Technology solutions that are up for anything

More than any other event in recent history, COVID-19 has reshaped how companies conduct business — and how they think about business continuity. Even companies that were able to quickly pivot to remote operating models are taking a hard look at their plans. They’re ensuring they can carry on business as usual even in the most unusual of circumstances, which persist as U.S. cases of the coronavirus move toward a third peak.

In this unpredictable world, businesses need a strong business continuity strategy underpinned by technology solutions with the flexibility to support the unexpected. In that regard, we’ve had more and more Spectrum Enterprise clients express interest in cloud and software-defined wide-area networking (SD-WAN) because they provide the flexibility to quickly adapt to new ways of doing business. I recently discussed these solutions in a webinar with Roopa Honnachari, Industry Director, Business Communication Services and Cloud Services for the Frost & Sullivan ICT Practice. Here are some takeaways from our conversation.

Cloud

During our discussion, Roopa noted that cloud is the number one reason companies are re-evaluating their WAN strategies. I agreed that cloud adoption is accelerating and will continue to be a top priority post-COVID. This is largely because the scalable, on-demand nature of cloud resources allows companies to absorb the impact of unforeseen events. Spectrum Enterprise clients that were cloud-ready were better prepared to support remote work when the pandemic hit because they could continue to support their core businesses without having to overhaul their infrastructure.

Recently, I’ve also seen a steady increase in inquiries for our Cloud Connect service, which provides private Ethernet connectivity for accessing Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure.

SD-WAN

Roopa and I also talked about how more companies are turning to SD-WAN. One appeal of SD-WAN is it provides the flexibility to quickly adapt and apply the best-fit connectivity for each location. For example, you can have broadband at one location and dedicated internet at another, or have both at the same location to ensure high network availability. Traffic can be prioritized over the best-performing connections so if network congestion occurs, critical traffic will receive priority treatment.

In addition, SD-WAN offers built-in network security by providing customizable firewall policies and content filters that help keep users, devices and data safe.

I also touched on how we are seeing more companies turn to our Managed SD-WAN solution, where we handle everything from solution design and implementation to upgrades and 24/7/365 support. It’s becoming an especially popular option for businesses that have limited IT resources available to help with day-to-day network needs. We specialize in designing networks that provide our clients with significant flexibility and scalability.

No matter which technology you need, having the right partner by your side helps long-term business success. Listen to our recent webinar to learn more.