Extreme’s year in a nutshell – looking back at the top 10 moments of 2023

Staying true to the concept of Infinite Enterprise, Extreme extends the use of zero trust network access to both on-premises and remote users, with no distinction made as to the user’s location. With ExtremeCloud IQ Universal ZTNA, network administrators have gained access to the industry’s first offering that integrates network, application, and device (including IoT) access security within a single solution for frictionless user experience and consistent security policies. Stronger security posture, less complexity and hassle. What more can you ask for?

You don't need a time machine to see how we will shop, work, live, and move around after 2030. The city of the future can be seen, touched, and experienced today, at the Living Tomorrow Innovation Campus – Extreme’s new strategic partner in showcasing how networks will help change the world! Here, in one of Europe’s leading innovation hubs, our cutting edge solutions including Wi-Fi 6E access points and the ExtremeCloud IQ management platform are powering new and innovative use cases that are likely to become a common sight in the not-so-distant future.

Speaking of Extreme’s industry-leading cloud solutions… In 2023, Fast Company, the world’s leading business media brand focused on innovation, named ExtremeCloud IQ one of the "The 6 Next Big Things in Enterprise Technology" for its innovative approach to network management. The magazine recognized the technology for “adding a virtual twist to network management” and said ExtremeCloud IQ “applies machine-learning technology to the essential task of monitoring an organization’s network for performance, security and overall health”.

Extreme was recognized twice by Gartner as a leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant and a Gartner Peer Insights Customers’ Choice. For the fifth consecutive year, Gartner recognized Extreme for its Enterprise Wired and Wireless Local Access Network (LAN) Infrastructure. Gartner also recognized Extreme for the sixth consecutive year for the Peer Insights Customers’ Choice for the same solution. Extreme received a 4.7 out of 5 rating among global customers across industries like healthcare, education government and manufacturing.

In the face of volatile energy, technological, and political events that are transpiring around the world, environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) is one of the top considerations for investors today. Our dedication to building a sustainable future through innovation has been recognized by Investor’s Business Daily – a trusted financial media brand and renowned fintech innovator, who named Extreme one of the Top 100 ESG Companies in 2023, as one of the two networking vendors on the list. The publication recognized companies that “combine high Dow Jones sustainability scores with superior IBD technical and fundamental stock ratings. They are standouts for ESG investing.”

Last year, Extreme Fabric technology was used to provide seamless and secure connectivity for more than 180,000 attendees and 6,000 exhibitors of GITEX Global 2023 – the world’s largest technology trade show. For that purpose, our industry-leading Extreme Fabric Connect solution enabled the deployment of 3,300 individual, securely segmented networks spanning the entire Dubai World Trade Center over 5 busy days. Considering the magnitude of the event, GITEX Global 2023 also provided a great opportunity to showcase the capabilities of ExtremeLocation Essentials – our advanced location analytics tool seamlessly integrated into ExtremeCloud IQ.

Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants, was the first professional sports venue to be Wi-Fi 6E-ready, thanks to 900 of Extreme’s Wi-Fi 6E-enabled access points. The partnership with Comcast Business will optimize the fan experience by enabling devices to upload and download data from the Internet faster and with lower latency. This means that fans will have a faster mobile ticket entry and concession experience, and in the future, the partnership will be able to accommodate innovations like AR/VR experiences and biometrics-based park entry.

Staying true to the traditional Olympic motto “Faster, Higher, Stronger”, Extreme continued to pursue new records. The result? The Daytona International Speedway now has the largest outdoor Wi-Fi 6E deployment in the United States, after deploying the new network at five NASCAR racetracks and creating an optimized experience for 125,000 fans. A 4-kilometer racetrack requires almost 2,100 access points, making it one of the largest U.S. venues with outdoor Wi-Fi. The Wi-Fi 6E connectivity now also provides the bandwidth to ensure fans can stream content anywhere, anytime.

Last season, Manchester United’s home, the historic Old Trafford, received an upgrade with in-stadium Wi-Fi 6E. The stadium now has Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi Analytics, which optimize the fan experience and provide valuable insights for operators. The upgrade also improves security and ticketing. Not to mention uniting tradition with modernity, as fans get to watch their favorite historic team with modern-day conveniences!

With nearly 2,800 stores and annual sales of more than USD 132.5 billion, Kroger today ranks as one of the largest retailers in the world. The company chose Extreme Networks to provide the foundation for the backbone of its “store of the future”, with 110,000 access points managed in the cloud by ExtremeCloud IQ. This strategic partnership will not only help Kroger streamline many time-consuming operations, but also provide its customers and staff with meaningful, engaging in-store experiences and new use cases, i.e. “scan-as-you-go” inventory location and temperature-sensing applications.

These are just a few of the most memorable moments from 2023. But we're not resting on our laurels – we promise there’s definitely a lot in store for this year, too. Stay connected throughout 2024 and keep up to speed with everything new in the ever-exciting world of Extreme!