What to Expect from Network as a Service (NaaS) Technology

Like other cloud services, NaaS is managed by the service provider and delivered for a fixed fee. Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) technology provides network hardware, software, and operations/maintenance services as an operating expense, rather than a traditional upfront fee. Like other cloud services, NaaS is managed by the service provider and delivered for a fixed fee. NaaS replaces VPNs, MLPS connections, traditional network configurations and several types of on-premises hardware, such as load balancing and firewall devices, according to Jacob Martin, a software engineer at Spacelift, an IT infrastructure automation company. It has had a significant impact on enterprise network architecture. Essentially, NaaS is a network subscription service." Enterprise customers often think of NaaS as similar to other cloud-based services, but in reality, NaaS is much less standardized than SaaS and decisions about how to use it are much more complex," explains Nick Nagy, principal consultant at ISG, a global technology research and consulting firm. The increased complexity is largely driven by the demand for on-premises devices." Enterprises must decide how to adopt various elements of NaaS to meet their business objectives, and this often boils down to an OpEx vs. CapEx decision that is subject to taxation." Multiple Benefits For organizations that find the subscription approach to enterprise networks attractive, NaaS offers a turnkey solution that typically includes equipment, software, orchestration and management, has a fixed recurring fee, and provides services tailored to meet the specific business requirements of the adopter." This allows enterprise customers to smooth out the financial and operational swells associated with ongoing technology updates," Nagy said. Robert Blumofe, executive vice president and chief technology officer of Akamai Technologies, a content distribution network, network security and cloud services company, said that for the vast majority of enterprises, no other model really makes sense." He asks, "How many enterprises really have the expertise needed to build and operate their own networks?Blumofe adds that for many enterprises, NaaS is by far the better choice." The scope of traditional private network services is shrinking, while the scope of new access-based models is expanding. Blumofe observes that enterprises have traditionally used private networks to interconnect their offices and data centers. Looking back, he says, "this type of private network really only makes sense on the back end because it's a way to connect private and public clouds." For this use case, NaaS is really a great solution." Blumofe points out that office buildings, on the other hand, should be treated as private cafes, with high quality Wi-Fi connecting customers directly to the Internet." After all, what's the difference between working at home, on the road or in the office?" he asks. Workers, no matter where they are, need access to their necessary applications." This new form of [technology] is essentially an overlay network that provides zero-trust access to applications as a service." The flexibility and scalability of NaaS is unparalleled, Martin says. It's tailored to your needs because the changes are made in software, not hardware, and the customization is on-demand," he explains. The potential pitfalls of NaaS The drawbacks of NaaS include a lack of vendor flexibility in terms of portability and long-term commitment." Nagy warns, "In addition, there may be legacy system issues, such as software or hardware that is not compatible with the solution. Martin agrees, noting that most NaaS compatibility issues are infrastructure-related, such as old hardware or on-premises applications still in use." Coincidentally, in many enterprises, some of the underlying processes or applications are running on-premise in the data center rather than in the cloud," he said." So, migrating to a NaaS model can be a bit challenging, although there are definitely services that can make it easier." Because NaaS connections are typically established using "best-effort" public broadband, the service can only be used where broadband Internet connections are available, cautions Ajay Pandya, director of product management at Masergy, a cloud networking platform provider." Performance may be limited by the speed of the last mile of connection," he said. For some potential adopters, the potential loss of control is a problem." When outsourcing their network services, some customers have concerns about the responsiveness of the service and their ability to control network resources," Pandya said. In response, a co-managed NaaS solution has arrived that allows customers to share the work of managing their networks, bandwidth and firewall policies. Nagy added that some large multinational enterprises may find NaaS unsuitable due to tax and accounting issues. Future Outlook Because NAAS can be easily accessed from anywhere on any device, it is expected to become an essential tool in remote/hybrid work models in the coming years." As long as you have Internet access and login credentials, you can work from anywhere," notes Martin." Providers offer both network and security services, which further enhances the integration between the network and network security." Nagy says the best way to get started with NaaS is to determine the scope of the service portfolio and business goals." Then determine the preferred financial model, which is CAPEX versus OPEX." Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)