The networking world is shifting, as software-defined networking, mobility and cloud technologies are forcing everyone to step up their game. Staying on top of the latest technologies and trends can be key for solution providers to stay ahead of the curve. Here, we look at 10 technologies that are changing the face of networking. From cloud-based UC appliances to network switches for SDN, check out CRN's networking Tech 10.

In an effort to help 4G LTE mobile carriers keep closer tabs on their networks, Ixia launched its Anue GTP Session Controller, which helps carriers piece together data coming from multiple cell towers and drill down to gain visibility into an individual subscriber"s activity on each mobile device that user owns. The built-in monitoring tools have the ability to distribute more than 25 million subscriber sessions to probes in a 32-port configuration.

The new GigaStor 2U appliance provides realtime, core-toedge views of network traffic, helping network administrators optimize network performance and troubleshoot any issues. Network Instruments touts GigaStore 2U as "CSI for the network," storing packet information so IT staff can quickly perform "forensic" analysis on traffic flow.

Networking semiconductor maker LSI teamed up with ARM on a new line of processors aimed at accelerating the performance and increasing the efficiency of 4G, or LTE, wireless networks. The new Axxia 5500 family blends LSI's networking prowess with ARM's expertise in low-power chips, arming service providers with a way to optimize multiradio base stations or 4G-capable wireless networks, without sacrificing efficiency.

Brocade said its its HyperEdge architecture for campus networks simplifies the management and optimizes the performance of enterprise networks being burdened by mobile devices, virtual desktop infrastructures, and the increased use of video applications. The idea behind HyperEdge is that it gives IT administrators a single pane of glass from which they can manage both wired and wireless campus networks.

Avaya bolstered its Collaborative Cloud strategy with the launch of new UC-, contact center- and video-as-a-service solutions. Avaya's three new cloud-based offerings are based on its Aura communications architecture and seriously bulk up the company's Collaborative Cloud portfolio of hosted services.

Alcatel-Lucent's SDN arm, Nuage, made a splash in the burgeoning SDN space when it unveiled its Virtualized Services Platform, a software overlay for data center networks. The value of VSP, Nuage said, is that it helps automate and accelerate the connection of virtual machines to data center networks after those machines are instantiated. Nuage said VSP works by essentially creating “tunnels” between virtual machines—whether they are on the same server rack, a different rack or even in a different data center—so the network can be available instantly, regardless of where an application is running. Availability is planned for mid-2013.

While convenient for on-the-go workers, videoconferencing can do a number on a network's resources. To combat this, Cisco launched software that allows networks to dynamically adjust resources such as audio ports and bandwidth so videoconferences can run as smoothly as possible and is embedding it within its TelePresence Server and TelePresence Conductor management platform.

In an effort to push the adoption of SDN and OpenFlow, Big Switch in March launched Switch Light, an open-sourced thin switching platform. Slated for availability during the second half of the year, Switch Light software can be positioned as both a virtual switch for server hypervisors or in a silicon-based “white-box” switching platform.

Riverbed continued to blur the lines between network and application performance management with Opnet AppInternals Xpert 8.5, a suite of tools for monitoring and optimizing the performance of enterprise applications. The suite is meant to break down the barriers between application developers and application support teams, providing both groups “coordinated visibility” into the applications running on their networks.

Adding more color around the ambitious SDN strategy it outlined earlier this year, Juniper in March rolled out an SDN-focused programmable switch for data center and enterprise networks. The EX9200 comes in a fourslot, eight-slot or 14-slot chassis and is based on the Juniper One programmable ASIC, which allows the switch to easily accommodate new networking protocols without requiring customers to rip out and replace their existing networking gear.