In Part 2 of our post-CIO Summit discussion in Houston, we discuss the business outcomes organizations can achieve by implementing Cloud Networking technologies. In Part 1, we highlighted the key differentiators when evaluating an SD-WAN solution.
Defining business outcomes for cloud networking
After a lively discussion at our Houston CIO Summit late last year, it was time for our team to hit the road and meet with clients to talk about the business outcomes they can achieve with cloud networking technologies such as managed SD-WAN and Unified Communications solutions. After all, isn’t the job of IT to align technology with the organization’s business goals, and enable employees to maximize performance, create efficiencies, and better serve their customers?
For the CIOs in these meetings, we wanted to help them dissect these future-forward cloud networking technologies in an unbiased way and weigh the positive impacts for their investment in energy and time.
Recap: The benefits of SD-WAN
As we talked through the benefits of SD-WAN, like better quality of service, traffic management at the packet level, centralized monitoring, and greater security, we needed to boil it down more to get at what makes SD-WAN an excellent choice for business.
At its core, SD-WAN provides quicker access to, and better performance from, the cloud apps and tools branch and remote-site employees use every day to collaborate with colleagues and stay ahead of customers. That’s an advantage we’re all seeking.
Learn more: The advantages of SD-WAN for enterprises
Adding network flexibility with NaaS
It’s been interesting hearing from CIO Summit attendees and clients alike about how they’ve already put a hybrid, multi-cloud strategy into practice for compute and storage functions, to ensure uptime, add flexibility, and rein in data center costs. But with the ever-increasing demands placed on networks for cloud application access, IT professionals realize companies need more diverse cloud networking connectivity to keep up.
Disparate network environments create challenges for IT organizations
Most traditional networking environments have been built over time. These networking environments are usually comprised of multi-vendor equipment offering little visibility to performance and management functions beyond the device level.
Troubleshooting these traditional networks can be a nightmare. One has to track down issues from multiple devices at each location. In-house knowledge is also required to comprehend how these different products work together. Often several vendors have to be involved to address an outage, taking an inordinate amount of time and resources to narrow down the issue. Moreover, when adding new networking equipment to a site or bringing a new location online, the upfront costs can strain budgets.
This is why so many companies are turning to NaaS.
Business case for NaaS
For IT departments already stretched by demands of managing aging networks at multiple sites, the benefits of NaaS are clear:
- Central, secure, global cloud management. With CBTS NaaS in place, your IT team can log in to a single dashboard to monitor, troubleshoot, make changes, and run reports for every location.
- Next generation firewall. Providing packet inspection, intrusion prevention, anti-malware protection, and content filtering to block access to specific web and social networking sites, all continually updated with each firmware release.
- Zero touch provisioning. Allowing easy installation of new network devices automatically from a specific configuration file, with minimal manual intervention required.
- Streamlined troubleshooting. Eliminating the hassle of involving multiple vendors when addressing issues at individual business locations.
- 24/7 support team. Co-managing the network means your IT staff can make changes and troubleshoot issues or reach out directly to the CBTS support team for guidance or to resolve any networking problems.
By implementing CBTS NaaS, organizations benefit from enterprise-grade networking technology with minimal upfront capital expense. Proactive updates ensure maximum uptime and security, and continuous monitoring and support mean your IT staff can focus on the initiatives that drive growth, create efficiencies, and better serve hard-earned customers.
Learn more: A nationwide food service retailer leveraged CBTS NaaS to add new franchise locations to their network
UCaaS: Final piece to the cloud networking puzzle
No cloud networking discussion would be complete without talking about an organization’s communications stack. It’s the final piece of cloud networking that can bring numerous advantages to our clients looking to migrate from on-premise to a custom, on-demand communications as a utility service.
Like other cloud technologies, UCaaS:
- Allows organizations to flex with business conditions
- Scales quickly and easily
- Brings cost-effectiveness while freeing IT from managing complex onsite infrastructure
But how does UCaaS make an impact on an organization’s success?
Read more: CBTS UCaaS saves the State of Ohio $6.8M
UCaaS benefits include single dashboard for easy management
For many CBTS clients, UCaaS is the final piece in their digital transformation strategy, designed to improve collaboration, productivity, and customer engagement.
Cloud-based unified communications bring employees together by combining VOIP with chat, audio and web conferencing, room-based video, mobile integration, social media, and other functions under a single system. Clients reap the benefits of better response times and connectivity, with features like:
- Simultaneous ring
- Voicemail to email
- Video conference presence
- Call center functionality when call queuing is needed
And like our other cloud managed services, UCaaS uses a single dashboard to manage all sites and users, with 24/7 support when you need it.
Learn more: How to begin your journey to UCaaS
Combine SD-WAN, NaaS, and UCaaS technologies for powerful cloud networking foundation
When combined with the added bandwidth, network stability and security, and site-to-site connectivity of SD-WAN and NaaS, UCaaS is the final piece of the cloud networking puzzle used to transform companies and set the foundation for innovation and growth.
A big thanks to all of our friends and colleagues who attended our Houston CIO Summit and met with us afterward. Hope you found the conversations meaningful, and as always, feel free to reach out to us with any of your cloud networking questions.
Learn more about how CBTS is driving real business outcomes with SD-WAN, NaaS, and UCaaS.