Seemingly every day, there is a new tech acronym to learn. But we promise, this one is a keeper. In fact, after AI, it may be the most business-improving technology your company adopts. It lowers your costs, simplifies operations, and becomes the new default for IT operations. What is this acronym? It’s NaaS, short for network-as-a-service.
NaaS is the next generation of company networking and it’s an absolute game-changer for IT.
In case you’re wondering, NaaS isn’t future tech. It’s here and in use today, giving many companies (perhaps your competitors) a strategic and financial advantage.
Understanding NaaS (Network as a Service) or IT Infrastructure as a Service
Your company already has an IT network. You can likely see the Ethernet cables and know how to connect to the wireless network. What you may not know is that much more is happening behind the scenes.
In a room or closet, there are racks of hard drives, servers, routers, switches, and other essential network devices that keep the system running — or bring it down. It takes many devices to make a network work. Many expensive, highly technical machines. But that’s not all. There are also layers of network software and extensions that handle traffic, load balancing, security, and other network functions. Plus, the IT staff that maintains, upgrades, and repairs it. All that creates a high cost to the company. A cost that NaaS significantly reduces while improving uptime and performance.
How does NaaS achieve that? By replacing what you have on site and evolving the way IT networks are managed.
NaaS Explained
Network as a service delivers everything your traditional on-site network delivers, including connectivity, security, traffic management, monitoring, and optimization. Nothing changes regarding what it can perform.
What is unique is how NaaS achieves all of those objectives. Instead of relying on capital-intensive, time-consuming on-site resources, NaaS uses a subscription-based cloud service to meet your networking needs.
NaaS Benefits for Business
- Centralized Cloud-Based Control
- Software Defined Networking (SDN/SD-WAN)
- On-Demand Provisioning
- Built-in Security
Centralized IT Services are Superior to Traditional Office Networks for Multi-Facility Businesses
Maintaining a business network in a single location is challenging. Having multiple business locations multiplies your network’s complexity. NaaS alleviates that complexity.
For starters, NaaS provides centralized management across all locations. That means a single control plane for all facilities and network operations. Businesses also benefit from consistent policies and configurations. No more stragglers, outliers, and legacy systems to contend with for IT teams. That consistency and central management also result in faster responses and repairs for network performance issues. Essentially, NaaS eliminates fragmented IT operations. Everyone is on e the same page, using the same standards.
While those are the most obvious reasons to adopt NaaS, there are others that are equally compelling.
Rapid Site Deployment and Scaling
- Bringing new sites online in days
- Bandwidth scales instantly when demand peaks
- Temporary or pop-up locations are simple to support
Lower Capital Expenditures with Predictable Costs
- Costs move from CapEx to OpEx
- All network hardware refreshes are handled by the NaaS provider
- All network software refreshes are handled by the NaaS provider
- Greatly increased IT budget predictability
Built-in Redundancy and Performance Optimization
- Automatic network failover
- Prioritization of critical applications/processes (POS, ERP, IoT)
- Improved network speed and uptime across regions
Uniform Security Standards
- Consistent firewall and access rules
- Encrypted connections between sites
- Centralized monitoring and threat response
Reduced IT Burden
- No need to manually configure each site
- No more supporting diverse hardware
- Automated responses to routine network issues.
Who Offers NaaS and How to Choose a Partner?
No network solution is without risks. Just like hardware, the biggest risk of going NaaS is the vendor you choose. This is referred to as vendor lock-in. The NaaS partner you choose dictates many aspects of your network beyond the hardware and software. It can also mandate network control and architecture. Moreover, due to the depth of integration, switching from one NaaS provider to another can be disruptive and costly.
Just as you do when selecting network hardware partners, be certain to think through the decision. Create a matrix of needs, concerns, and questions specific to your IT needs. Then use that as the filter to identify the best possible partner. If that sounds beyond your current IT knowledge and capabilities, consider working with an experienced IT infrastructure partner familiar with NaaS options. A company like Matrix-NDI is an excellent resource for businesses looking to deploy NaaS across multiple facilities in a city, state, region, country, or worldwide. Their preferred NaaS partner is Nile.
Reasons to Choose Nile for NaaS:
- Fully managed wired and wireless networks
- AI-Driven automation with self-tuning and self-healing
- Zero-trust security
- Service level guarantees
- Lower total cost of ownership
- Strong customer testimonials
- Named a “strong performer” by Gartner
Ready to Future-Proof Your IT with Subscription-Based Networking?
Streamlining the IT network across multiple facilities or locations is foundational to future-proofing your business operations. Identifying and deploying the best NaaS solution requires working with an expert. Matrix-NDI solves the challenges of your business operations by unlocking the full ROI of your technology investments. We design and install networks built for maximum speed and perfectly matched to bandwidth demands.
Why Work With Matrix-NDI?
With on-staff Registered Communications Distribution Designers (RCDDs), coast-to-coast service coverage, and partnerships with leading data networking providers—including Extreme Networks, Nile, and others—Matrix-NDI delivers the expertise and reach to support your technology goals. We invite you to connect with us to see how our expertise, partnerships, and national reach can help solve your challenges.
Contact Matrix-NDI to get started. Let’s build smarter, safer, more connected spaces — together.
