Network-as-a-service is the future of corporate and enterprise networking

• It also offers agility and monthly subscriptions allowing businesses to align their costs with actual usage. 
• It can tightly integrate networking services and security services such as firewalls to ensure maximum security.

For the past few years, we have been operating and living through what we believed were uncertain times. 

As we gear ourselves to transition into the new normal, the continuous upheavals, disruptions, and global transformations such as digitisation, and evolving business models have changed our collective calculus of uncertainty. 

We have found comfort in short-term decisions and wish away long-term plans and complexity. 

When it comes to individuals and businesses, one of the models we have turned to is the pay-per-use or subscription model. Whether it is for OTT platforms or IT and digital services, this model has given us access to every possible service in the world. 

During the last few years, technology companies have been mobilising Opex-first models rather than Capex-heavy technology offerings, as they look to target small and medium businesses (SMBs). 

NaaS has been central to this transformation. NaaS brings with its networks, operations, and business architecture structured with more agility, open-based standards and affordability. 

NaaS, predominantly available on a pay-per-use model, delivers virtualisation of various network and infrastructure components for several business functions. 

It has been instrumental in changing and defining the way organisations deploy and manage their networking solutions. 

According to research by MarketsAndMarkets Analysis, the Network-as-a-Service Market size is expected to grow from $10.4 billion in 2021 to $37.5 billion by 2026, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 29.4 per cent. 

This is a testament to the benefits it delivers upon its implementation, particularly in a corporate environment. 

No matter whatever size organisation you run, NaaS offers scalable solutions to support businesses across sectors owing to its various benefits. 

Lower cost of connectivity 

NaaS reduces a multitude of IT and networking costs associated with infrastructure, hardware, software and operations. It also offers agility and monthly subscriptions allowing businesses to align their costs with actual usage. 

Customers no longer have to pay for surplus capacity that might have gone unused and can add capacity as demand increases. This supports organisations of all sizes, allowing for a more predictable and transparent budget. 

Performance optimisation

With optimisation being a common cause of concern for organisations looking to transform their practices digitally, NaaS ensures that your network operates efficiently by determining the amount of traffic it is capable of supporting. 

The traffic can be adjusted from time to time to ensure maximum optimisation. It also automates multiple processes such as device onboarding and offers orchestration and optimisation for maximum performance. 

Improved security 

India witnessed over 18 million cyber-attacks and threats, with an average of nearly 200,000 threats every day, in the first three months of 2022, according to US-based cyber security firm, Norton. 

As these attacks are a concern for businesses of every size, NaaS helps protect sensitive data by implementing the best practices for IT and network security. 

It makes it possible to tightly integrate networking services and security services such as firewalls to ensure maximum security. 

Exceptional circumstances such as the pandemic result in a mountain of change across individuals and organisations. 

Embracing this fundamental reframing known as the new normal where we can foresee technology as the backbone of the world, we must implement these technological changes across our organisations. 

With innovative business models such as NaaS, we can envisage our organisations and corporates benefiting substantially from its advantages. 

• Rajat Arora is the Chief Operating Officer at network solutions provider Spectra.

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