The demands of AI are driving organizations to re-evaluate their networks. In a recent IDC study, 47 percent of organizations said that AI has had a significant impact on their network strategy. That’s up from 25 percent in 2023.
Most networks were designed to support Internet access and real-time communications. AI workloads are pushing networks to the limit with the need to transfer large volumes of data with minimal delays. To support AI, networks need significant bandwidth, lossless connectivity and response times measured in milliseconds. The network must be resilient to prevent disruptions that impact performance and scalable to meet increasing demands.
Organizations need to modernize their networks to support their AI initiatives. Here are some of the factors to consider.
All AI workloads are bandwidth-intensive, but some require more bandwidth than others. Generally speaking, the more complex models, such as large language models (LLMs) and deep learning models, require the most bandwidth for training and inference. Analyzing high-resolution image and video data also generates large data volumes that need significant bandwidth, as do real-time inferencing applications such as autonomous vehicles and recommendation systems.
IT teams should determine what AI workloads they’ll be running and estimate the volume of data those applications will generate. This will allow them to determine how much bandwidth is needed. Organizations should recognize that AI applications can scale rapidly, so it’s important to build in flexibility and scalability to prepare for growth.
The time it takes for data to travel from its source to its destination and back again has a dramatic impact on AI performance. AI applications require minimal latency, particularly those that depend on real-time data analysis.
Minimizing latency requires an efficient network topology that reduces the travel time for data packets. Latency can also be reduced by using real-time streaming solutions to optimize data processing pipelines. Data compression, caching and memoization can increase efficiency as well. However, some organizations may need to upgrade their network infrastructure to fiber optics or 100/200GbE to handle the large data transfers AI requires.
AI workloads rely heavily on continuous network connectivity. Outages can severely impact AI performance, leading to inconsistent and unreliable results.
Organizations need a resilient network that can deliver services consistently and reliably and recover quickly from disruptions. Redundant network hardware and diverse network paths can help minimize the impact and duration of outages. IT teams should keep all hardware updated with the latest firmware and security patches to address vulnerabilities. Continuous monitoring allows administrators to detect anomalies and potential issues in real time, allowing for proactive intervention.
While AI puts a strain on networks, it can also be used to automate and optimize many aspects of network management and security. AI-powered tools can improve overall efficiency, predict potential problems and enable real-time decision-making. When issues do arise, AI can quickly identify the root cause and guide administrators toward the best solution.
Organizations should look for AI-powered tools that integrate with their existing management and automation platforms. AI will also need access to real-time data from across the network. Human oversight is needed to ensure that AI tools follow established policies and procedures.
As AI continues to evolve rapidly, many organizations are struggling to plot their network strategy and keep up with emerging tools. A qualified technology partner with expertise in both networking and AI can be a critical ally in network modernization.
Technologent’s networking team works closely with our AI experts to help our customers prepare their networks for AI. We will consult with you to understand your AI strategy, thoroughly assess your existing network and develop a plan to improve performance, reduce latency and enhance security. We will also help you leverage the latest AI-powered tools to optimize your network operations.