What is Network as a Service (NaaS)?

NaaS Overview

Potential clients have been asking for more information on Network as a Service (NaaS) and what we have on offer.

The NaaS model allows your business to offload the day-to-day burden of running the network. You can instead re-focus on your business, whilst safe in the knowledge that your networking infrastructure is in experienced hands.

As your network provider, Securus becomes responsible for your overall network connectivity when using Network as a Service. So you can enjoy savings in time, cost, overall simplification and increased performance.

Benefits of NaaS

Components of NaaS

Now we have defined what is ‘Network as a Service’, we can delve into it’s six main components described below. Some (or all) can be either partially or fully integrated into a tailor-made solution to suit your precise technology requirements.

1. Wide Area Network Services

There are a variety of high speed WAN technologies available and a choice of core network connectivity options:

• xDSL
• FTTC
• FTTP
• EFM
• G.Fast
• Fibre
• 4G/5G
• Satellite & Microwave

Connecting your sites to a private MPLS core network that also offers additional ‘On-Net’ services. Voice, secure Internet breakout and cloud services are all part of this design.

A hybrid design utilising SD-WAN can also be incorporated to reduce exposure to a single managed Core platform by using secure connectivity via the Public Internet to further increase diversity, redundancy and performance.

It is important to ensure your provider has a reliable Core Network. For example, Securus has a 10GB carrier grade core MPLS network that runs over 7 UK Data Centres. We integrate with the majority of the UK’s top Tier One carriers.

2. Local Area Network Services

It’s no longer a case of simply plugging in a few switches and off you go. There are ever increasing demands on your LAN environment from low latency requirements for live streaming video and voice, high capacity bandwidth for bulk downloads. The protection of traffic classes using both CoS and QoS plus report generation and upgrade planning all become part of the day-to-day.

Offloading these LAN related tasks to the Network as a Service model will free up time for your technical staff to focus on the future technology requirements needed to grow your business rather than being distracted by the present.

3. Wireless as a Service (WaaS)

Cloud-managed Wireless as a Services (WaaS) can integrated seamlessly into your PaaS model to allow your provider to design and support your wireless platform. Secure corporate wireless, Guest wireless, BYOD can all be part of your wireless solution.

We can perform all required tasks associated with your wireless solution such as provision new AP’s, add new users, troubleshoot issues, upgrade firmware, generate reports and perform real-time analysis of security alerts and rogue AP issues.

A subscription model for your Wireless as a Services (WaaS) is normally recommended within the NaaS model as it provides your business with a consistent monthly cost. Up-front costs are removed as management servers and controllers are already part of the cloud and wireless AP’s are provided for each site on a license basis over an agreed fixed term.

As your company grows, new wireless AP’s for future remote sites can be pre-configured and brought online without an on site engineer being required.

4. Enhanced Mobile Services

The current evolution to 5G allows for far greater data transfer rates and reliability than previous mobile services. Incorporating these technologies into your overall network roadmap is more important than ever.

Mobile services are excellent choices to provide additional connectivity for sites, remote workers, telecommuters, IoT devices plus additional bandwidth for aggregation.

5. Voice as a Service (VaaS)

Our Voice as a Service (VaaS) solution can integrate nicely into your overall NaaS model and allows your business to use a cloud based hosted solution where the VoIP equipment, servers and services are hosted by us and we take care of the admin and technical support aspects.

The only equipment needed in your offices are physical VoIP phones or you can use VoIP software (SIP client) on local computers/laptops. We find most users still prefer a physical phone on their desk!

Hosted VoIP is the way to go for almost all business as it reduces the strain on local IT Services, removes unnecessary cost of local equipment and expertise.

6. Security as a Service (SaaS)

Imagine a company with 10 sites that all access the Public Internet directly. That’s 10 lost of firewalls, firewall rule bases, security policies, security patch and upgrades to perform. Now imagine that company grows to 100 sites. You get the idea I am sure.

Our Security as a Service (SaaS) integrates seamlessly with your NaaS model and allows each site that connects to our MPLS Core to share a resilient On-Net hosted firewall cluster for Internet access.

Suddenly there is only a single security rule base to manage, a centralised security policy is in place, security patches and upgrades are all handled by us as part of the services so yet another task removed from your to-do list.

Conclusion

With a professional provider utilising an efficient design you will find that the Network as a Service model can reduce your technology spend and increase productivity by releasing staff from their day-to-day networking tasks.

Whether you want to connect offices, data centres or disaster recovery sites together, Amber-Networks can design, build and migrate you to a distributed and resilient NaaS platform with a choice of full MPLS or Hybrid designs and incorporate SD-WAN, SaaS, VaaS and WaaS.

Using a 10GB carrier grade core MPLS network that runs over 7 UK Data Centres and integrates the majority of the UK’s top Tier One carriers means we can offer unprecedented reliability and stability at a fraction of the cost of the large public cloud providers.

Please get in touch to discuss your network-as-a-service NAAS requirements in more detail. We offer a completely free consultation with one of our technology experts to fully go over your precise needs.

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