Five Steps to Prepare for Network Convergence

Imagine an organisation trying to build a bridge across a vast and ever-flowing river. On one side, there is cloud innovation; fast, scalable, and dynamic. On the other, there is security, which is cautious, vigilant, and often slow to adapt. Bridging that gap has never been easy. But today, many businesses are discovering a powerful tool to span the divide: network convergence.

By combining cloud and security functionalities into a single, unified infrastructure, network convergence has emerged as a leading framework. This is especially true as hybrid, multi-cloud environments become the new standard. As organisations juggle multiple cloud providers, on-premises systems, and private infrastructures, traditional siloed approaches are no longer sufficient. The result is application sprawl, security blind spots, and operational inefficiencies.

To evolve into dynamic, agile, application-centric organisations, businesses must bring their security and cloud services together. This transformation does not come without its challenges. The biggest roadblock is often the resources and coordination required to balance user experience and security. Yet, network convergence should be seen as an opportunity. When approached strategically, it simplifies complexity and increases operational efficiency across the entire infrastructure.

The good news is that it does not have to be overwhelming. Below are five practical steps to guide you through the process of successful network convergence.

Step 1: Conduct a Full Risk Assessment

Before building anything new, you must understand the current landscape. However, manually tracking down every workload and application within your environment is virtually impossible in this day and age. Security teams need tools to automatically identify applications and their associated network traffic patterns to be able to capture potential security risks and to confidently deploy the correct defences. Think of a risk assessment as your blueprint. It helps you uncover hidden cracks in your setup before they become problems.

Bringing multiple networks onto a single infrastructure can introduce disruptions to both security and performance. That is why it is essential to identify potential vulnerabilities early. A missed risk today could lead to costly downtime tomorrow.

Start by clearly defining the scope of your convergence initiative. What assets are already in place? What data do they contain? Once you have a complete inventory, you can assign risk levels, identify weaknesses, and outline mitigation strategies. Remember that risk assessments are not a one-time task. They should be updated regularly as your network and business evolve.

Once your risks are identified, the next step is making sure your teams are moving in the same direction.

Step 2: Align KPIs and Goals

A study commissioned by AlgoSec and conducted by ESG found that better cross-team collaboration was one of the top priorities for IT professionals. When previously disconnected teams begin working toward the same objectives, network convergence becomes clearer and more effective.

Fragmentation of tools is a common issue for many organisations and the shift to convergence requires a change in mindset for security teams too. Traditionally, network security has been a mixture of disparate tools and duplication of tasks across cybersecurity, cloud and application teams. 

For example, these teams are likely independently performing the same security-related tasks, such as managing access controls, monitoring network traffic and enforcing security polices but using their own set of tools and processes. 

Adopting a more holistic, app-centric approach, facilitated by platformisation, moves away from siloed, policy-focused security and frees up teams to focus on what’s important; achieving business objectives. Consolidating security functions across the network also leads to greater efficiency and visibility, but more importantly enables everyone to work towards a common goal.

Once your teams are aligned on what they are trying to achieve, the next step is making sure they have the skills to do it.

Step 3: Ensure Teams are Well Trained

Having aligned goals is only part of the equation. Your teams also need the skills and knowledge to support a converged network securely and effectively.

Begin by creating a central knowledge hub where staff can access learning resources, troubleshoot issues, and stay informed about best practices. Initial training is important, but long-term success depends on a culture of continuous learning. Technical capabilities should be refreshed regularly, and cross-functional skills should be actively developed.

A well-trained team is not only more efficient, but also more resilient. With the right knowledge in place, you reduce the risk of errors and misconfigurations while ensuring that your convergence efforts are sustainable. Next, it is time to look at how security fits into your broader development processes.

Step 4: Embed Security into Application Development

Network convergence is about more than unifying infrastructure. It also involves rethinking how teams collaborate, especially when it comes to development and security.

Traditionally, security has been added at the end of the development lifecycle. In a converged environment, that approach no longer works. Security must be integrated from the very beginning of the process.

This is where DevSecOps comes in. DevSecOps is a framework that embeds security into every stage of development. It brings developers, security teams, and cloud engineers into the same conversation. The result is faster, safer software delivery and fewer roadblocks between teams.

After security becomes an embedded part of your workflow, your focus should shift to maintaining and improving your systems over time.

Step 5: Ensure Regular Audits

With the groundwork in place, regular audits are critical to maintaining momentum and ensuring long-term success.

Audits are more than a compliance exercise. They help ensure that your converged network continues to perform as intended, adapts to changing business needs, and stays ahead of emerging threats. As your infrastructure evolves, new vulnerabilities can appear. Audits provide the visibility needed to address them before they are exploited.

While compliance may meet external requirements, regular audits are essential for internal resilience and ongoing operational excellence.

The Takeaway: Simplicity on the Other Side of Complexity

The idea of network convergence can feel complex at first. However, there is reason for optimism. In fact, 63% of organisations expect to see improved operational efficiency from convergence efforts, according to the earlier mentioned study. This shows that the benefits are real and achievable.

Success begins with preparation. By following these five steps, you can turn a potentially difficult transition into a competitive advantage. With the right planning, training, and collaboration, your network can become a unified, secure, and agile foundation for growth. One that supports the next generation of business innovation.