V. PERSPECTIVES

In 2025–2026, the IT networking landscape is undergoing profound and simultaneous changes, driven by the convergence of several technological revolutions: artificial intelligence, quantum computing, 5G/6G, edge computing and the widespread adoption of the cloud. These developments are not independent of one another — they reinforce each other and together are reshaping the architecture, management and security of networks. Understanding these trends is essential for any network professional, who will have to deal with them in the years to come.

This section analyses each of these major trends in depth, explaining not only what they are, but also why they are emerging, what problems they solve, and what practical implications they have for network design and operation.