will give ORCID unique insights about the integration of Open RAN into brownfield networks. ORCID's multi-tenant lab and field testing will occur in DISH's secure Cheyenne, Wyoming facility, which is already compliant with stringent security protocols in light of its satellite functions. About DISH Wireless DISH Wireless, a subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS), is changing the way the world communicates with the Boost Wireless Network. In 2020, the company became a nationwide U.S. wireless carrier through the acquisition of Boost Mobile. The company continues to innovate in wireless, building the nation's first virtualized, Open RAN 5G broadband network, and is inclusive of the Boost Infinite, Boost Mobile and Gen Mobile wireless brands.

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Network Security

Ampliphae, HPE Athonet and Arqit deliver Quantum-Safe Private 5G using Symmetric Key Agreement

PR Newswire | January 19, 2024

Arqit Quantum Inc, a leader in quantum-safe encryption, and Ampliphae Ltd (Ampliphae), a leader in network cyber security solutions, have today announced successful completion of a project that will deliver enhanced quantum-safe security for Private 5G networks. The Security Enhanced Virtualised Networking for 5G (SEViN-5G) project, funded by Innovate UK, the UK Government’s innovation agency, leveraged Ampliphae’s network security analytics technology and Arqit’s Symmetric Key Agreement Platform to deliver a quantum-secure Private 5G testbed that can protect against both current and future cyber threats. Athonet, a Hewlett Packard Enterprise acquisition, provided the Radio Access Network (RAN) equipment for the project with a cloud core hosted on AWS. Private enterprise networks based on 5G cellular technology are accelerating digital transformation across industries including manufacturing, healthcare, defence and smart cities. Private 5G gives enterprises access to high-speed, massively scalable, and ultra-reliable wireless connectivity, allowing them to implement innovative IoT and mobile solutions that enhance productivity, drive automation and improve customer engagement. The security of these networks will be paramount as they will support safety-critical infrastructure and carry highly sensitive data. But like any new technology, 5G comes with potential new threats and security risks including the threat from quantum computing. The project finished in December 2023 and customer engagement has already begun. David Williams, Arqit Founder, Chairman and CEO said: “Enterprises want to deploy Private 5G networks with complete confidence that they will be safe from both current and future cyber threats including from quantum computers. Working alongside Ampliphae, we have shown that a quantum-safe Private 5G network is deliverable using Arqit’s unique encryption technology.” Trevor Graham, Ampliphae CEO said: “Private 5G can be hosted partly or completely in the Cloud, giving enterprises the opportunity to rapidly set up their own cellular networks customised to support their operations. With Ampliphae and Arqit they can now be certain that those Private 5G networks are monitored and secure against eavesdropping and disruption.” Nanda Menon, Senior Advisor Hewlett Packard Enterprise said: “In an era where security is paramount, the completion of the SEViN-5G project is a significant milestone. The delivery of a quantum-secure Private 5G testbed, achieved where Athonet have combined the Athonet core with CableFree radios, underscores the commitment to innovation and reinforces the confidence enterprises can have in deploying networks that are both cutting-edge and secure from both present and future threats.” About Arqit Arqit Quantum Inc. (Nasdaq: ARQQ, ARQQW) (Arqit) supplies a unique encryption Platform as a Service which makes the communications links of any networked device, cloud machine or data at rest secure against both current and future forms of attack on encryption – even from a quantum computer. Compliant with NSA standards, Arqit’s Symmetric Key Agreement Platform delivers a lightweight software agent that allows devices to create encryption keys locally in partnership with any number of other devices. The keys are computationally secure and operate over zero trust networks. It can create limitless volumes of keys with any group size and refresh rate and can regulate the secure entrance and exit of a device in a group. The agent is lightweight and will thus run on the smallest of end point devices. The Product sits within a growing portfolio of granted patents. It also works in a standards compliant manner which does not oblige customers to make a disruptive rip and replace of their technology. Recognised for groundbreaking innovation at the Institution of Engineering and Technology awards in 2023, Arqit has also won the Innovation in Cyber Award at the National Cyber Awards and Cyber Security Software Company of the Year Award at the Cyber Security Awards. Arqit is ISO 27001 Standard certified. www.arqit.uk About Ampliphae Ampliphae’s distributed network analytics technology provides insight into how networks are used to support enterprise operations at every level. A graduate of the prestigious LORCA cyber accelerator in London, and the AWS European Defence Accelerator, Ampliphae’s technology is already used by enterprises across multiple verticals to discover, analyse and secure the network traffic that supports their key applications and business processes. Ampliphae’s Encryption Intelligence product operates at enterprise scale to discover devices and applications that use cryptography, analysing their encryption capabilities to detect risks, including assets that are vulnerable to future quantum computer attack. Using Encryption Intelligence, the organisation can gather effective operational intelligence about their encryption landscape, both within and outside the organisation, and build an effective mitigation program to address current and future vulnerabilities.

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Network Security

Cato Networks Introduces World's First SASE-based XDR

PR Newswire | January 25, 2024

Cato Networks, the leader in SASE, announced the expansion of the Cato SASE Cloud platform into threat detection and incident response with Cato XDR, the world's first SASE-based, extended detection and response (XDR) solution. Available immediately, Cato XDR utilizes the functional and operational capabilities of the Cato SASE Cloud to overcome the protracted deployment times, limited data quality, and inadequate investigation and response experience too often associated with legacy XDR solutions. Cato also introduced Cato EPP, the first SASE-managed endpoint protection platform (EPP/EDR). Together, Cato XDR and Cato EPP mark the first expansion beyond the original SASE scope pioneered by Cato in 2016 and defined by industry analysts in 2019. SASE's security capabilities encompassed threat prevention and data protection in a common, easy-to-manage, and easy-to-adopt global platform. With today's announcement, Cato is expanding SASE into threat detection, incident response, and endpoint protection without compromising on the architectural elegance captured by the original SASE definition. "Cato SASE continues to be the antidote to security complexity," says Shlomo Kramer, CEO and co-founder of Cato Networks. "Today, we extend our one-of-a-kind SASE platform beyond threat prevention and into threat detection and response. Only Cato and our simple, automated, and elegant platform can streamline security this way." An early adopter of Cato XDR is Redner's Markets, an employee-owned supermarket chain headquartered in Reading, Pennsylvania, with 75 locations. Redner's Markets' vice president of IT and Infrastructure, Nick Hidalgo, said, "The Cato platform gave us better visibility, saved time on incident response, resolved application issues, and improved network performance ten-fold." (Read more about Redner's Markets and Cato in this blog. "The convergence of XDR and EPP into SASE is not just another product; it's a game-changer for the industry," said Art Nichols, CTO of Windstream Enterprise, a Cato partner. "The innovative integration of these capabilities brings together advanced threat detection, response capabilities, and endpoint security within a unified, cloud-native architecture—revolutionizing the way enterprises protect their networks and data against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats." (Read more about what Cato partners are saying about today's news in this blog.) Platform vs. Product: The Difference Matters Cato XDR takes full advantage of the enormous benefits of the Cato SASE Cloud platform, the first platform built from the ground up to enable enterprises to connect, secure, and manage sites, users, and cloud resources anywhere in the world. Unlike disjointed point solutions and security appliances, Cato capabilities are instantly on, always available at scale, and fully converged, giving IT teams a single, shared context worldwide to understand their networks, prevent threats, and resolve problems. As an autonomous platform, Cato SASE Cloud sustains its evolution, resiliency, optimal performance, and security posture, saving enterprises the operational overhead of maintaining enterprise infrastructure. Enterprises simply subscribe to Cato to meet their business needs. Cato's cloud-native model revolutionized security and networking operations when it was introduced in 2016, a fact validated three years later in 2019 when the Cato approach was formally recognized by the industry as SASE. Breach Times Still Too Long; Limitations of Legacy XDR Cato is again revolutionizing cybersecurity with the first SASE platform to expand into threat detection, empowering security teams to become smarter and remediate incidents faster. The flood of security alerts triggered by network sensors, such as firewalls and IPS, complicates threat identification. In 2023, enterprises required 204 days on average to identify breaches.1 XDR tools help security analysts close this gap by ingesting, correlating, and contextualizing threat intelligence information with the data from native and third-party sensors. However, legacy XDR tools suffer from numerous problems relating to data quality. Sensor deployment extends the time-to-value as IT must not only install the sensors but also develop a baseline of specific organizational activity for accurate assessments. Data quality is also compromised when importing and normalizing third-party sensor data, complicating threat identification and incident response. Security analysts waste time sorting through incident stories to identify the ones most critical for immediate remediation. Once determined, incident remediation is often hampered by missing information, requiring analysts to master and switch between disparate tools. No wonder in 2023, average breach containment required more than two months.1 Cato XDR and Cato EPP Expands the Meaning of SASE Cato XDR addresses legacy XDR's limitations. Instantly activated globally, Cato XDR provides enterprises with immediate insights into threats on their networks. Incident detection is accurate due to Cato's many native sensors – NGFW, advanced threat prevention (IPS, NGAM, and DNS Security), SWG, CASB, DLP, ZTNA, RBI, and now EPP/EDR. Powered by Bitdefender's world-leading malware prevention technology, Cato EPP protects endpoints from attack – in the Cato way. Endpoint threat and user data are stored in the same converged Cato data lake as the rest of the customer's network data, simplifying cross-domain event correlation. The result is incredibly high-quality data that improves the incident identification and remediation process. Cato AI uses the data to accurately identify and rank incidents, empowering analysts to focus critical resources on an organization's most important remediation cases. Cato AI is battle-tested and proven across years of threat hunting and remediation handling by Cato MDR service agents. Remediation times reduce as detected incident stories contain the relevant information for in-depth investigation. Cato's tools sit in the same console as the native engines, enabling security analysts to view everything in one place -- the current security policy and the reviewed story. Finally, incident reporting is simplified with generative AI. Purpose-built for investigations, this natural language engine provides human-readable explanations of incident stories. Analysts save time sharing incident information with other teams and reporting to their managers.

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Network Infrastructure

DISH Wireless Awarded $50 Million NTIA Grant for 5G Open RAN Integration and Deployment Center

PR Newswire | January 16, 2024

DISH Wireless, a subsidiary of EchoStar, was awarded a historic $50 million grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to establish the Open RAN Center for Integration & Deployment (ORCID). ORCID will allow participants to test and validate their hardware and software solutions (RU, DU and CU) against a complete commercial-grade Open RAN network deployed by DISH. "The Open RAN Center for Integration and Deployment (ORCID) will serve a critical role in strengthening the global Open RAN ecosystem and building the next generation of wireless networks," said Charlie Ergen, co-founder and chairman, EchoStar. "By leveraging DISH's experience deploying the world's first standalone Open RAN 5G network, ORCID will be uniquely positioned to test and evaluate Open RAN interoperability, performance and security from domestic and international vendors. We appreciate NTIA's recognition of DISH and ORCID's role in driving Open RAN innovation and the Administration's ongoing commitment to U.S. leadership in wireless connectivity." To date, this grant represents NTIA's largest award under the Public Wireless Supply Chain Innovation Fund (Innovation Fund). ORCID will be housed in DISH's secure Cheyenne, Wyoming campus and will be supported by consortium partners Fujitsu, Mavenir and VMware by Broadcom and technology partners Analog Devices, ARM, Cisco, Dell Technologies, Intel, JMA Wireless, NVIDIA, Qualcomm and Samsung. NTIA Administrator Alan Davidson and Innovation Fund Director Amanda Toman will join EchoStar Co-Founder and Chairman Charlie Ergen, EchoStar CEO Hamid Akhavan, EVP and Chief Network Officer Marc Rouanne and other stakeholders to announce the grant and tour a DISH 5G Open RAN cell site later today in Las Vegas. During this event, DISH will outline ORCID's unique advantages, including that it will leverage DISH's experience as the only operator in the United States to commercially deploy a standalone Open RAN 5G network. DISH and its industry partners have validated Open RAN technology at scale across the country; today DISH's network covers over 246 million Americans nationwide. At ORCID, participants will be able to test and evaluate individual or multiple network elements to ensure Open RAN interoperability, performance and security, and contribute to the development, deployment and adoption of open and interoperable standards-based radio access networks. ORCID's "living laboratory" will drive the Open RAN ecosystem — from lab testing to commercial deployment. Below are highlights of ORCID: ORCID will combine both lab and field testing and evaluation activities. ORCID will be able to test elements brought by any qualified vendor against DISH's live, complete and commercial-grade Open RAN stack. ORCID will use DISH's spectrum holdings, a combination of low-, mid- and high-band frequencies, enabling field testing and evaluation. ORCID will evaluate Open RAN elements through mixing and matching with those of other vendors, rather than validating a single vendor's stack. DISH's experience in a multi-vendor environment will give ORCID unique insights about the integration of Open RAN into brownfield networks. ORCID's multi-tenant lab and field testing will occur in DISH's secure Cheyenne, Wyoming facility, which is already compliant with stringent security protocols in light of its satellite functions. About DISH Wireless DISH Wireless, a subsidiary of EchoStar Corporation (NASDAQ: SATS), is changing the way the world communicates with the Boost Wireless Network. In 2020, the company became a nationwide U.S. wireless carrier through the acquisition of Boost Mobile. The company continues to innovate in wireless, building the nation's first virtualized, Open RAN 5G broadband network, and is inclusive of the Boost Infinite, Boost Mobile and Gen Mobile wireless brands.

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Events