Aviz Itential Netskope and NSS Labs report updates - November 2025

Overview of Recent Activity

During the reporting period vendors published technical guides, product releases, interoperability initiatives, and comparative test results that affected Artificial Intelligence (AI) networking, observability, automation, and firewall procurement. Itential documented Model Context Protocol (MCP) server deployment and Microsoft Copilot integration, Aviz expanded SONiC support and observability features, Netskope extended Copilot visibility and outlined 2026 security forecasts, and NSS Labs released enterprise firewall test findings.

Key Themes and Developments

Technology Releases & Product Enhancements

Itential published a step-by-step MCP server guide and introduced FlowAI to pair agentic reasoning with governed workflow execution. Netskope added Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB) Application Programming Interface (API) support for Microsoft 365 Copilot to enable monitoring and Data Loss Prevention (DLP) enforcement on Copilot interactions.Aviz released FTAS v3.4 for IPv6, dual‑stack Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) convergence, and EVPN‑VXLAN validation, updated OPBNOS to parse GTP extension headers for 5G, and detailed OPB User Defined Filtering for Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) and packet brokering.

Partnerships & Ecosystem Engagement

Itential partnered with Carahsoft to make its automation platform available through government contracts and reseller channels. Aviz announced a partnership with UfiSpace to integrate SONiC and Generative AI (GenAI) capabilities into a vendor‑neutral offering.Netskope partnered with FIS to deliver a managed Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) solution for financial institutions, combining Netskope One capabilities with FIS managed services for deployment and operations.

Infrastructure, Platform, or Deployment Updates

Aviz validated SONiC deployments in large data center environments and described ONES orchestration aligned with NVIDIA Spectrum‑X for Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) fabrics, while a telecom deployment of Aviz observability reported reduced hardware footprint and lower Operational Expenditure (OpEx).Itential documented MCP server authentication options and Copilot auto‑discovery behavior, showing separation of Copilot reasoning from execution handled by the MCP server for Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) and audit logging.

Additional Updates from Other Organizations

NSS Labs published a 2025 enterprise firewall report showing varied evasion resistance and encrypted throughput across seven vendors; several vendors issued software updates and scheduled retesting after the findings.Netskope Threat Labs published 2026 forecasts covering AI governance, an anticipated autonomous AI‑caused breach risk, post‑quantum cryptography adoption planning, and rising regulatory and data sovereignty pressures.

Full Update Index

A full update index is available in the provided article set and supports the summaries above.

1. Itential outlines MCP setup for Microsoft Copilot
   Itential details deploying its MCP server and integrating it with Microsoft Copilot AI Studio for tool discovery and workflow automation.
2. Itential introduces FlowAI for hybrid infrastructure orchestration
   Itential introduced FlowAI at AutoCon 4, pairing agentic reasoning with governed deterministic workflows for infrastructure ops.
3. Aviz Networks details SONiC integration with IP Clos and BGP for data center network optimization
   Data centers use IP Clos and BGP with SONiC and Aviz tools to enhance routing, maintenance, and SLA-backed reconvergence.
4. Aviz Networks outlines AI integration and infrastructure shifts for 2025
   Infrastructure changes in 2025 focus on compute, bandwidth, and AI integration affecting enterprise networks.
5. Aviz outlines limitations of incumbent network observability solutions and proposes software-first alternative
   Network observability tools remain hardware-dependent and lack AI integration, limiting scalability and interoperability.
6. NSS Labs reports uneven evasion resistance in firewall tests
   NSS Labs' 2025 enterprise firewall report found variable evasion resistance and differing throughput among seven vendors.
7. Aviz Networks details orchestration software complementing NVIDIA Spectrum-X Ethernet for AI fabrics
   Aviz ONES integrates with NVIDIA Spectrum-X Ethernet to provide AI GPU network orchestration, observability, and lifecycle automation for enterprises.
8. Netskope details security trends and risks expected in 2026
   Netskope experts predict key 2026 security challenges including AI regulation, quantum cryptography adoption, data sovereignty, and evolving breach accountability.
9. Itential partners with Carahsoft to provide network automation to the Public Sector
   Itential and Carahsoft have partnered to provide network automation and orchestration solutions to the Public Sector through government contracts.
10. Netskope details AI impact on enterprise security and threats for 2026
    Netskope Threat Labs forecasts AI to reshape security practices and threats in 2026 with privacy-focused deployments and new vulnerabilities.
11. Netskope outlines managed SASE solution for financial institutions with FIS partnership
    Netskope and FIS offer a managed SASE solution to secure financial institutions amid cloud and hybrid work shifts.
12. Aviz Open Packet Broker details Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) with User Defined Filtering
    Aviz OPB uses User Defined Filtering for DPI to offer enterprises detailed traffic control and monitoring capabilities.
13. Aviz Networks details FTAS v3.4 enhancements for IPv6 and network resilience
    FTAS v3.4 extends IPv6, BGP, and EVPN-VXLAN validation to support large-scale routing and real-world failure scenarios.
14. Aviz Networks details observability challenges and introduces network interop event
    Aviz Networks highlights challenges with legacy network observability and promotes a vendor-neutral interop event for modular, AI-ready solutions.
15. Aviz Networks expands AI networking software with new funding
    Aviz Networks developed vendor-neutral AI networking solutions for data centers and edge networks, completing funding to expand efforts.
16. Aviz Networks details GTP extension header support in OPBNOS for 5G networks
    Aviz Networks OPBNOS adds support for GTP extension headers to enhance 5G traffic monitoring and Quality of Service (QoS) enforcement.
17. Aviz Networks analyzes Gartner's shift to SONiC in 2023 enterprise networking hype cycle
    Gartner replaces open networking with SONiC in 2023 hype cycle, noting increased adoption and shortened maturity timeline.
18. Aviz Networks details AI-driven open networking platform with SONiC integration
    Aviz Networks introduces a vendor-neutral AI-driven platform integrating SONiC for scalable, open networking in enterprise environments.
19. Netskope details CASB API support for Microsoft 365 Copilot
    Netskope added CASB API support for Microsoft 365 Copilot to enhance visibility and enforce DLP and threat policies.
20. Aviz Networks outlines partnership with UfiSpace for SONiC and GenAI network solutions
    Aviz Networks partners with UfiSpace to integrate SONiC open networking and GenAI into vendor-neutral network solutions.