NTT DATA, a global leader in digital business and technology services, joined forces with Cisco to launch a co-sponsored IDC InfoBrief titled Wired for Intelligence: A CIO Guide to Enterprise Networking for AI. This latest study provides actionable insights for enterprises aiming to accelerate digital transformation by modernizing their network infrastructure.

As artificial intelligence becomes embedded in more applications from manufacturing and healthcare to financial services the pressure on enterprise networks continues to rise. Today’s companies need fast, secure, and low-latency networks to keep up with the scale and complexity of AI workloads. Legacy infrastructure simply cannot keep up. To address this challenge, NTT DATA and Cisco are helping businesses move away from outdated architectures and adopt intelligent, adaptive infrastructure designed for AI-driven innovation.

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“As two market leaders, NTT DATA and Cisco are well positioned to help clients modernize their digital infrastructure foundations for the AI era. The network exists as a catalyst for growth and organizations can unlock powerful new capabilities and achieve AI-driven business transformation at scale,” said Dilip Kumar, Global Head, Technology Solutions, NTT DATA, Inc.

Network Modernization: The Core of AI Success

The IDC study reveals that modern networks serve as the foundation for successful AI adoption. More than 78% of companies stated that networking capabilities play a crucial role when choosing providers for GenAI infrastructure. This finding highlights the importance of networks that can scale securely while supporting complex AI training, inference, and storage clusters.

Furthermore, modernization goes beyond hardware upgrades. It integrates AI into network operations through intelligent monitoring, anomaly detection, self-healing, and AI-driven configuration. These capabilities enable faster issue resolution, reduced downtime, and improved user experiences. Industries such as healthcare, manufacturing, and financial services are already reaping the benefits gaining efficiency, enhancing connectivity, and lowering costs.

“Network modernization is about more than replacing old hardware it’s about allowing enterprises to lead in an AI-driven world,” said Brink Sanders, Senior Vice President of Global Networking Sales, Cisco. “Our partnership with NTT DATA equips clients with the technology and expertise needed to build secure and connected networks.”

Chris Barnard, Vice President, European Telecoms and Infrastructure at IDC, added: “Your network will make or break your AI transformation. Overcoming the challenges of legacy networking technologies is essential. This IDC InfoBrief gives organizations the steps to transform enterprise networking from a bottleneck into a business advantage.”

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NTT DATA’s Intelligent Services Enable AI-Ready Networks

To meet growing enterprise demand, NTT DATA offers a robust portfolio of intelligent services that modernize digital infrastructure and enable secure, high-performance networks. These services cover every stage of transformation from advisory and technology sourcing to professional services, managed network operations, and adoption strategies.

Key offerings include:

  • Advisory Services: Aligning network modernization with AI-driven business goals.
  • Technology Sourcing: Finding and securing the right infrastructure to get your organization AI-ready.
  • Professional Services: Designing and deploying scalable, secure, and future-ready networks.
  • Software-Defined Infrastructure (SDI): Integrating automation and AI agents to optimize operations and reduce costs.
  • Adoption Services: Ensuring maximum value through continuous improvement and change management.
  • Managed Network Services: Providing end-to-end management to guarantee low latency and seamless edge-to-cloud connectivity.

NTT DATA recently introduced AI-powered SDI services for Cisco products, helping businesses unlock smarter automation, real-time insights, and meaningful cost savings. With this step, businesses can take full advantage of AI while supporting long-term, sustainable growth.

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