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What is NaaS, and what can this solution do for my enterprise?

Organizations ready to take advantage of the cloud are often held back by a needlessly complex legacy networks. Costly downtime and overworked IT staff are unfortunate side effects of on-premises enterprise systems, leading to lags and outages in day-to-day operations.

Network as a Service (NaaS) from OnX Canada is utilized across industries to streamline even the most complex networking needs. With this solution, clients can modernize their networks via a fully managed, scalable service that offloads maintenance and security to an expert team.

Clients may ask: What is NaaS, and how can it benefit my enterprise? This OnX technology provides businesses with an easy-to-use means of supporting, maintaining, expanding, and securing modern commercial networks. The solution also bolsters networks in a highly competitive IT environment through cloud integration, security, switching, Wi-Fi, management, monitoring, and software-defined wide area networks (SD-WAN).

Single- and multi-site operations that harness the power of NaaS benefit from:

  • 24x7x365 management and support.
  • Instant service upgrades over multiple connection types.
  • Connections to single or multiple locations.

This blog will illuminate the technology’s advances, along with how it can be integrated into your business.

An ideal solution no matter the vertical or business size

Before asking “What is NaaS?”, enterprise management teams must first understand the limitations of their current network systems. Traditional networks are not equipped for today’s mobile and distributed workforce needing reliable, full-spectrum communications no matter their location.

OnX Network as a Service delivers managed networking capabilities as both a complete service and a simple transport method. When combining SD-WAN and a hosted unified communications platform, the solution can address a host of Wi-Fi and firewall obstacles. The tech is easily scalable for small and midsize businesses (SMBs) requiring network expansion across multiple locations.

Diagram of MPLS Architecture-Disparate network and security hardware at each location
Next to a Diagram of NAAS Architecture - Cloud-based network environment with a Cisco Meraki hardware stack at every location.

Also read: Combining SD-WAN & NaaS to safeguard collaboration technology now and in the future

The service is designed to simplify the everyday processes for clients, regardless of vertical. Once deployed, OnX NaaS can replace hardware-focused VPNs, load balancers, firewall appliances, and multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) connections. What’s more, the solution regulates guest Wi-Fi usage and provides unified threat management (UTM) protection.

OnX Network as a Service also delivers a robust monitoring environment with continuous system auditing, patching, and improvements. And an OnX partnership with software vendor ServiceNow allows for automated monitoring and proactive maintenance of network databases.

For our municipal clients, OnX managed network services enhance critical municipal data infrastructure functions like emergency services and utility management, among others. By moving to a managed cloud environment, city leaders shift costs from a CapEx (capital expenditure) to OpEx (operational expenditure) model. The results are lower upfront costs for network rollouts and a renewed focus on improving public services.

OnX Network as a Service drives significant business outcomes:

  • A municipality connected all local and shared services locations and reduced its network cost by over $12,000/year.
  • Offloading network management across 67 locations to OnX NaaS allowed Restaurant Management, Inc. (DBA Arby’s) to integrate two point-of-sale systems, add scalability, boost store efficiency, and focus more on customer initiatives.
  • Ongoing rollout and management of Cisco Meraki cloud integration, Wi-Fi, and SD-WAN with Cisco Unified Communications at a food retailer’s 5,000+ locations deliver increased bandwidth, guaranteed voice and app QoS, and considerable cost savings.

What is NaaS? A future-forward solution for your organization

Through OnX Network as a Service, enterprise networks can rapidly shift to new locations and automatically provision site-to-site VPNs for authorized users. Entities can also use the service for easy access to organizational servers. With the help of partners Cisco and VMware, OnX has established its solution for more than 600 clients at 5,000 locations.

Is your enterprise ready for a future-ready network architecture? Read more in the CIO’s definitive guide to cloud managed solutions.

Advantages include:

  • No-touch deployment and management strengthened by a team of certified OnX engineers.
  • A centralized, mobile-enhanced cloud dashboard with real-time data and network analytics.
  • Rapid search for users through any device–PC, mobile, tablet, and more.
  • Low-cost security and performance compared to MPLS.
  • Addition of new network locations without expensive MPLS expansion costs.

Read more: The Benefits of OnX Network as a Service

What are some disadvantages of the service?

  • Public cloud usage carries an inherent risk of vulnerability.
  • Downtime is another potential hazard of managed network solutions.
  • Dependency on managed services, also known as “vendor lock-in.”

Implementing Cisco Meraki can improve your network

OnX Network as a Service is enhanced by Cisco Meraki, enabling seamless expansion, maintenance, and security of your managed network. A Meraki-powered solution deployed and managed by OnX can support geographic expansion and increase revenue, even while saving on operational costs. Packages fold in hardware, licensing, configuration, and implementation into one monthly expense and can be scaled as needed.

With OnX NaaS in place, clients can access Meraki’s single-pane-of-glass dashboard enabling the management of all devices across locations and networks.

Download the whitepaper: SD-WAN and NaaS – Tackling common network challenges

Conclusion: A streamlined network service built for your needs

“What is NaaS, and what can it do for my enterprise?” This question is answered by the solution’s unparalleled scalability, flexibility, and ease of use. By employing the latest innovations available and anticipating customer needs, OnX delivers managed solutions for organizations of every size.  

What is the benefit of adopting OnX NaaS? Contact OnX today for all the details about how our Network as a Service positions organizations like yours for success.