Andre Kindness

Principal Analyst Serving Infrastructure & Operations Professionals

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Andre serves IT Infrastructure & Operations Professionals. He is a leading expert on enterprise network operations and architecture. His research focuses on networking technology and strategy--such as software define networking and network function virtualization--for private cloud, remote locations, and hybrid cloud. In particular, he is a leading visionary in defining the network architecture and technology needed inside retail stores, hospitals, manufacturing sites, and hospitality venues. The focus of each is engaging the people involved, especially customers. He helps Forrester clients develop and improve their strategy to ensure they create a network platform for the digital business since the network connection can be a customer's first touch point to the business.

Previous Work Experience

Andre's career spans 20 years in marketing, business, and technology leadership roles. Andre worked for 10 years with networking professionals inside business and value added resellers at HP's networking division and Cisco Systems, researching and defining which features, products, and solutions were needed to solve complex business challenges. Prior to the network industry, he developed an expertise in systems engineering, designing complex rocket propulsion systems for GenCorp Aerojet, a leader in space missile and propulsion industry. His perspective on the importance of customer orientation, standardized process and procedures, continuous improvement, agile tactics, resiliency, and rapid innovation were honed during his years designing new aircraft features and models at an aircraft company.

Education

Andre graduated from the University of California, Davis, in 1994 and has Bachelor of Science degrees in mechanical engineering, material science and engineering, and aeronautical science and engineering. Additionally, he has a pending CISSP certificate from (ISC)² and has received certificates from UC Davis in network administration and management and also routing and switching technologies.

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Andre Kindness

Principal Analyst Serving Infrastructure & Operations Professionals

Read Andre's blog posts

Previous Work Experience

Education

Research Coverage

Andre Kindness's Research

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For Infrastructure & Operations Professionals

REPORT: The Forrester New Wave™: Wireless Solutions, Q3 2019

The Eight Solutions That Matter Most And How They Stack Up

August 15, 2019Andre Kindness

In Forrester's evaluation of the emerging market for wireless solutions, we identified the eight most significant in the category — Aerohive, Aruba, Cambium Networks, Cisco Aironet, Cisco Meraki, Extreme Networks, Huawei, and Juniper Networks — and evaluated them. This report details our findings about how well each solution scored against 10 criteria and where they stand in relation to each other. Infrastructure and operations (I&O) professionals can use this review to select the right partner for their broader wireless needs that go beyond just wireless LAN (WLAN).
For Infrastructure & Operations Professionals

REPORT: Nine Toxic Networking Vendor Selection Philosophies

It's Time To Retire The Axiom "No One Gets Fired For Buying [X]"

August 9, 2019Andre Kindness

Many enterprise networking teams still struggle to shift away from their incumbent network infrastructure, even if it's the right decision for the company. This report addresses nine common myths that organizations use to rationalize their choices and criteria. It explains why each statement is invalid as a justification for choosing a networking vendor and how infrastructure and operations (I&O) professionals can change their thinking and their language to make the right choices for their customers and their unique businesses. This is an update of a previously published report; Forrester reviews and revises it periodically for continued relevance and accuracy.
For Infrastructure & Operations Professionals

REPORT: Don't Let The One-Percenters Drive Your Network Architecture

Five Use Cases That Hamper Networking Automation Adoption

August 9, 2019Andre Kindness

Networking pros are getting sucked in by a warped set of requirements that do little to address some of the immediate data center needs they're facing. Vendors cite flashy use cases like hyperscale data centers, microsegmentation, and even virtual machine (VM) movement, but Forrester has found that, in practice, these are driving overengineered networks — and worse, they're superseding more important investments. This report highlights some of the challenges this has caused and the areas that infrastructure and operations (I&O) professionals should focus on to meet their digital transformation goals.
For Infrastructure & Operations Professionals

REPORT: Decode The New Networking Alphabet Soup

Use Forrester's Networking Dictionary To Navigate Emerging Technologies

June 6, 2019Andre Kindness

Networking terms like software-defined networking (SDN), network function virtualization (NFV), virtual network function (VNF), and service chaining have become a common vernacular among networking vendors that want to help organizations support a virtualized, mobile, and cloud world. These terms are popular in articles and with conference speakers, but many surveys, articles, and reports indicate that infrastructure and operations (I&O) professionals are confused about what these terms mean and how they're related. In this report, we define the terms and their relationships. This is an update to a previously published report; Forrester reviews and revises it periodically for continued relevance and accuracy.
For Infrastructure & Operations Professionals

REPORT: Cut Through The Hype To Assess Your Need For 5G-Enabled IoT Use Cases

How To Gauge The Readiness Of 5G And Its Impact On Your IoT Network Strategy

May 16, 2019 Michele Pelino, Andre Kindness

The hype around 5G is at fever pitch, with network operators and device and equipment manufacturers making near-daily announcements regarding new deployment initiatives or highlighting potential 5G benefits for vertical industries. 5G networks promise to let enterprises deploy internet of things (IoT)-enabled use cases requiring high bandwidth, ultra-low latency, and differentiated service characteristics — but infrastructure and operations (I&O) stakeholders must cut through the hype and understand that 5G networks won't be available on a wide scale for many years. This is an update to a previously published report; Forrester reviews and revises it periodically for continued relevance and accuracy.

For CIO Professionals

REPORT: The Top Emerging Technologies To Watch 2018

July 11, 2018 Brian Hopkins, Christian Austin, Andre Kindness, James Staten, Brandon Purcell, Nate Fleming, Frank E. Gillett, Jeffrey S. Hammond, Martha Bennett, J. P. Gownder

To outpace the competition, CIOs must keep a constant finger on the pulse of technology change. Forrester has identified 12 emerging technologies with massive disruptive potential; their impact will be seen across a range of products, services, and solutions. This report helps CIOs zero in on the technologies most worthy of their focus, strategic planning, and investment.
For Infrastructure & Operations Professionals

REPORT: Predictions 2018: Cloud Computing Accelerates Enterprise Transformation Everywhere

New Private Cloud Options And Even More Public Cloud And SaaS Innovations Will Power Enterprise Transformation In 2018

November 7, 2017 Dave Bartoletti, Lauren E. Nelson, Liz Herbert, Paul Miller, Charlie Dai, Andras Cser, Andre Kindness

After a decade of powering digital transformation in small and medium-size businesses, cloud computing has quickly become a must-have enterprise technology. Cloud's impact has been global, yet fewer than half of all enterprises use a public cloud platform. In 2018, we'll cross the significant 50% adoption milestone, and cloud applications, platforms, and services will continue to radically change the way enterprises compete for customers. This report outlines the 10 key factors that will shape the cloud computing landscape in 2018 and advises infrastructure and operations (I&O) leaders on how to respond.
For Infrastructure & Operations Professionals

REPORT: Strategic Benchmarks 2013: IT Infrastructure

IT Complexity And Growing Business Demands Orient Infrastructure Priorities Toward Increasing Hardware And Cost Efficiency

May 8, 2013Sophia I. Vargas, Richard Fichera, Dave Bartoletti, Henry Baltazar, Andre Kindness, Rachel A. Dines

This report provides IT infrastructure and operations (I&O) professionals with strategic benchmarks to compare their IT infrastructure budgets, priorities, motivations, and technology adoption to their peers. The benchmarks in this report focus on key categories of IT infrastructure: servers, server operating systems, storage, data center networking, virtualization, and data center facilities. These benchmarks represent a subset of data collected in Forrester's Forrsights Hardware Survey, Q3 2012, fielded to 2,330 hardware decision-makers. Use these benchmarks as an important input to determine if you will maintain, adjust, or rethink your strategic infrastructure plans in 2013.
For Infrastructure & Operations Professionals

REPORT: Cut Through The Hype To Assess Your Need For 5G-Enabled IoT Use Cases

How To Gauge The Readiness Of 5G And Its Impact On Your IoT Network Strategy

May 16, 2019 Michele Pelino, Andre Kindness

The hype around 5G is at fever pitch, with network operators and device and equipment manufacturers making near-daily announcements regarding new deployment initiatives or highlighting potential 5G benefits for vertical industries. 5G networks promise to let enterprises deploy internet of things (IoT)-enabled use cases requiring high bandwidth, ultra-low latency, and differentiated service characteristics — but infrastructure and operations (I&O) stakeholders must cut through the hype and understand that 5G networks won't be available on a wide scale for many years. This is an update to a previously published report; Forrester reviews and revises it periodically for continued relevance and accuracy.
For Infrastructure & Operations Professionals

REPORT: Five Tenets Define Virtual Network Infrastructure, A Bold New Business Network

A Digital Business Network Built With NFV, Fabrics, Service Chaining, SDN, Programmability, And Multitenant Tenets

October 20, 2016Andre Kindness

In 2009, Forrester developed a new business technology network framework called virtual network infrastructure (VNI). Technology has advanced enough to support it, but a confusing array of names and acronyms, including software-defined networking (SDN), network functions virtualization (NFV), and service chaining, has emerged. Infrastructure and operations (I&O) professionals must understand why VNI is a core technology strategy to help win, serve, and retain customers. This report explains the vision and key concepts of the model and connects industry buzzwords with five fundamental tenets to fit the VNI vision. This is an update of a previously published report; Forrester reviews and updates it periodically for continued relevance and accuracy.