Tom Hollingsworth delivers key insights from his interview with Brandon Heller of Forward Networks regarding the concept and applications of Digital Twin technology. Highlighting its utility in network management, Hollingsworth discusses how Digital Twins can simulate and analyze complex networking environments, providing a valuable tool for optimization and problem-solving. The conversation delves into the ways Forward Networks is leveraging Digital Twin to revolutionize the planning and operational capabilities for IT professionals. Watch the Gestalt IT interview recorded on-site at Cisco Live!
Unveiling the Power of Digital Twins
The concept of digital twins is revolutionizing how we interact with and manage complex systems, demonstrated in Greg Grimes’ article on the subject following the Forward Networks presentation Networking Field Day. Read more in this LinkedIn Pulse article.
Improving Network Operations With a Doppelganger From Forward Networks
Forward Networks introduced innovative ways to improve network operations using a digital twin of any network at Networking Field Day, simplifying complex environments for diverse operational teams. Their solution, Forward Enterprise, captures detailed configuration and state data, enabling queries through a SQL-like language without requiring deep knowledge of specific vendor syntax. Additionally, their AI-powered features, AI Assist and Summary Assist, transform natural language into precise queries and summaries, respectively, facilitating even quicker access to critical network information, thus enhancing efficiency across the board. Read more in this Gestalt IT article by Bruno Wollmann, sponsored by Forward Networks.
Using AI to Enhance Forward Networks NQE
In this article, Tom Hollingsworth highlights Forward Networks’ new AI Assist feature for their Network Query Engine (NQE), emphasizing a user-friendly approach to complex network queries. This feature allows professionals to input plain language requests which are then translated into precise NQE syntax by AI, ensuring transparency and fostering a deeper understanding of the underlying system. Forward Networks’ approach to integrating AI not only streamlines the process of extracting network insights but also acts as a learning tool, bridging the gap between user intent and technical query execution. Read more in this Networking Field Day article sponsored by Forward Networks.
Forward Networks – Building Complete Confidence in AI Systems
At Networking Field Day, Forward Networks unveiled AI Assistant, a natural language interface enhancing its platform with generative AI, signifying a leap in network technology usability and trust. Distinguished from ordinary AI tools, AI Assistant harnesses the power of Forward Networks’ digital twin technology, ensuring validations and accurate, trusted responses in complex IT environments. The integration of AI Assistant simplifies data access through natural language queries, accelerating tasks for IT professionals and paving the way towards autonomous, self-healing networks. Read more in this Gestalt IT article by Sulagna Saha.
AI Assistance Without Leveraging Infrastructure Data, With Forward Networks
AI has become a critical yet contentious component in networking, as vendors seek balance between leveraging its benefits and protecting the sensitive data it runs on. Forward Networks has innovatively addressed this challenge with its AI Assist and Summary Assist features, enabling network engineers to streamline their use of the Network Query Engine (NQE) without exposing critical infrastructure data. These tools epitomize strategic AI implementation, delivering powerful assistance within a data-secure framework to optimize network management while safeguarding company-specific information. Learn more in this article by Aaron Conaway, sponsored by Forward Networks.
The Network Digital Twin GOAT
The concept of a digital twin in network engineering moves beyond simple emulation, offering a comprehensive replication of a production environment’s topology for advanced testing and assurance, akin to what Google Maps is for the planet. Forward Networks elevates this idea by aggregating extensive configuration and state information to mathematically model a full-scale digital twin, blending data center, cloud, and campus networks into a searchable data lake for robust analyses. This transformative technology has proven indispensable in complex network scenarios, enabling professionals to visually trace paths, validate compliance, and predict the implications of network changes with an unprecedented level of detail and accuracy. Read more in this article by David Varnum, inspired by Networking Field Day 34!
The Continuing Evolution of Forward Networks – Networking Field Day 34
Reflecting on Networking Field Day 13, Rob Coote discusses the Forward Networks platform with its groundbreaking digital twin technology, allowing a detailed grasp of network configurations and potential impact of changes. Since then, their continuous evolution was showcased at Networking Field Day 34, where Forward Networks revealed its integration of AI and LLM into their established platform, providing a refined, natural language query experience and heightening network visibility. This trajectory not only illustrates Forward Networks’ commitment to innovation but also exemplifies how AI, when thoughtfully applied, can significantly enhance the utility and sophistication of tech solutions in network management.
Forward Networks Now With More AI
Amidst the ubiquitous influence of artificial intelligence in our daily lives, Forward Networks stood out to Josh Warcop by integrating AI with a robust data-first approach, as showcased at Networking Field Day. Their creation of a digital twin for network infrastructure ensures precise data, allowing AI to effectively communicate with it, bypassing the challenges of manual data modeling. Forward Networks’ Network Query Engine, equipped with an AI Assistant, generates human-readable queries, bridging the gap between complex data systems and operator expertise and fostering trust in AI’s capabilities within network management.
No Inventory, No Proper Management
At Networking Field Day 34, Forward Networks, Inc. showcased the substantial advantages of implementing a digital twin for network management. The digital twin provides a dynamic and thorough inventory by constantly analyzing the network to reflect its current state, automatically updating documentation, and enhancing compliance and automation efforts. Aaron Conaway emphasized the crucial need for up-to-date network visibility, asserting that reliable network management is impossible without a comprehensive and current understanding of one’s network infrastructure.
Forward Networks – The Tale of an Aptly Named Company
In Ryan Lambert’s LinkedIn Pulse article he delves into the capabilities of Forward Networks, a company he says lives up to its name. The company creates a Digital Twin of network data, encompassing router configurations, route tables, and firewall policies. Lambert emphasizes the practicality of this approach, enabling users to gain insights into network behavior, potential vulnerabilities, and operational breakdowns.
“AI Assist” Is Better Than “AI Do It for Me”
John Herbert feels cautious towards AI, particularly when entrusting it with network control, advocating for human oversight to validate AI-generated solutions. But he appreciates Forward Networks’ AI Assist feature for creating natural language queries that help users engage with the company’s Network Query Engine (NQE), while retaining the option for manual evaluation and tweaking. Furthermore, Herbert finds value in the Summary Assist tool, which provides natural language explanations of NQE queries, enhancing user understanding and trust in the AI’s output.
New Networking Ideas at Networking Field Day 34
Networking Field Day 34 is February 28! It promises to showcase Forward Networks’ AI-driven network operations tools, Aviz Networks’ SONiC-based enterprise solutions, and NaaS insights from Nile. With a blend of newcomer energy and returning expertise, the event offers live presentations, interactive delegate discussions on pressing industry topics, and opportunities for the audience to engage with innovative network technologies. Tune into the live stream on the event page or the Tech Field Day LinkedIn page, engage with the conversation using the event hashtag, and catch up on sessions afterward on the Tech Field Day YouTube channel.
XFD10: Digital Twin Powers Unite to Secure Your Network With Forward Networks
Matt Tyrer writes about Forward Networks digital twin technology, which he learned about at Security Field Day 10. This unique strategy enhances data security by allowing network environments to be audited and secured digitally. The platform creates a fully operational digital copy of a network, enabling risk-free experimentation and validation to identify vulnerabilities and ensure network integrity across various infrastructures, including cloud and multi-cloud. Forward Networks’ digital twin solution emphasizes its capability to improve network security without direct live-environment intervention, providing a safe modeling space for administrators to proactively manage and secure their network landscapes.
Security Field Day With Forward Networks
At Security Field Day 10, Chris Hayner was impressed by Forward Networks and their digital twin technology, which offers comprehensive network visibility and security. The digital twin concept, which is not a new but increasingly essential tool in cybersecurity, is leveraged by Forward Networks to create a highly detailed network model allowing for in-depth analysis and proactive threat mitigation. The platform’s potency lies in its ability to model complex network changes over time, support security compliance efforts, and give IT teams an in-depth look at potential breach points and network vulnerabilities.
Finding Security Exposures and Risks From Network Data With Forward Networks
Sulagna Saha describes the blueprint of a successful security program, and explains how the Forward Networks platform can help build it. The platform collects information from far and wide in the network that is rich in security intelligence. If harvested, it can be the key to optimizing organizational security postures. Read about it at Gestalt IT or watch the demo here at the Tech Field Day website.
Security Field Day 10- Forward Networks- Double Trouble for Network Security!
Forward Networks presented their Network Digital Twin technology at Security Field Day, impressing Girard Kavelines. According to Girard, the solution excels in processing and analyzing every possible network scenario, creating a detailed replica of an organization’s entire infrastructure to identify and mitigate threats and vulnerabilities. The post highly recommends viewing Forward Networks’ presentation from the event for its integrative capabilities and efficient threat remediation.
DXPRS0048: Security Field Day 10 Mit Viel Chichi Und Wenig Substanz
In the latest episode of Data Disrupted, Kerstin Stief shares her experience with Security Field Day for a German-speaking audience.
Security Field Day 10- Event Preview
Girard Kavelines previews Security Field Day in this post, expressing excitement for gaining new insights into the security industry and hearing about new solutions. He highlights presentations from Druva and Forward Networks, expecting learning about different approaches to protecting data and predictive infrastructure behavior analysis.
Setting a Foundation for Security With Security Field Day 10
Tom Hollingsworth announces Security Field Day 10, a virtual event on November 8, which will showcase presentations from Forward Networks and Druva. Forward Networks will introduce their innovative platform that efficiently diagnoses and remediates issues, while Druva will discuss their latest technological advances in data protection. The event will be live-streamed on LinkedIn and posted to YouTube!
