Daily Intelligence Brief: Optical Transport Growth and Cybersecurity Certification Updates - August 22, 2025

Dell'Oro Group reported a 14 percent year-over-year growth in the Optical Transport equipment market for the second quarter of 2025. This increase is primarily attributed to the rising demand for disaggregated Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) and Data Center Interconnect (DCI) solutions.

Jimmy Yu, Vice President of Dell'Oro Group, commented, “Following six quarters of soft sales in optical transport, it was great to see this market recover and post a strong double-digit growth rate.” Enhanced demand for disaggregated WDM contributed significantly as cloud and communication service providers preferred a more flexible, vendor-neutral environment.

The report indicated that Optical Transport market revenues grew, highlighting optical transport systems and ZR/ZR+ optical plugs. Disaggregated WDM experienced nearly 35 percent growth year-over-year, with cloud providers increasing WDM system spending by 60 percent.

In the realm of cybersecurity, ISC2 amended its advanced certifications—ISSAP, ISSEP, and ISSMP—introducing updates that enhance exam outlines alongside AI-powered adaptive training. This change aligns certification content with the evolving industry landscape.

Casey Marks, COO of ISC2, stated that the updates reflect a commitment to maintaining relevance in certification programs. The AI-driven training is designed to offer personalized content tailored to individual progress, aiming to enhance access with price reductions of up to 66% for members.

Gartner's recent report reviewed the transition of automation from simple task elimination towards achieving broader business outcomes. It highlighted the necessity for integrated workflows to enhance operational efficiency across organizations.

The 2025 Gartner Market Guide emphasized that relying solely on task-based automation does not yield enough scale. Orchestration alongside automation is presented as a method to increase value across business operations and improve implementation, reliability, and risk management.

Organizations facing fragmentation issues are challenged by the use of multiple automation tools without a cohesive platform, leading to inconsistent results. Effective implementation of automated strategies aligned with corporate objectives can significantly improve change cycles and compliance, allowing IT personnel to focus on more strategic tasks.

In summary, both the optical transport market and advancements in cybersecurity certifications reflect shifts towards more integrated and flexible solutions influenced by market demands. The ongoing evolution of automation emphasizes the requirement for organizations to adapt workflows and align technology with operational goals.

1. Dell'Oro Group Reports 14% Growth in Optical Transport Market in 2Q 2025
   Dell'Oro Group reported a 14% growth in Optical Transport market in 2Q 2025, largely due to disaggregated WDM demand.
2. ISC2 Updates Advanced Certifications ISSAP, ISSEP, ISSMP
   ISC2 introduced updates to its advanced cybersecurity certifications ISSAP, ISSEP, and ISSMP, enhancing exam outlines and training.
3. Dell’Oro Group Reports 14 Percent Growth in Optical Transport Market for Q2 2025
   Cloud provider purchases of WDM systems surged 60 percent year-over-year, contributing to market growth, Dell’Oro Group states.
4. Gartner Report: Evolving Automation for Business Value
   Automation now focuses on delivering business outcomes beyond just eliminating repetitive tasks, emphasizing the need for comprehensive workflows.
5. Dell'Oro Group reports 14% growth in Optical Transport market in 2Q 2025
   Cloud providers increased spending on WDM systems by 60%, contributing to the 14% growth in Optical Transport market.
6. ISC2 updates advanced cybersecurity certifications ISSAP, ISSEP, and ISSMP
   AI-powered training is now part of ISC2's advanced cybersecurity program, designed to support personalized learning for candidates.
7. Dell’Oro Group Reports 14 Percent Growth in Optical Transport Market for Q2 2025
   Cloud provider purchases of WDM systems surged 60 percent year-over-year, contributing to market growth, Dell’Oro Group states.
8. Gartner report outlines evolving automation strategies for businesses
   Automation has progressed from task elimination to delivering business outcomes, highlighting the importance of integrated workflows.
9. Dell'Oro Group Radio Access Network (RAN) report shows growth outside China
   Dell'Oro Group reports growth in RAN revenues outside China for a third consecutive quarter, with shifts in market dynamics.