Freeing the possibility of designing a flexible, modern network

The atmosphere around commercial risk appetite has shifted considerably, with an increasing number of businesses happy to share information on public networks. For many businesses, the rise of public cloud and the new expectations it has brought with it brings new challenges. Focused on keeping pace with change, businesses are trying to adapt and evolve alongside technology while also maintaining their network with the help of a trusted connectivity provider.

It is clear that IT teams cannot operate within processes that are limited. While a lot of inflexibility revolves around proprietary technology, it is also important to consider the claustrophobic impact of contract lengths, fixed costs and anything that exists between.

Brokering bandwidth

In the face of network interruptions, inconsistent bandwidth or even complete outages, it is revealed just how much is at stake. From financial loss to reputational damage, data loss or a decline in customer satisfaction, businesses are needing more advanced networking concepts. One such as Secure Access Service Edge (SASE), provides a flexible base to streamline operations and boost the resilience of networks. But it’s also important to look at the levels of flexibility offered by your connectivity provider.

To begin with, choose a bandwidth that is appropriate for your requirements right now. If you’re faced with a provider attempting to over provision, in the form of encouraging you on to take on bigger volumes and more connections up front, ask yourself: would this align with what our business needs? Such encouragement from a provider comes with the justification that it will cost you more to change or scale up later, cleverly convincing businesses that they need more megabytes.

The best scenario is for any scaling to coincide with an increase in your needs and within the appropriate time frame, rather than investing a chunk of budget into something that you may not need any time soon. Seek providers who can be nimble in their approach and collaborate with you to form the most appropriate network strategy for your business, offering you the opportunity to pay as you grow.

Preparing for what will be expected today and tomorrow

Not all networks are created equal. While you’ll want to select a provider with proven experience, keep aware of long contracts and legacy technology. A downside of going with a larger, more established provider is that they might still have legacy infrastructure which they haven’t managed to move away from. A specific technology may be the ideal choice for your current network needs, but think about the longer term – will it keep up with increasing network complexity and a growing infrastructure?

Finally, be cautious of service credits. While they seem logical and fair, more often than not they are poorly negotiated and can be difficult to manage. I highlighted earlier the reputational, financial and negative impact network outages can have on businesses. Prior to signing on the dotted line, consider whether the service credits offered are proportionate

to the loss of value to your business if things do go down. Ask yourself, is the service being offered focused on fixing something when it goes wrong, or making sure it doesn’t go wrong in the first place? Establish clear metrics that will be used to measure performance and cost, service level agreements and management responsibilities.

Prioritise your company's needs

There's no denying that cost is a major consideration when selecting the right connectivity provider and network technology. Pricing can widely vary depending on factors such as speed, capacity, and the type of connection. Think about how your business defines value. Is it about being able to take a cloud-like approach? Can you scale with requirements? Does the contract offer flexible terms and co-terming, so you can combine existing and new services with the dates of the original contract?

There’s no such thing as a ‘one size fits all’ connectivity solution; businesses bring their own unique set of requirements. It is for this reason that it’s a good idea to look for a provider who can deliver a variety of technologies and services. The right provider will take a holistic look at your IT, financial and operational requirements and suggest the right technology to meet your specific needs, rather than your perceived need. Having flexibility in your network infrastructure is more than just the ability to keep pace with change, it’s also about having the commercial agility required to adapt to new opportunities and meet expectations as they arise.