EMA Research Blog: Navigating IT and Security Horizons

Network data quality and authority have been problems for a very long time, and IT organizations can no longer afford to ignore the issue. Enterprise Management Associates (EMA) recommends that CIOs establish a network data architecture team and give it the budget and authority needed to improve the data that IT organizations rely on for day-to-day network operations.

The talent pipeline for network engineering and operations teams is running dry. AI might soften the pain of this people shortage, but ultimately it could make things worse.

It comes up in many conversations I have with network engineers and architects these days. They want AI-enhanced management tools.

Network operations teams are increasingly seeking AI tools to improve their ability to build and manage infrastructure. In fact, they now expect AI features and products from their network infrastructure and network management vendors.

EMA turns 30 this year. We're not the largest analyst firm, and we’re not the loudest. What we have always strived to be is honest, independent, and reliable.

The network infrastructure and operations industry is on fire. How do I know? Just look at how busy the Network Infrastructure and Operations practice at Enterprise Management Associates (EMA) was in 2025.

A growing number of network engineering teams are adopting network source of truth tools. What are they? And how should you go about setting one up? Enterprise Management Associates (EMA) has published new research on this subject that answers these questions. For this research, EMA analysts conducted long-form interviews with 17 network engineers about their approaches to establishing and maintaining a network source of truth.

Generative AI hype has permeated the world of IT operations. My latest research found that 96% of IT pros who have evaluated or used generative AI for IT management use cases believe it can make people in their organizations more productive.

Network as a service (NaaS) is a class of network infrastructure solutions that are delivered via a cloud-consumption model. Often, these networks are managed offerings, where the provider takes ownership of implementation and day-to-day operations. While a NaaS provider is capable of taking over network management for a customer, many IT organizations prefer to maintain some control and ownership of day-to-day operations for a NaaS-based network. 

Cisco Live is happening in Las Vegas this week. It remains one of the biggest annual gatherings of network infrastructure professionals in the world. It is also a venue for Cisco to showcase its latest products and services, and it is a place where Cisco lays out its overall vision to address customer requirements.