The more complex a network becomes, the harder it is to keep it secure. Think of security risks as a byproduct of increased network complexity.
Unfortunately, modern business growth is producing ever more complex networks. As organizations choose hybrid cloud environments, scale operations, and load up on new applications and tools, their networks become more sprawling and intricate. While this complexity often supports innovation, the flipside is that it also creates new vulnerabilities.
Security risks multiply alongside the layers of infrastructure, devices, applications, and compliance requirements. And in many cases, this leaves organizations more exposed to potential breaches, compliance missteps, and regulatory scrutiny.
You can see the problem. But what if we looked at this challenge through a different lens? Beyond being a purely technical challenge, network complexity has profound implications for an organization’s agility, ability to innovate, and long-term competitiveness. Left unchecked, it works like a hidden tax on businesses. In this way, addressing network complexity is critical not just for improving your organization’s security posture, but also for unlocking its full potential.
SVP for International Business at FireMon.
Defining network complexity
Before we go any further, let’s briefly define what we actually mean by network complexity.
Network complexity refers to the dynamic, expansive nature of modern networks. As explained above, for fast-growing and larger businesses, these networks often incorporate hybrid cloud environments, huge numbers of applications and devices, and all too often a patchwork of security tools and processes to meet an ever-growing number of compliance and regulatory needs.
Efficient and effective network management, therefore, aims to simplify and automate policies, improve visibility over the network, and ultimately reduce the risks inherent in managing these ecosystems.
Innovation impact
Complex network systems often create bottlenecks in deployment, testing, and integration. Take, for instance, the difficulty of maintaining up-to-date firewall policies and configurations in rapidly changing environments. Forget firewalls, this can feel like constant firefighting—diverting resources and attention away from long-term, strategic projects to deal with immediate, in-your-face problems.
Ultimately, overburdened security teams focused on maintaining network integrity may lack the bandwidth to support innovative initiatives like DevOps or R&D. In this way, complexity doesn’t just slow operations, it also stifles agility. If this happens over and over again, and at a large enough scale, this can ultimately lead to missed opportunities for competitive advantage.
An overly complex network setup can also delay product launches—a concept that may, on the surface, seem like a stretch. But added layers of complexity within a network can complicate deployment processes and introduce risks that slow progress.
Whether it’s down to limited visibility, overly complicated workflows, or delays in security sign-offs, product launches can be postponed for additional testing and risk mitigation. A lack of confidence in the stability of a network or its ability to handle the introduction of new applications can trigger delays.
And of course, these delays don’t just impact the bottom line. They also erode agility, leaving organization’s vulnerable to competitors who may capitalize on the opportunity to seize market share. A delayed launch doesn’t just mean losing time—it means giving up momentum, blunting your competitive edge.
Operational inefficiencies
Complex systems are inherently resource-intensive. They require constant monitoring, frequent updates, and endless fixes—leading to inefficiencies in both time and cost.
The reliance on manual management to address scalability demands is often unsustainable.
This inefficiency shows up in longer incident response times, slower recovery from outages, and wasted resources. Instead of achieving a streamlined, secure infrastructure with total visibility and control, businesses find themselves stuck in a never-ending cycle of reactive management.
How does this play out in reality? Let’s take British Airways, for example. The airline’s repeated IT issues over recent years highlight how an intricate and outdated network infrastructure can lead to operational delays and disruptions. In 2017, an unplugged power source at their data center led to a catastrophic failure, grounding flights from Heathrow and Gatwick and affecting 75,000 passengers. This was followed by a check-in system failure in August 2019, a system outage at Heathrow Terminal 5 in March 2022, and another widespread technical issue causing delays in November 2024.
The company has since launched a £7 billion, three-year IT transformation plan, aimed at moving critical systems to a cloud-based platform, rebuilding the airline’s website and app, and overhauling its infrastructure. While this initiative is designed to future-proof operations, it also highlights the scale of disruption and resources required to address long-term network complexity.
So, British Airways is addressing its operational efficiencies. But what about those businesses who don’t make huge investments in modernizing and improving their infrastructures? Operational efficiency continues to slump. And worst of all, gaps are created by limited visibility and control. These blind spots can quite quickly morph into vulnerabilities, and potentially breaches, with the potential for severe reputational damage.
Reputational risks beyond breaches
Business leaders know all too well that any successful breach brings with it the added scrutiny of regulatory bodies.
Just take for example Equifax Ltd, who were fined over £11M by the Financial Conduct Authority for failing to manage and monitor the security of UK consumer data, outsourced to its US parent company. This breach shows just how bad the damage can be when there’s inadequate oversight in complex, international data networks.
Even without a breach, downtime and compliance violations can erode customer trust and brand value.
A hidden tax on business
We can think of network complexity a bit like a hidden tax on modern business, draining resources, stifling growth, eroding trust—and even delaying product launches and holding back innovation.
By removing unnecessary barriers and streamlining processes, businesses can achieve better visibility, control, and understanding of their networks. This requires harmonizing workflows across business units, ensuring that everyone understands how data travels both within and outside the organization, and upholding compliance requirements.
Recognizing these hidden costs, and understanding how to cut them, is central to solving the challenge of network complexity—not just to improve security, but to unlock your organization’s full potential.
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