The challenge is that good software is hard to build. Absent an injection of revenue from new hardware every four years, vendors may have to subsidize their development efforts by charging more for software--even if you don't need new features. This already is the case with desktop software: Nobody needs more word-processing features. Microsoft's Clippy, the annoying "helper" that pops up whenever you split an infinitive, is now smarter than most writers.
But just as with desktop software, there are valid reasons IT will pay for network equipment maintenance. For better ongoing security, support, efficiency and overall cost reduction, the future of networking lies in software.
David Willis is a vice president of Meta Group's Technology Research Services. Write to him at [email protected].
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