As enterprise networks grow, security, fraud and increased complexity resulting from channel proliferation are among IT and telecom leaders’ top concerns.

That’s according to Oracle’s “Enterprise Networks in Transition: Taming the Chaos” report. The company surveyed 277 IT, telecom and network decision makers from around the world regarding their perspectives on key business and network trends, and the solutions that will help them compete and thrive in a digital world. Two-thirds (66 percent) of respondents represented companies with at least 11 locations and 62 percent managed operations in multiple countries.

Oracle’s Doug Suriano

Companies increasingly are looking to emerging technologies such as biometrics, artificial-intelligence (AI) and blockchain as opportunities to improve security and control, according to the report.

“In today’s digital economy, enterprises face increasing operational complexities, heightened customer expectations and an unprecedented amount of chaos in the form of security breaches and communications overload that require a higher level of network sophistication than ever before,” said Doug Suriano, Oracle’s senior vice president and general manager.

SD-WAN also was listed as a critical technology underpinning the evolution of enterprise networks; however, North America lags other regions in SDN deployment (50 percent versus 65-78 percent). Among large, global companies considering SD-WAN, convenience and ease of deployment was the top driver for 48 percent, followed by reliability (36 percent) and traffic-related flexibility (34 percent).

Nine in 10 (91 percent) of respondents ranked security as a top-three challenge, particularly in Asia and Latin America where mobile usage is most popular, and more than one-third of respondents ranked security as their top challenge in relation to planning, deploying and managing their enterprise networks. As mobile devices continue to expand, security continues to be a top-of-mind issue.

At least 83 percent of respondents identified virtually all types of network and telecom fraud as a serious issue, with more than half citing identity fraud as a top concern related to real-time communications. Solutions must adapt and evolve in anticipation of current and constantly evolving threats, particularly as network complexity increases, according to Oracle.

Three in four (76 percent) respondents said they need new technology to improve visibility and control over their entire network. Sixty-nine percent of respondents noted they will use biometrics in network security use cases and 57 percent will use AI. Also, AI and machine learning were identified as key technologies in supporting quality of service and cost efficiencies, while blockchain was identified as a top technology to improve network control.

Some three in four (76 percent) respondents said the breadth and reach of their enterprise network is expanding. Network users increasingly have more channels available to them, which means that managing time and productivity is becoming increasingly difficult. While voice and email are the predominant communications channels, video, chat and other in-app communications are growing increasingly popular. This impacts how the network is deployed and managed, and what defines the edge of the network, Oracle said.