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1、app2024 State of Application Strategy Report10years ofinsightsContents 10 APIs Rise over Apps15 Hybrid,Multicloud Operations Are the New Normal23 Use of App Delivery and Security Technologies Has Exploded28 Digital Transformation Has Progressed Rapidly to AI-Assisted Business33 AI Will Help Solve Co

2、mplexity by Increasing Automation40Conclusion:Approaches for Future Success Are Emerging03Introduction:Digital Evolution Enters a New StageappDigital Evolution Enters a New StageIntroduction32024 State of Application Strategy ReportHow this report can help your organization:The information to follow

3、 can help IT leaders:Assess how well your organization is positioned for challenges to come.Prioritize projects and practices most likely to yield strategic benefits.Equip decision makers with context and data for competitive decisions.Plan for the emerging technologies and trends likely to play sig

4、nificant roles in driving future innovation.42024 State of Application Strategy ReportIT decision makers today face an abundance of choices for how to deliver and manage their apps to create great digital experiences,capture fresh revenue streams,and unlock new opportunities or business models.The o

5、ptions range from various app architectures to a profusion of deployment alternatives,APIs,security technologies,tools,and uses for telemetry,including artificial intelligence(AI).In fact,exploding use of AIas revealed by the results of our tenth annual State of Application Strategy surveyis powerin

6、g this evolution.Increasingly mature AI and machine learning(ML)deployments will require even more new approaches and technologies for application and API security,delivery,connectivity,and management.The pace of change may feel daunting,and many IT leaders long for greater simplicity.But while the

7、diversity of choices creates complexity and management headaches,it also brings significant benefits,agility high among them.This tension between complexity and flexibility is driving todays hottest trends,from microservices and multicloud networking to interest in generative AI.Fortunately,solution

8、s for the toughest challenges are emerging.A decade of survey results provides a solid foundation for drawing conclusions and plotting wise paths forward.This 2024 State of Application Strategy Report captures the top areas of focus,biggest concerns,and best hopes of organizations around the world t

9、hat are successfully leveraging digital services to thrive in our app-centric economy todayand lead innovation tomorrow.IT decision makers at all levels can use these insights to better position their teams for a bright future that involves less stress and more satisfaction for customers and the bus

10、iness.52024 State of Application Strategy ReportSummary of Key FindingsAPIs Rise over Apps Digital transformation is driving an explosion of APIs even as the average number of applications decreases.41%of organizations manage at least as many APIs as apps,and API numbers will continue to increase as

11、 AI implementations move forward.The proliferation of APIs is driving changes in security practices.95%of organizations have deployed an API gateway,a dramatic rise from 2019 when only 35%had done so.Organizations are almost twice as likely to have automated their app and API security(43%)as their a

12、pp delivery(25%).API security is the top security service expected to protect the integrity of AI/ML models and services.Hybrid,Multicloud Operations Are the New Normal Case-by-case app considerations continue to drive multicloud deployments.Organizations plan to deploy AI engines(development,traini

13、ng,inference)and AI apps both in public cloud and on-premises environments,solidifying hybrid,multicloud operations as the norm.The resulting complexity continues to challenge nearly everyone.The benefits of flexibility and business resilience make overcoming the challenges worthwhile.Secure multicl

14、oud networkingnamed the number 3 most exciting trend for the second year in a rowis a key solution for the daunting complexity of multicloud operations.Use of App Delivery and Security Technologies Has Exploded The average overall deployment rate has jumped from 57%in 2020 to 93%in 2024.Security tec

15、hnologies continue as the most indispensable.Security as a Service(SECaaS)use is on the rise because it delivers speed.Visibility is converging with speed as interdependent factors in app protection.62024 State of Application Strategy ReportDigital Transformation Has Progressed Rapidly to AI-Assiste

16、d Business Three-quarters of organizations are working in the latter stages of digital transformation,namely digital expansion(which focuses on modernization)and AI-assisted business(which focuses on data analysis).The percentage of modern apps in the average portfolio has overtaken that of traditio

17、nal apps a year sooner than we predicted.The accompanying growth in microservices prompted respondents to call microservices networking the most exciting technology in 2024.Two-thirds of organizations say theyre benefitting from digital transformation,with greater IT operational efficiency the top a

18、chievement.Employee productivity has leapt forward in the ranking of benefits achieved.The full potential of transformationincluding better alignment between the business and ITremains to be captured.AI Will Help Solve Complexity Through Increased Automation Generative AI is the years most exciting

19、trend.For both app delivery and app security,automation is the top use for generative AI as a means to faster responses and greater efficacy.Automation is also the top use case for telemetry.Nearly half of organizations plan to locate AI workloads in the public cloud,but significant percentages have

20、 other plans.App securityIn 2015,availability services were the most valued app security technologies.In 2024,security technologies reign supreme.Use of app delivery and security technologiesDeployment rose from 11 separate technologies per organization in 2016 to 30,on average,in 2024.Identity fede

21、rationDeployment of this app services technology rose from 35%of organizations using it in 2016 to 91%in 2024.Private clouds2015s top trend became 2024s second biggest regret.Although this may stem from early management challenges,other survey data suggest its not that respondents are sorry they ado

22、pted private cloudsrather,they wish theyd done so even sooner.72024 State of Application Strategy ReportAPIsIn 2015,69%of respondents considered them important or very important.Today,theyre so important that 41%of organizations manage more APIs than apps.Hybrid everythingHybrid app deployment model

23、s were relatively new in 2015.Today app architectures,app environments,IT stacks,and deployment models are typically hybrid,too.Digital transformationOur reports first mentioned digital transformation in 2017 in the context of economic pressure to shift to digital business models.With the COVID-19 p

24、andemic as an accelerant,the subsequent years saw dramatic changes in IT project focus,priorities,and ways of working.20152024A Decade at a GlanceappappappOrganizations Have Rapidly Advanced on Their Digital Transformation Journeys82024 State of Application Strategy Report20202022202417%37%46%61%33%

25、70%32%77%75%+58 in 4 yearsPercentage ofrespondents100%Digital expansionTask automationAI-assisted businessTop 2015 Trends Have Become Top 2024 Regrets92024 State of Application Strategy ReportA Few RegretsWhen change is this rapid,its natural to regret a few of the top trends from a decade ago:The S

26、oftware as a Service(SaaS)trend is regretted by nearly one-third of respondents,who perhaps lost control amid “shadow IT”created by SaaS use beyond the IT teams knowledge.Of course,a majority of organizations still find that the right SaaS delivers affordable innovation without the hassle of planned

27、 upgrade cycles.More than one-quarter regret the private cloud trendthe most strategically important in 2015.Although private cloud technologies were initially immature,research into other survey results suggests respondents are primarily sorry they didnt deploy private clouds sooner.For all the pre

28、vious noise about the Internet of Things(IoT),nearly a quarter of respondentsand nearly half of those in telecommunicationsregretted it.We suspect their sorrow is a result of projects with poorly defined value propositionssuch as“smart”hairbrushes or dishwashers that can be started from a mobile pho

29、ne.Ten years ago,nearly half of respondents looked to Infrastructure as a Service(IaaS)as a cost-reduction measure.Today,public cloud cost savings,if they materialize,dont always make up for increased management complexity or the challenges of adopting native toolsets.Thats why regrets continue to d

30、rive repatriation.Looking AheadThe good news is that one of every five respondents has no regrets.Those in energy and healthcare were most likely to regret nothing.And frankly,the pace of change today doesnt afford much time to reminisce.So lets look ahead!Keep reading for a detailed view of the Sta

31、te of Application Strategy in 2024 and what to expect in the years to come.Regretted in 2024Exciting in 2015Private cloud59%28%Software as a Service(SaaS)48%31%Infrastructure as Service(IaaS)/Public cloud 45%23%Mobile applications56%18%Virtual desktopinfrastructure41%20%Physical data center consolid

32、ation38%16%Software-defined networking(SDN)35%20%DevOps17%22%Internet of Things(IoT)22%24%APIs Rise over AppsKey Finding 1app102024 State of Application Strategy Report112024 State of Application Strategy ReportThe Balance Has Tipped to Modern Apps We asked:Of all your applications deployed today,ro

33、ughly what percentage fit into the following categories?(Results are averaged across all respondents.)We learned:The rate of modern app growth is accelerating.F5 Insight:The proportion of modern apps is likely to top out near 85%,probably before the end of the decade.The remaining minority will be t

34、raditional apps deemed too fundamental to replace.Instead,organizations will surround those old-timers with modern interfaces.The digital economy runs on applications,which is why apps have been a key target of IT modernizationwhether that means replacing them with cloud-native alternatives,lift-and

35、-shift cloud migrations,or the addition of modern components such as APIs.Thanks to those efforts over the past several years,weve reached a milestone:The average enterprise app portfolio today includes more modern than traditional(monolithic)apps.This watershed happened a year sooner than F5 predic

36、ted in 2023,and we still expect the percentage of modern apps to reach 60%by 2025.The largest organizations(by revenue),which are generally farther along in their digital journeys,are already there.Modern apps represent an average of 65%of the portfolio for those organizations.As they modernize,orga

37、nizations typically retire(or combine the functions of)legacy apps,which has helped consolidate app portfolios in recent years.The average number of apps in the enterprise portfolio has declined.But that drop hasnt necessarily reduced the number of app instances,and it also doesnt mean the remaining

38、 apps are easier to manage.Modern,mobile,and cloud-native apps that deliver digital services are often composed of microservices and rely on APIs for orchestration and exchange of data.In addition,modern interfaces used to modernize traditional apps are often deployed in cloud and edge environments,

39、adding to the complexity challenges.29%2020202471%TraditionalModern51%49%Most Exciting Technology#1Microservices networking#2#3GraphQLLarge language models122024 State of Application Strategy ReportWith more modern apps and microservices on the way,its no wonder that microservices networking was nam

40、ed todays most exciting technology trend.Microservices networking,including ingress controllers and service meshes,connects container-based microservices in both north-south and east-west directions.This helps to ensure reliable communication between them while keeping them secure and observable.Alt

41、hough several other exciting technologies are likely to help with AI deployments,AI implementations at scale are still to come for many organizations.On the other hand,containerized apps are already in heavy use,which may be why microservices networking topped the list as a more immediate hope.APIs

42、Have Grown ExponentiallyThe explosive growth in modern apps and their microservices has created an exponential rise in the number of APIs,too.First,the addition of a layer of APIs has been a preferred method of modernizing apps for several years running.In addition,digital transformation tends to co

43、nsolidate applications but increase the use of APIs as processes are automated,individual apps are integrated,and siloed business data converge into one source of truth.Increased use of AI also means more APIs.Because AI apps are frequently based on multiple APIs,further deployment will create an ev

44、en greater flood of public APIs.The result has ushered in a new era in which APIs can be as critical to the business as apps themselvesand even harder to protect,monitor,and manage.In fact,our survey results reveal that the average number of APIs an organization manages increases by five percent wit

45、h each successive phase of digital transformation.(See Key Finding 4 for more about these phases.)Just as the largest organizations typically have the biggest share of modern apps,their API numbers are expansive,too.On average,companies with over$10 billion USD in annual revenue say they manage more

46、 than 1,000 apps and nearly 1,400 APIsalthough a handful of behemoths report managing more than 10,000 APIs!41%manage at least as many APIs as they do appsBut even the smallest organizations are dealing with an API flood.Today,90%of survey respondents manage fewer than 200 apps,and that number tends

47、 to decrease as digital transformation proceeds.Meanwhile,API counts only go up.More than one-third of respondents(41%)manage at least as many APIs as apps.API security is a particular concern.An individual API can have dozens or hundreds of endpoints,which serve as critical gateways to apps and the

48、ir valuable data.All endpoints must be secured to protect app integrity,customers,and the business.To help manage the resulting security nightmare,more than one-third of organizations(43%)have automated their app and API security infrastructures.Nearly everyone(95%)has deployed API gateways to help

49、simplify API management and better guard their security.API gateways offer a valuable layer of protection by authenticating API calls,ensuring valid requests,and rate limiting to guard against being flooded with attacks.In general,the more APIs an organization deals with,the more its decision makers

50、 value API gateways.Overall,91%consider them very important or critical.95%use API gatewaysProtecting APIs is particularly important for the majority of organizations eagerly pursuing AI assistance.Survey respondents are looking to API security as their number one protective technology for AI/ML mod

51、els and services.Any organization hoping to make strategic use of AI would be wise to follow suit.132024 State of Application Strategy ReportAPIs Proliferate We asked:Estimate the number of applications that are currently deployed in your company;Estimate the number of APIs that are currently deploy

52、ed in your company;What is your companys approximate annual revenue?We learned:On average,deployed APIs significantly outnumber apps,and the ratio of APIs to apps tends to increase with company size.F5 Insight:Large organizationsand those wanting to get largercan expect API proliferation to continue

53、 and cant afford to lose track of them.Under$200 million$200 million to$1 billion$1 billion to$10 billionOver$10 billionAverage appsAverage APIsCompany revenue29317313944531504991013235142024 State of Application Strategy ReportF5 InsightThe percentage of modern appsand therefore the number of APIs

54、in the average enterprise portfolio will continue to grow.This growth will accelerate as organizations adopt AI,which relies heavily on modern apps and infrastructure to operate and scale.The growth in modern apps and their tendency to be distributed(thus increasing complexity)make the excitement ov

55、er microservices networking completely understandable.At the same time,the ongoing increase in APIs will make API-related security and management solutions imperative as APIs,apps,and the data they exchange become ever more strategic to the business.Individual technologies such as API gateways wont

56、be enough.Automating the app and API security infrastructure can help,but automation rates in this IT domain are still below 50%.The best-protected and most efficient organizations will deploy comprehensive strategies for discovering,testing,managing,and protecting their APIs.Hybrid,Multicloud Opera

57、tions Are the New NormalKey Finding 2152024 State of Application Strategy Report162024 State of Application Strategy ReportThe Number of App Deployment Models Is Trending UpwardWe asked:Of your applications deployed today,roughly what percentage are utilizing the following deployment models?SaaS,pub

58、lic cloud/IaaS,on-premises(traditional),on-premises(cloud),colocation,edge.We learned:More organizations than ever use many deployment models,and this is as true for smaller companies as for large enterprises.F5 Insight:The benefits of choice clearly outweigh the challenges of managing apps across s

59、o many different deployment models.Whether modern or traditional,todays apps and the APIs that accompany them are overwhelmingly being deployed into a hybrid,multicloud landscape.Nearly 90%of organizations are operating in hybrid deployment models,and that percentage has held virtually steady in the

60、 high 80s since 2019(even before the changes prompted by COVID-19).Predictions made in 2016 for a hybrid,multicloud world have come true.88%of organizations operate in multiple modelsIn fact,more than one-third of respondents(38%,nearly double the 2023 figure)operate apps deployed in six different m

61、odels.In 2020,only 18%used even five,so the share of organizations using many models more than doubled in just a few years.This expanding number of deployment models reflects not only increasing use of the edge but also the growing share of containerized modern apps,which are more easily deployed in

62、 multiple locations and models.In short,organizations are using more models because they can(and find benefits in doing so).Apps are more widely distributed than ever,with the resulting operational complexity and security challenges as well as the flexibility benefits.15%12%One24%13%Two18%9%ThreeFou

63、r13%8%Five10%8%Six+1820%38%20242023 172024 State of Application Strategy ReportIn addition,the broad distribution of apps goes beyond multiple clouds to multiple types of app deployment modelsin other words,organizations may be cloud-first,but few are cloud-only.The notion popular a decade ago that

64、clouds might eliminate on-premises data centers has proven wrong.Nearly half of respondents(49%)use all five of on-premises,public cloud,co-location,edge,and SaaS deployment types.This multi-layered variety exists because each data center facility,deployment location,and operational model offers ben

65、efits,and decision makers appreciate being able to select for those benefits.As a result,in addition to juggling both modern and traditional apps and multiple clouds,most organizations of all sizes operate hybrid IT stacks using both cloud and traditional operational models.There are exceptions,of c

66、ourse.For instance,small minorities of respondents(under one-quarter each)have either no traditional on-premises or no public cloud deployments at all.But most organizations have an embarrassment of richesand possibly headacheswhen it comes to deciding where and how to deploy applications.56%of orga

67、nizations make app-by-app deployment decisionsThe majority of organizations(56%)make those decisions on an app-by-app basis,particularly when theyre selecting a cloud.Whats best for the individual app has remained the top factor in cloud deployment decisions since 2018,although the type of appcollab

68、orative,business,data management,etc.briefly took precedence in 2019.The user type(for example,employee,customer,or partner)has risen in importance to become the third most common factor.Multicloud Madness ContinuesThe desire to do right by each app in a landscape populated by multiple clouds and de

69、ployment models leads to complexity across IT domains,erecting barriers to everything from consistent app security to automation and vendor consolidation.Moreover,the past five years have seen almost no improvement in the pervasiveness of the associated challenges.Multicloud challenges trouble 94%of

70、 respondentsand organizations usually confront more than one.Three-quarters of respondents report between two and five challenges.About one in six(16%)struggles with even more.And fewer than 10%of respondents say they can focus on overcoming just one.94%report at least one multicloud challengeAlthou

71、gh no single challenge rules them all,the top difficulty,as in 2023,is managing operational complexity.Day to day,this manifests as multiple tools and dashboards,bespoke security solutions and policies,lack of visibility into app health,too many vendors,and telemetry thats trapped in silos.182024 St

72、ate of Application Strategy ReportMultiple Clouds Means Multiple ChallengesWe asked:What challenges do you currently have with deploying applications in multiple clouds?Select all that apply.We learned:Operational complexity is the most common burden,but there are so many that no one challenge stand

73、s out.F5 Insight:Consistent app security and visibilityboth top challenges in recent yearshave dropped in the rankings,which suggests organizations may be partly solving both challenges with SECaaS.Migrating apps between environments has risen from fifth place last year to become the second most cit

74、ed challenge.About one-third of respondents still struggle with multicloud security,a perennial concern since at least 2017.However,nearly twice as many respondents cited security in 2020,making it the top challenge that year.App visibility,also a previous leader,hovers this year in the middle of th

75、e pack.These shifts suggest some organizations are meeting those two challenges with solutions such as with Security as a Service(SECaaS).Nonetheless,the urgency to further alleviate the difficulties is driving intense interest in technologies that promise to reduce multicloud complexity.These inclu

76、de multicloud networking and the distributed cloud perspective it can enable.34%32%31%31%30%28%28%28%27%24%Managing operational complexity Migrating appsOptimizing performanceApplying consistentsecurity policiesMinimizing cyber riskEnsuring availibilityVisibilityLong deployment timesRegulatory compl

77、ianceApp sprawlFlexibility to choosethe lowest cost option55%Provide business continuityfor high priority apps52%Choose best cloud/expertise for AI workloads49%Choose best cloud/expertise for apps44%Compliance/dataresidency requirements37%Improve disaster recovery30%192024 State of Application Strat

78、egy ReportMulticloud Cost Savings and Continuity MatterWe asked:What are the benefits of deploying applications in multiple clouds?Select all that apply.We learned:The top benefitsflexibility and business continuityappeal to more than half of respondents.F5 Insight:Business continuity,the top use ca

79、se for public clouds in 2023,remains a key selling point for multicloud deployments.Multicloud Benefits Ease the PainWhy do organizations accept these challenges?Because multicloud architectures offer benefits that outweigh the difficulties.Specifically,more than half of organizations using multiple

80、 clouds choose complexity over higher costs that might prevent them from remaining competitive.Furthermore,almost two-thirds of those who struggle with migrating apps(62%)cite cost flexibility as the benefit that makes those tough migrations worthwhile.Although cost-optimizing cloud usage on a per-w

81、orkload basis can be a challenge,the desire to do so is clear.202024 State of Application Strategy ReportBusiness continuity and disaster recovery are also key motivations for putting up with multicloud management.For many digital businesses,outages could be catastrophic,and when disaster does strik

82、e,recovery needs to be fast.Other organizations want the flexibility to determine the best deployment fit for each app given factors such as performance,reliability,and the locations of users,whether remote workers or global customers.Benefits like these override the simplicity and convenience of a

83、single cloud,and todays containerized apps and workloads make it easier to take advantage of that per-app flexibility.Of course,the enterprise portfolio is not wholly composed of modern apps.Traditional and legacy apps still exist,many of which were“lifted and shifted”into the cloud to capture cloud

84、 benefits.As those benefits are coupled to the ability to operate apps using modern practices like SRE,many organizations never realized the hoped-for benefits.So its no surprise to see repatriation remain a trend this year.Half of this years respondents say theyve repatriated apps or plan to within

85、 the year.In fact,over the past several years,repatriation rates have remained substantial even as the average number of deployment models in use grows.This near contradiction is not a reflection of public cloud flight but simply shifts in which apps are deployed using which models when many are dep

86、loyed into multiple clouds or using multiple models.Since modern apps generally are a better fit for cloud environments,whether on-premises or provider hosted,we expect both private and public cloud use to continue growing as modern apps swell as a percentage of the average portfolio.Multicloud Comp

87、lexity Can Be TamedOne predictoror enablerof cloud repatriation is the use of site reliability engineering(SRE)practices,which include moving toward expected failure to manage incidents more fluently using Service Level Objectives(SLOs).SRE practices can improve reliability and time-to-market for or

88、ganizations making frequent software or feature upgrades.In essence,the practices help ease app and feature deployments.Its logical,then,that organizations using SRE are nearly four times as likely to repatriate apps.They have the skills to manage complex deployments themselves.Even among those who

89、dont repatriate,SRE and multicloud management go hand in hand.Most organizations without multicloud apps have not adopted SRE practices.They probably dont feel its necessary.But of the two-thirds of organizations that deploy application components(such as microservices)into multiple public clouds,ne

90、arly half(48%)have adopted SRE practices.Only 7%of those with scattered microservices for a single app get by without SRE practices.SRE adopters are 4 times more likely to repatriate appsMulticloud networking istrendthe212024 State of Application Strategy ReportWhether SRE is in your organizations f

91、uture or not,theres hope for those struggling with complexity.Multicloud networking can connect apps across deployment environments and enable a distributed cloud architecture.In essence,multicloud networking simplifies and standardizes the way networks operate across environmentswhether public or p

92、rivate cloud,data center,or the edge.A network mesh imposed across them all reduces complexity by employing the same constructs,configurations,and consoles to operate and monitor every app location.Among other things,multicloud networking can increase visibility,reveal outdated or overlooked APIs,en

93、sure more consistent and more dynamic policy deployment,and enable app migration as a service across environments and cloud providers.As a result,hybrid,multicloud deployments become more sustainable.These benefits prompted survey respondentsand especially those struggling to migrate apps between cl

94、oudsto name multicloud networking the years third most exciting trend for the second year in a row.It may be that successful multicloud networking will help organizations transcend complexity to enjoy the many benefits of distributed deployments with fewer challenges.In addition,some form of multicl

95、oud networking will be required for supercloud architectures.This buzz-worthy ideawhich is a cloud architecture that enables hybrid IT to seamlessly operate every layer of the IT stack across cloud environments and providers,on-premises traditional environments,and the edgehas the potential to solve

96、 todays complexity hardships.Those hopes make the current excitement around multicloud networking unsurprising.#3 222024 State of Application Strategy ReportF5 InsightThe need to simplify hybrid,multicloud operations is urgent for organizations aiming to maximize the benefits of distributed deployme

97、nts without paying a price in IT operating costs,security risks,or management headaches.The adoption of SRE practices is one path many digital leaders are taking to enhance their management of complex and dynamic situations.Multicloud networking is a complementary route generating enthusiasm because

98、 it delivers more comprehensive visibility,security,and control.However,connecting environments with multicloud networking will not be enough by itself.The multi-dimensional complexity caused by mixed app portfolios,hybrid IT stacks,different security paradigms,and diverse technologies,solutions,and

99、 vendorsas well as different deployment modelsrequires multi-dimensional solutions.To significantly reduce complexity,an effective distributed cloud approach must go beyond multicloud networking to also secure the apps deployed and optimize the delivery of digital services.After all,its the performa

100、nce of those digital servicestheir speed,global reach,and ability to scalethat drives organizations to multiple clouds and the edge in the first place.Consequently,comprehensive and integrated app security and delivery technologies are a crucial component of the ideal multicloud networking solution.

101、By incorporating app services such as WAF services,API security,DDoS,bot defense,and performance optimization,a multicloud networking solution is more likely to substantially reduce complexity by streamlining the necessary tools,dashboards,and vendors.Only then will the organization be able to easil

102、y manage and protect all its apps and APIs,wherever they reside,to efficiently deliver digital services that create loyal customers.Use of App Delivery and Security Technologies Has ExplodedKey Finding 3app232024 State of Application Strategy ReportIn addition to diversifying app deployment environm

103、ents,rapid digital transformation has also driven massive growth in the use of app delivery and security technologies,from ingress controllers and API gateways to WAFs and content delivery networks(CDNs).Each of the 30 most common technologies enjoys an average deployment rate of 93%a huge increase

104、from 57%four years ago and a significant leap in just the past year.When you consider that in 2016,the number of app support services deployed by the average organization was only 11a figure that has more than doubledits easy to see that attitudes about the necessity of even the less-common technolo

105、gies have shifted enormously.The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated digital transformation201556%202377%202493%201957%242024 State of Application Strategy ReportApp Delivery and Security Technologies Are Booming We asked:If you have any of the following app services deployed today,how important are they

106、to the applications they are supporting?We learned:Even less-common technologies such as QUIC/HTTP3 and mTLS are in use by more than 4 in 5 organizations.F5 Insight:For years now,the roles of these technologies and their unique positioning in the app delivery process have warranted an IT domain and

107、strategy of its own.Clearly,app delivery and security technologies are increasing in strategic importance to businesses in the digital economy.App security and delivery technologies are commonly grouped into the categories of security,identity,performance,availability and mobility.In that context,ap

108、p performance services(such as CDNs and performance monitoring)are deployed least.But no category averages lower than 90%deployment,and no single technology in our survey was deployed by fewer than 85%of respondents.Security Technologies Remain Most VitalWhile identity and access technologies remain

109、 the most frequently deployed as a category,security-related services are the ones Security Technologies Are IndispensableWe asked:Please complete this sentence:“The worst thing I could do is deploy an application without?”Select one.We learned:The imperative of security technologies as a group has

110、more than doubled in the last decade.F5 Insight:The majority of organizations have learned the hard way that if you dont protect an app from attackers,its availability and performance become moot.respondents say they can least dispense with.This has been true since 2016,when the security category ov

111、ertook availability services(such as service discovery)as the top priority.Its not hard to understand why.The threat of breaches that could involve data from millions of users or customers,and the resulting financial and reputational losses,make security services fundamental.Nonetheless,about one-th

112、ird of respondents say theyd deploy an app without a supportive security technology before theyd give up something else.17%Performance40%11%AvailabilityMobility5%5%Identity15%2%2024 201532%65%Security+337%252024 State of Application Strategy ReportWhen app delivery and security technologies are cons

113、idered individually,those most frequently deployed are nearly all in the security category.Its no misalignment,however,that authentication/identity technologytypically grouped in the identity categoryhas the single highest rate of deployment.Authentication is a key to zero trust security as well as

114、other widely adopted protections.The overlap in categories is merely a reminder of how interdependent app delivery and security services can beone reason their average overall use is increasing.Regardless of their category,the majority(66%)of app delivery and security technologies are deployed in th

115、e cloud.Organizations in the public sector,healthcare,and the largest organizations by revenue are somewhat more likely to deploy them on-premises,probably because theyre considering on-premises legacy apps.SaaS delivery and edge hosting are also relatively common.Two-thirds of app services are depl

116、oyed in the cloudSpeaking of SaaS,Security as a Service(SECaaS)use is on the rise.Why?Speed.Organizations choose this deployment model because it both accelerates needed defensive maneuvers and helps them respond faster to actual threats.Without it,the daunting complexity can slow or prevent critica

117、l updates and patches.SECaaS helps resolve that dilemma while keeping teams out of reactive,all-hands-on-deck“war rooms”and focused on proactively improving apps and the customer experience.Speed Is the Number One SECaaS Benefit We asked:What operational challenges does Security as a Service solve f

118、or your organization?Select all that apply.We learned:An inability to move quickly enough amid daunting complexity continues to be the top operational challenge that SECaaS helps solve.F5 Insight:The answers to a related question about what motivates organizations to use SECaaS indicate that visibil

119、ity is becoming as important as speed in ways that make the two considerations converge.If you cant see an emerging threat,the speed of your response hardly mattersyou wont have one until the damage has begun.This hard truth makes threat intelligence mandatory as a prerequisite for speedy mitigation

120、.Takes too long to push patchingand updates through all theaffected systems/softwareLack of tools or process to respond quickly to zero day attacks Immature in-houseexpertise and skillsInability to predictemerging threatsOn-premises vendorresponse is too slow50%50%39%38%35%262024 State of Applicatio

121、n Strategy Report272024 State of Application Strategy ReportF5 InsightThe use of app delivery and security technologies is skyrocketing.The emphasis on security services in particular reveals that organizational focus on protecting apps is likely to influence other investments.As a result,many initi

122、al automation,AI,and other modernizations will probably start with security solutions.App security is already relatively mature,although its evolution will continue to address attacker innovations.By contrast,the challenges of protecting APIs and API endpoints will likely fuel the rise of more revol

123、utionary options for API security.Creative protections will be particularly crucial to protect new AI models and services and AI-driven apps.Given the daunting complexity inherent in the delivery of digital services today,we expect interest in such solutions to explode.Digital Transformation Has Pro

124、gressed Rapidly to AI-Assisted BusinessKey Finding 4282024 State of Application Strategy ReportGiven the complexity created by the explosion of APIs,the rise of hybrid,multicloud deployments,and the need for entire suites of app delivery and security technologies,its no wonder that organizations are

125、 increasingly focused on AI-assisted business.Their interest is a hallmark of the third stage of digital transformation,an iterative journey typically tackled in three phases:1.Task automation,including deployment of apps that streamline manual processes.2.Digital expansion,which includes modernizin

126、g,connecting,and scaling those apps.3.Making decisions based on telemetry from those apps plus AI and machine learning(ML).Most organizations work in more than one phase at a time as automation and modernization reach more deeply into the business.Today,although task automation is still underway,col

127、lective digital transformation has progressed rapidly into its later phases.Organizations working in these latter phases of transformation tend to view digital business as a strategy more than those in early stages,who may see technology as an enabler rather than the core of the business.Either way,

128、the benefits of transformation are clear to 98%of respondents,with efficiency and productivitydoing more with lessway out front.AI Assistance Activity Has Exploded We asked:Please select the project(s)below that are the current focus of your organizations digital transformation.Select all that apply

129、.We learned:The percentage of those working on AI-assisted business is up nearly 40 percent in 2023 (from 54%).F5 Insight:The telemetry necessary for AI assistanceand systems to integrate and manage itare now crucial for most organizations.Task automation:Applications32%Digital expansion:Modernizati

130、on77%AI-assisted business:Data and analytics75%292024 State of Application Strategy ReportTransformation Elevates IT EfficiencyWe asked:What benefits are your organization seeing from your digital transformation efforts?Select all that apply.We learned:Nearly two-thirds of organizations have increas

131、ed IT operational efficiency.F5 Insight:Higher IT operational efficiency can enable other projects that promise broader and more strategic benefits.The most frequently named benefit,increasing the efficiency of IT operations,has held its top spot since 2018.Efficient IT operations are a tactical ste

132、ppingstone to more strategic digital transformation projects that can reach further into the organization and bring other benefits.Similarly,improving the productivity of all employees may sound less enticing than,for instance,a competitive advantagebut in a world of almost universal cost pressure,m

133、ore productive employees can lower costs and create a meaningful pricing advantage.That may be why this benefit,which ranked fourth just last year(as well as in 2018 when we first asked this question),has risen to second place.#2 benefit of digital transformation:more productive employees64%50%47%41

134、%40%38%28%2%IT operational efficiencyEmployee productivityimprovementsBetter alignment of ITwith business outcomesCompetitive advantageBusiness operational efficiencyNew business opportunities orincreased revenue in new marketsResilience to external forces(e.g.,natural disasters,sociopolitical disru

135、ption)We are not seeing any benefits fromour digital transformation efforts302024 State of Application Strategy ReportBusiness Alignment Is Improving for Roughly Half of UsWe asked:Please select the project(s)below that are the current focus of your organizations digital transformation.Select all th

136、at apply.The results were cross-tabulated with the answers to a second question:What benefits is your organization seeing from your digital transformation efforts?Select all that apply.We learned:Organizations are achieving the same top benefits regardless of their phase of digital transformation,an

137、d half cite better alignment between IT and the business.Unfortunately,that alignment doesnt seem to advance with the phase of transformation.F5 Insight:This may be because AI use to date tends to be more tacticalfor instance,securing appsrather than representing strategic,line-of-business deploymen

138、ts such as customized purchase suggestions for customers.More Strategic Benefits Can Still Be Achieved Better alignment between IT and the business is a more strategic benefit that nearly half of respondents say theyre obtaining.However,compared to their efficiency improvements,even the most advance

139、d organizations miss out on ideal alignment.Regardless of where organizations are in the journey,they face similar challenges throughout,including budget constraints,skills gaps,and the complexity generated by modernization itself.In addition to the promise of multicloud networking and superclouds,o

140、rganizations are increasingly looking toward automation,in particular automation supported by AI,to help tame the challenges moving forward.68%54%Task automationDigital expansionAI-assisted businessEmployee productivity improvementsIT operational efficiencyBetter alignment of IT with business outcom

141、es54%67%53%48%52%51%68%312024 State of Application Strategy Report322024 State of Application Strategy ReportF5 InsightIn a world of technological innovation,digital transformation has no fixed destination.No ones ever done.As AI use matures and unforeseen technologies enter the scene,complexity and

142、 hybrid IT will continue as the status quo.The advantage will go to organizations that build a flexible IT stack capable of rapidly supporting new technologies and delivering the capabilities the business needs to reap the benefits of the resulting competitive advantage.With the right foundation in

143、place,those organizations can capitalize on whatever innovations emerge.Unfortunately,attackers are proceeding through digital transformation too,andlured by huge financial incentivesat least as quickly as their targets.Malicious use of AI is already increasing the sophistication of cyberthreats,whi

144、ch organizations face now at global attack rates counted in seconds,not minutes or days.In such a hostile environment,its essential for organizations to transcend operational complexity to effectively protect their digital estates.Only then can they continue their evolutions toward whatever else the

145、 digital future may bring.AI Will Help Solve Complexity by Increasing AutomationKey Finding 5332024 State of Application Strategy ReportAutomation of IT functions is central to the second phase of digital transformation,and automation and orchestration efforts have kept organizations busy in recent

146、years.The domains of highest automation tend to be those viewed as most dynamic or most critical to the business and thus are addressed early in modernization efforts.The ease of standardization in that functional area also plays a role.As a result,the automation of IT functions tends to lag,even th

147、ough they are a significant enabler for the rest of the business.Additionally,despite remarkable progress through digital transformation in recent years,some IT functions remain more automated than others.For instance,app infrastructure has been the most automated.Automation there has been relativel

148、y accessible in part because organizations can readily standardize to one vendor,such as by using a single brand of servers in the app infrastructure.In that way they eliminate complexity that can block automation.More than half of respondents report automating their app infrastructures,up from 37%i

149、n 2019.More than a third of organizations have also made progress automating app and API security.But more have a long way to go.App Delivery Automation LagsWe asked:What IT functions have you automated?Select all that apply.We learned:Thanks to their growing complexity,app deliveryand to a lesser d

150、egree,app securityremain among the least automated IT functions.F5 Insight:App and API security automation increased from 33%to 43%over the past year.Many decision makers probably feel they have no choice but to prioritize it,given the high costs of successful attacks.AppinfrastructureNetworksecurit

151、ySystemsinfrastructureApp andAPI securityNetworkinfrastructureApp deliveryNone ofthe above52%51%49%43%37%25%5%342024 State of Application Strategy ReportComplexity Can Stymie Automation Automation of app delivery continues to represent a big opportunity.According to survey respondents,budget limitat

152、ions are the top barrier.A close second is the complexity fostered by use of different app delivery products and vendors,all using various APIs and tools.This complexity is exacerbated by bespoke configurations and a variety of policies that deliver and optimize the apps,making automation a difficul

153、t and time-consuming chore.Other challenges include a lack of skills.No wonder three-quarters of organizations arent automating their app delivery.46%say budgets prevent automation while 39%blame complexityOf that majority,however,some have probably pursued SaaS solutions to deliver the speed and ef

154、ficacy unavailable with manual configurations and deployments.SaaS is also a valid way to work around missing skillsets,which is the third most common barrier to automation.Of course,operating expenses dedicated to SaaS further limit the organizations ability to invest in automation elsewhere.The Be

155、nefits Make Automation Worthwhile Regardless of their original motivations,those who do find the resources to automate enjoy significant benefits.Three-quarters (74%)say theyve grown more efficient,and two-thirds save money,probably in part due to more efficient operations.Consistency46%Cost savings

156、67%Efficiency74%Automation Benefits352024 State of Application Strategy ReportThe method of automation used matters.More than half(54%)of those leveraging full automation cited consistency as a benefit,compared to only 44%of those who rely on human-driven scripts or toolsets.Similarly,80%of organiza

157、tions with full automation report efficiency gains,while only 72%using scripts or toolsets initiated by humans did.Organizations adopting a fully automated approach were more likely to cite benefits of all kinds.These benefits are no doubt why automation was named a top telemetry use case,along with

158、 root cause analysis,by those using or planning to use operational telemetry.Organizations that want to deploy more automation typically have difficulty obtaining and integrating the data to generate needed insights.Nothing stands in their way more than multiple solutions,tools,and operational silos

159、 that do not share telemetry.Standardization in the data protocols and solutions could help by providing better visibility while mitigating solution sprawl.Top telemetry use cases:automation and root cause analysis(54%each)Amid all these challenges rising from complexity,its probably not a coinciden

160、ce that the second most exciting trend for respondents this year is IT centralization.Interest in restructuring the IT organization is likely a response both to cost pressure and to issues such as tool proliferation and the need for end-to-end visibility.Many teams hope to move away from siloed oper

161、ations based on traditional server,storage,and networking domains.Better aligning skillsets to focus on the businesss digital workflows and cross-discipline system management could help streamline tools and integrate data,yielding greater insights and,ultimately,a better customer experience.Generati

162、ve AI May Put More Benefits in ReachWhen operational complexity keeps automation elusive,generative AI holds out hope.Respondents showed more consensus than usual in naming generative AI as the top trend causing excitement in 2024.#1Generative AI#2IT centralization#3Multicloud networkingTop 2024 Tre

163、nds362024 State of Application Strategy ReportGenerative AI Is Valued for Adaptive SecurityWe asked:What use of generative AI is the most valuable for you with respect to security?Select one.We learned:Policies and configurations that adjust to threats appeal most.F5 Insight:Securitys“next frontier”

164、has evolved.The zero trust model,which first started to generate buzz in 2016 and was one of two most exciting trends in 2023,has taken hold in a majority of organizationswho are now looking toward AI as the next silver bullet for app and data protection.Although operations and business use cases fo

165、r AI are gaining traction,app security is still seen as the priority.The top value decision makers expect to gain from using generative AI for security is the automation of policy deployment and configurationspotentially reducing one of the vectors driving operational complexity.And of course,speedi

166、ng the proper and more consistent application of those policies would contribute to more effective protection,the next most valued use.Insight into vulnerabilities and threats is worthwhile,too,but less important.Attitudes about how generative AI can benefit app delivery are similar,with 44%calling

167、automatic policy adjustment based on service level objectives the most valuable use.Unfortunately,most of the AI assistance available today is not delivering adaptive policy management or greater efficacy.Chatbot“assistants”in app delivery and security solutions can be relatively easy to implement,b

168、ut survey respondents called those use caseswhich explore and analyze data using natural languagethe least valuable.The market clearly wants generative AI systems that can act.Thats why AI operations(AIOps)will continue to grow as a discipline,despite dropping in the ranking of trends from second pl

169、ace in 2021 to number 7 today.Perhaps AIOps are no longer thrilling,but rising use of telemetry for automation will drive their growth.This prediction is supported by survey respondents.Those struggling with automation complexity were more likely than average to value generative AI most for AIOps pu

170、rposes.Automatically adjust securitypolicies and generate securityconfigurations on threats detectedImproving efficacy ofsolutions to detect andneutralize threats efficientlySummarizing threatsand vulnerabilities forexecutives and boardUsing natural languageto explore and analyzesecurity data35%29%1

171、9%17%372024 State of Application Strategy ReportPublic cloud46%Both public cloud and on-premises35%On-premises20%Meanwhile,AI workloads all but ensure the continuation of hybrid,multicloud operations(and the complexity that follows).Nearly half of organizations plan to locate AI engines in the publi

172、c cloud,but significant percentages plan on-premises hosting as well or instead.And apps tend to follow the engines,so the challenges of performance and consistent security across environments will live on.AI assistance will mitigate but not eliminate the difficulties.Besides,as with automation,AI w

173、ill most benefit organizations that can deploy it strategically.AI deployments that prevent security breaches or reduce operational costs are useful but primarily tactical.As business success increasingly relies on digital apps and data,the most strategic uses of AI will be tailored to support speci

174、fic business functions and execute on core business strategies.The benefits can go beyond tactical targets such as cost savings.More strategic use will yield even greater value,such as creating new and better customer experiences or delivering a competitive advantage.In 2024,more than a third of res

175、pondents said they were already realizing strategic benefits like these.We expect others to join them.As organizations mature in their digital transformations,the focus on AI for lines of business will increase.AI Engine Locations382024 State of Application Strategy Report392024 State of Application

176、 Strategy ReportF5 InsightAI is no longer in the future.Its herealthough not everyone has the telemetry they need,and those who do may not be using it to greatest effect.For instance,47%of respondents said they planned to use telemetry not for automation but for operational alerts.Those organization

177、s may be making a mistake.Go ask security teams:Alert fatigue is real.On the other hand,effective automation can prevent the alerts in the first place,overcoming IT complexity and helping apps adapt to threats and changing circumstances in real time.Only real-time responses enabled by automation wil

178、l ultimately deliver the speed and efficacy organizations say they want.Then decision makers can turn their attention to AI assistance that more fundamentally supports strategic business objectives.Since the barriers of budget and complexity will continue,any standardization that can be achieved is

179、useful.To that end,we expect organizations to increasingly turn to integrated product suites or a consolidated team of vendors that can offer more automated,connected,and scalable app delivery and security support across hybrid,multicloud environments.As part of that movement,use of multicloud netwo

180、rking will increase.The benefits will include not only the speed and efficacy of automation but greater visibility,too,to further amplify the virtuous cycle of insights driving automated and intelligent actions.Approaches for Future Success Are EmergingConclusion402024 State of Application Strategy

181、ReportAs organizations adopt AI,which relies heavily on modern apps and infrastructure,both modern apps and APIs will continue to proliferate.Even where AI is not adopted,digital transformation and expectations about digital experiences will reach more deeply into organizations,increasing use of mod

182、ern apps and APIs.Many of those modern apps and any AI engines they rely on are likely to be hosted in one or more public clouds,on-premises,or at the edge.Virtually all of them will need the support of a variety of app delivery and security technologies,management interfaces,and telemetry tools.In

183、other words,delivery of the digital services we all count on today will only grow more complex in the decade to come.Several established and emerging approaches can help organizations meet the resulting challenges.First,standardization(whether of protocols,processes,tools,solutions,or vendors)can re

184、duce the complexity,increase visibility,and streamline management.Second,better connectivityfrom data sharing to microservice(s)and multicloud networking to app-to-app connectivityis obligatory.Integrated app security and delivery technologies have a critical role to play,securing and ensuring perfo

185、rmance across distributed apps and APIs.These technologies can also help standardize and automate policy deployment for greater consistency,security,and control with shorter response and management times.Distributed architectures that include consistent app services for L4 through L7 can also centra

186、lize and ease management by providing a reassuring layer of control and advanced services such as API discovery and runtime protection.By delivering a single(or at least fewer)dashboards,this approach brings focus to an otherwise blurry view across hybrid IT stacks supporting distributed apps and mu

187、ltiple deployment models.The ubiquitous“supercloud”of 2030 cannot happen without some form of multicloud networking that connects both the distributed infrastructures that apps run on and the apps themselves.Third,AI can help automate policy deployment and configuration tasks too complicated to manu

188、ally managebut not without better visibility and integrated telemetry first.Improved telemetry and analytics will be central to converting the massive momentum of digital transformation into ongoing digital evolution.Ultimately,the most mature and successful digital businesses will be those that can

189、 rapidly implement measures to solve their complexity challenges.Then they can shift the power of AI assistance to more strategic line-of-business purposes that more directly enhance the customer experience,allow the business to innovate and scale,and provide access to rewarding new markets and inno

190、vative revenue streams.412024 State of Application Strategy ReportAbout the ReportMore than 700 global respondents representing organizations of all sizes completed the 2024 State of Application Strategy survey,our tenth annual.Approximately one-third of those organizations operate on less than$200

191、million USD in annual revenue,while about one-quarter operate on over$1 billion.As usual in the last decade,the technology industry was best represented,but many others participated.Meanwhile,the percentage of respondents from senior IT roles has increased significantly in recent years to nearly one

192、-third(30%).Other respondents represented a wide variety of operational roles and their respective interests and decision making perspectives.IndustryTechnologyCloud service providerManufacturingFinanceEnergy/utilitiesGovernmentEducationHealthcareTelecommunications%of respondents33%17%9%7%5%4%4%4%3%

193、RoleSenior ITOperationsDeveloperNetworkSecuritySenior Non-ITData science/ML engineerCloudSRE%of respondents15%9%9%6%2%4%4%7%30%422024 State of Application Strategy Report/2024 F5,Inc.All rights reserved.F5,and the F5 logo are trademarks of F5,Inc.in the U.S.and in certain other countries.Other F5 tr

194、ademarks are identified at .Any other products,services,or company names referenced herein may be trademarks of their respective owners with no endorsement or affiliation,expressed or implied,claimed by F5,Inc.DC 04.24|RPRT-GTM-1291674909ABOUT F5 F5 is a multicloud application services and security

195、company committed to bringing a better digital world to life.F5 partners with the worlds largest,most advanced organizations to secure every app and APIon premises,in the cloud,or at the edge.F5 enables organizations to continuously stay ahead of threats while providing exceptional,secure digital experiences for their customers.For more information,go to .(NASDAQ:FFIV).