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Tips for Finding the Right Hybrid Cloud Provider

So, your organization has decided to adopt a hybrid cloud architecture? That’s great news! Soon you’ll have a flexible model in place, with the ability to strategically run workloads of data where it makes the most sense. Either in the public cloud, private cloud, on-premise on dedicated servers, virtual or cloud servers, or some combination of these. Not only that, with this hybrid cloud approach your enterprise will be more adept at managing security and compliance requirements, and having the ability to scale as requirements change.

That’s why leading enterprises are moving to the hybrid cloud model in droves, particularly when it comes to Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Platform as a Service (PaaS) solutions. According to Forbes, IaaS/PaaS markets could rise from some $38 billion in 2016 to $173 billion in 2026. Not only that, Synergy Research Group found that private and hybrid cloud infrastructures have the second highest growth rate (after public IaaS/PaaS services) with 45% growth in 2015 (Source: Forbes).

The only big decision left is selecting the right hybrid cloud provider. Finding a provider with the most experience and support options related to an organization’s current and future needs is priority one. If you’re considering a hybrid cloud service provider, here are some additional tips to consider:

Outline business objectives- Before speaking with various providers, it’s important to take the time upfront to outline the immediate and long-term business objectives of cloud adoption. A hybrid cloud environment provides a secure, unified environment to run diverse applications, and only pay for the resources consumed. That means that each application and workload selected for the hybrid environment makes up the optimal infrastructure type, including databases, web servers, application servers, storage, firewalls, etc. Often the largest benefit of the hybrid cloud environment includes integrating two applications running on private and public clouds, such as integrating SalesForce.com or a business analytics tool with a legacy system. In this example, it’s important to look for a hybrid cloud service provider that has not only the capabilities required but also the big-picture grasp of the benefit of integration across the infrastructure and mixing private cloud elements in a single workload.  To leverage the full value of hybrid cloud, look for providers that offer interoperability across the infrastructure, application portability and data governance across infrastructures. This way, regardless of where compute, application, networking, and storage resources are running they are working together and they are accessible through a unified management platform. Ask cloud providers what platforms are available to streamline the management of cloud apps and deployments and the creation of hybrid cloud instances.

Evaluate migration paths - Because hybrid cloud environments allow organizations to methodically and purposefully make a shift to the cloud, it’s the perfect model for provisioning applications and scaling on-the-fly. It provides the ability to add new applications quickly without being throttled by red tape. However, as mentioned earlier, that doesn’t mean enterprises shouldn’t have business objectives set and a plan in place for migrating to the cloud. When shopping cloud providers, ask if they provide classifications for defining workloads to prioritize which applications are best suited for a cloud environment. This classification system may help rank which applications and workloads should be migrated first, and which should follow.  For instance, if an application development and testing environment are needed prior to production, it may make sense to spin up a virtual cloud instance to run these workloads before moving CRM applications. It’s also important to assess the experience and resource availability of internal IT resources during a cloud migration and to evaluate how cloud service providers can complement this skill set.

Consider compliance and security concerns- The hybrid cloud is all about determining which workloads can efficiently and cost-effectively be transitioned in a very dynamic enterprise environment. It’s important to evaluate functional requirements for Quality of Service (QoS), pricing, security and latency, and of course, requirements related to regulatory and privacy needs. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach to meeting and maintaining compliance, there are best practices for running effective compliance management initiatives. It is imperative organizations look for hybrid providers that have the right people AND technology in place. This could include technologies like firewalls, Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) and log management appliances. But providers should also employ skilled resources who are knowledgeable about PCI-DSS rules. For instance, an experienced team would recognize that data must be kept locally, with a secure connection to the public cloud for processing.

When evaluating hybrid cloud providers, look for partners that specialize in product knowledge that’s most applicable to your enterprise. Finding a partner that can support current business objectives along with the ability to support business and infrastructure changes down the road. This will help prevent slowdowns during the migration effort and provide a solid foundation for future growth and hybrid adoption.

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IT Security Management and Industry 4.0

It’s more apparent than ever that a high level of data sharing in an Industry 4.0 ecosystem will put a tremendous amount of strain on current risk management and data security models. Data sharing among devices− including sensors, microcontrollers, devices with RFID tags, tablets, computers, etc.− along with greater interconnectedness across the enterprise, will continue to drive expansion Industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things (IoT). In fact, many predict IoT will exceed 28 billion devices by 2021 (Source: Ericsson). These ‘smart devices’ enabled by IoT will help drive automation as well as smarter decision making because corporate leaders will have more relevant and real-time data available based on information gathered through these connected machines.

To leverage these Industry 4.0 datasets effectively, enterprises need to refocus efforts on improving operational security and strengthening protection across the value chain. Data transfers that rely on a multi-layered approach to connectivity and security will be more prepared to protect communications coming to-and-from devices, as well as accessing the internet, and device-to-device data syncing. Organizations looking to gain a competitive advantage from Industry 4.0 and IoT should keep these IT security considerations in mind.

Get to know CoAP (Constrained Application Layer Protocol)- With diverse cross-platform deployments and cloud systems connecting in real-time, new communication protocols are needed to let these device sensors communicate. CoAP has emerged as a leading software protocol that is ideal for efficient data exchange of low-power, low-memory devices. CoAP is one piece that will help build out the security framework required to keep pace with the application requirements of Industry 4.0.

Multi-factor authentication will maintain user access and high device usability- For those in manufacturing or in the industrial environment, security may not have traditionally been given the same level of attention as those in the healthcare, retail or financial services. However, in the era of Industry 4.0 data protection should take on a whole new significance. Multi-factor authentication methods, including single sign-on, (SSO) context-based assessment such as location, time, user type and roles, application risk profile, and others can be combined to limit data risk and maintain information accesses, from anywhere and any authorized device.

Adaptive authentication can mitigate risk- Adaptive authentication, also called risk-based authentication, is a risk mitigation strategy that is gaining traction to deter industry 4.0 hacks. This is particularly important because viruses or hacks aimed at ‘smart devices’ are extremely contactable because of the dependent nature of the supply chain. For instance, in a smart factory full of connective devices, a breach may have started with one supplier and one set of exposed privileged credentials. This situation can escalate extremely quickly and lead to mass data exposure. Adaptive authentication applies user data analysis and device data tracking to slow down these breaches by requiring the client side, including users, to take additional steps, only when an elevated risk level is detected. Adaptive authentication security platforms do this by generating an elevated risk profile that outlines certain questionable patterns, such as originating IP address, hardware identification, browser, time of day, etc. If an unusual pattern is detected, additional authentication requirements may be required.

Look for pattern detection and immediate alert functions- Today’s modern security framework should be able to detect unusual data patterns quickly. This is important in financial, healthcare and manufacturing industries where speed is even more critical to prevent mission critical device malfunctions from compromised sensors or chip data.

IoT underpins much of the Industry 4.0 platform and creates an exponential number of would-be hacker entry points. This makes the possibility of data exploits even more dangerous. With more and more connected devices in the enterprise, organizations should consider a comprehensive and adaptive security framework that includes context and risk-based measures to close those security gaps.

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What is CPaaS and What Does it Mean to Your Business?

Communications Platforms-as-a-Service (CPaaS) is an incredibly hot topic these days, and for very good reasons. It’s a way for developers to add today’s most attractive real-time communication capabilities− such as voice, video messaging, and instant messaging−into their enterprise applications, without the hassle, development time and deployment hurdles of building the backend engine or interface. This revolutionary step in application development is made possible by Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). Communication APIs offer building blocks or coding ‘shortcuts’ that enable communication between applications in a much more streamlined way. With CPaaS development teams don’t have to build the entire infrastructure need for these next-generation communication features from scratch, because a lot of that work is already complete and hosted in the cloud. Thanks to APIs available to customers, suppliers, and third-party developers, the CPaaS market has tremendous momentum, and it shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, According to Juniper Research, CPaaS is expected to quadruple to $6.7bn by 2022. (Source: App Omni).

Most enterprises see these pre-built communication capabilities as a tremendous value proposition because they can significantly accelerate development time while cutting management and maintenance costs, all while giving customers access to the best and brightest communications tools and convenience options they expect. Let’s review what CPaaS means for businesses today and explore ways companies are using the technology to redefine and energize customer communications and internal collaboration. Those companies that embrace CPaaS and make the right moves today can improve competitiveness by offering more interactive and personalized customer and employee experiences, all delivered through the users' preferred channel.

1. Delivering personalized customer experiences- CPaaS is truly an innovation engine because businesses are empowered to quickly develop and implement new customer engagement strategies quickly and cost-effectively.  And, these baked-in, must-have capabilities couldn’t come at a better time. In fact according to a recent study, by the year 2020, customer experience will overtake price and product as the key brand differentiator. (Source: Walker). By focusing on delivering unique and personalized experiences with customers, businesses build loyalty and pave the way for increasing customer satisfaction, retention and sales. A critical component to customer experience is being ‘always-on’ and always available and communicating in customers' preferred method, whether that’s video chat, SMS messaging, RCS messaging (Rich Communication Services), self-service, chatbots or social. Premier CPaaS options deliver access to these communication interfaces and the next wave of tools users don’t even know they want yet!

2. Omnichannel marketing realized- On the path to delivering near-flawless customer service and enviable customer experiences, is adopting innovative customer engagement strategies and a genuine omnichannel experience. Omnichannel marketing is complex, but at its core, it’s offering a customer journey that is well manicured to be unified and in sync at every touchpoint. Experiences that are free from friction or unintended gaps in communication improve engagement and brand stickiness. By integrating voice, video and messaging and other communications touch-points like chatbots, virtual service agents, and one-click call and messaging features within existing applications, the omnichannel experience becomes more unified. CPaaS powers omnichannel engagement because enterprises can leverage voice and video while getting smarter about targeted marketing, with real-time alerts and offers. With these tools, customer service agents can say the right thing at the right time and using the right communication mode because they have access to all customer records and interactions within a centralized and integrated platform. CPaaS helps power an omnichannel approach so businesses can also track and analyze how customer engagement strategies are working.

3. Good for external AND INTERNAL communications- While the spotlight is often on refining communications with external audiences, don’t overlook the potential CPaaS has to optimize workflows and internal communication. Embedded communications through APIs means that business can make their employees more efficient and productive when they’re communicating with each other or with their partner or supplier ecosystem. That’s because CPaaS adds much-needed context to our communication channels, greatly mitigating miscommunication and giving users a single-source for all calls, messaging or document sharing, for instance. Options for one-click calling, video calling, messaging, and access to shared ‘spaces’ online can improve internal collaboration with whiteboards, task managers, online calendars, and more.

Keeping pace with customer demand and driving customer engagement strategies are primary challenges for businesses today.  CPaaS models can help companies overcome these obstacles by considerably reducing time-to-market regarding shrinking application development time. They also offer a big boost to scalability through cloud delivery. For those organizations looking at stellar customer service and customer engagement as critical differentiators going forward, should consider CPaaS as a fast track option to meeting their best customers wherever they are.

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The Evolution of Video Conferencing

Video conferencing has revolutionized the way business is done by enabling effortless communication with clients, partners, and colleagues across huge distances, time zones, and borders.

But like all modern marvels, video conferencing took a while to evolve to its current manifestation and wasn’t always the affordable and convenient solution audiences worldwide have come to rely upon. What started as a voice-only way around expensive long distance calling using new (at-the-time) voice over IP technologies has morphed into a feature-rich multimedia online collaboration experience powering essential operations for small and large businesses alike.

Let’s take a look at some of the key milestones in video conferencing evolution to see just how far the technology has come and envision what it could be in future generations.   

Conference calls

Conference calling was the biggest shift from the “good old days” of crisscrossing continents and oceans for in-person meetings. Increased travel costs and wary travelers left business leaders looking for more cost-effective (and less demanding) ways of communicating.

The emergence of Internet technologies paved the way for conference calling to become the norm for communicating with several geographically dispersed colleagues at a time. Voice over IP (VoIP) produced a more cost-effective means of communicating than long-distance calling over traditional phone lines.

However, despite being cutting edge technology at the time it was introduced, users still experienced frequent technical difficulties, including poor audio quality and dropping calls, as well as challenges like speaker interruptions that come with not being able to see the other parties on the line.

Enterprise Video Conferencing

The technical difficulties and lack of face-to-face interaction that plagued the performance of conference calling ushered in the next wave of collaboration, leading to the adoption of video or web conferencing.

Video conferencing delivered a more lifelike meeting experience, where presentations or documents could be shared on-screen allowing call participants to see corporate reports, sales figures and company data presented by participants. In addition to enabling more frequent, interactive meetings, video conferencing also significantly reduced business travel while also improving productivity.

However, these video conferencing solutions were used primarily by large enterprises with budgets big enough to support purpose-built conference rooms needed to house high-priced equipment used to run the systems. Conference rooms required an array of speakers, monitors, microphones and other hardware to facilitate a meeting, as well as unique audio and video feeds to ensure quality transmission.

All told, space, equipment, and network requirements still left many businesses considering video conferencing a luxury rather than a necessity.

Fortunately, technology advancements and a growing list of reputable providers made video conferencing more affordable and accessible over the years, providing a high-quality video conferencing experience across multiple devices that promote face-to-face communication, collaboration, and productivity.

Cloud-based Video Conferencing

The latest evolution of conferencing has made the biggest impact on the market. Cloud-based video conferencing has accelerated the demand and adoption of businesses using video conferencing.

The success of cloud-based video conferencing is largely connected to the freedom and flexibility it provides. Unlike traditional on-site video conferencing that requires a dedicated conference room and costly equipment to manage, cloud-based video conferencing offloads those responsibilities to a hosting company.

Free of the burden of large capital expenses (CAPEX), ongoing maintenance, and single-room availability, video conferencing can fit the budget of any business--startup, SMB, or Fortune 500 company.

Video conferencing has grown from a niche market of enterprise businesses with expensive conference room setups to a highly accessible technology with flexible and scalable options that can fit the budget of most businesses. Now, video conferencing is a business necessity instead of a luxury afforded to only the biggest companies with the deepest pockets.

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What to Consider When Selecting a Hosted PBX Vendor

More businesses aiming to adapt to their evolving communications demands are turning to hosted PBX. SMBs and enterprise organizations can all take advantage of the variety of features that cloud-based phone systems offer, gaining flexibility and improving cost management for today and into the future.

But selecting the right hosted PBX vendor can be a challenging process, as the number of vendors and service options continues to grow. As you begin to evaluate your own company’s communication needs, it’s imperative to carefully qualify prospective providers to find the best fit.

Here are some key factors to consider when selecting a new hosted PBX vendor for your business.

Understand what you need...and what you don’t

Like most purchase decisions, it’s best to start with an honest assessment of your current situation and the type of solution that can improve it. Hosted PBX systems offer a range of benefits like built-in voicemail, conference calling, and mobility as well as easy scalability and minimum on-site equipment requirements to help keep costs down.

At the same time, hosting your phone system elsewhere means relinquishing control, being subject to potential quality of service (QoS) issues, and variance in available features. Create a list of your organization’s priorities--cost savings, scalability, service reliability--to determine what you’ll look for in a vendor and make sure the primary decision-makers in your organization fully understand the ins and outs of hosted PBX solutions.

Compare features and integrations

Most every buying decision you make comes down to features and benefits. Hosted PBX systems are no different. Despite having a number of high-profile, established PBX vendors at your disposal, choosing the right one ultimately comes down to how well their features match your business needs.

Features will often vary by vendor. Some might include what you need in their base package, while others may offer particular features as add-ons. Use a vendor comparison list to get create a side-by-side comparison of vendors of interest. Beyond voicemail, conferencing, and other conventional telephony features, you may also want to factor integration capabilities with customer relationship management (CRM), content management systems (CMS), or customer support applications into your decision making, if any is an important part of your business.

Listen to others, not salespeople

Recent studies suggest that over 60% of technology buyers rely on peer recommendations as a component of their decision-making process. Don’t be afraid to ask a potential vendor for references, case studies, or testimonials. Understanding others’ experiences--especially companies that operate in similar industries to yours--can provide great insight into what you can expect if you became a customer. And if a vendor is hesitant to provide references, it may be a sign they cannot produce the same quality they promise in their marketing materials or sales pitch.

Keep it simple

If you’re planning to spend valuable resources on buying a new phone solution, it’s a good idea to make it one that everyone will use. As you might imagine, user adoption of new technologies depends heavily on how easy to use or how complex they are.

While virtually every vendor offers FAQs, how-to lists, or other product materials, the best way to evaluate if a system is a good fit for your team is to see it in action. Most vendors will offer a demo video on their website, but pushing to schedule a live demo can provide a more hands-on experience and allow you to ask specific questions about the system to get a better feel for the user experience.  

Customer Support

Few things are as damaging to a business as being out of contact with customers because of technical difficulties. Understanding the scope and level of support available from a vendor should be an essential component to your decision. After all, no one wants to sign up for service if there’s limited or no help once it’s gone live.

Make sure to review each vendor’s customer support availability, including hours and the various channels you can use to contact someone in the event of an issue with your phone system. This is also an ideal time to inquire about a vendor’s Service-level agreements (SLAs), a contract with the vendor outlining your expectations of uptime/system availability, QoS, and bandwidth after implementation.  

Finding your fit

While there’s no shortage of reputable hosted PBX vendors to choose from, it is important to keep in mind that the vendor you select offers the features you need, reliable support, and scalability at a price that makes sense for your business.

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Common Concerns of Managed WAP

Since the introduction of managed WAP or cloud-managed WLANs, the typical profile of an organization that has adopted this type of infrastructure has been a small company with multiple remote offices. Those in the hospitality industry and retailers have long been perfect candidates for these cloud-based hotspots.

The idea is that cloud-managed wireless platforms allow organizations to extend seamless Wi-Fi capabilities to those places that lack the resources for a traditional network implementation. That could be retailers, coffee shops, school districts, or hotel chains that need to deliver reliable wireless guest access that doesn’t have the luxury of leveraging an on-site IT staff.  

2 types of cloud managed wireless

In general, there have been two types of cloud-managed wireless options: the first is where the wireless controller and network management software are in the cloud; the second puts only the management functions in the cloud. With a cloud-based management platform, admins can log into a vendor’s web-based dashboard from anywhere with an internet connection, for example, to view, manage and configure local wireless networks.

With the right cloud-managed Wi-Fi solutions, these smaller scale organizations have benefited from fast and simple deployments and secure, reliable and high-performance network guest access.

Concerns for wireless

However, concerns for cloud-managed Wi-Fi deployments start to become apparent when the scope of the managed WAP application is widened. The problem is, most providers offer extremely simplified cloud-managed Wi-Fi access. Or they offer Wi-Fi plus some features, which leaves significant gaps around security. With little to no switch or security appliance options, larger enterprises have been skeptical of the potential pitfalls of adopting managed WAP.  In addition to a lack of built-in security features, there are other top concerns. An organization that requires enterprise-grade Wi-Fi should consider these points carefully:

Lost investment in current legacy systems- Even if an organization did want to migrate WLAN to the cloud, it’s currently not an option. Or at least, not a cost-effective option. Most enterprises that have already established sophisticated networks are hesitant to switch to cloud-managed WLANs simply because migrating large environments can be extremely costly. Enterprises relying on WLAN would have to essentially cut their losses and make new investments in VWLAN technology. An enterprise IT department would be letting go of its controller-based WLANs and local management servers for a new cloud management platforms, which was a huge investment in the first place.

Difficult to address complex needs- Another concern for enterprises is that many of these cloud-management applications are not currently on par with traditional on-premises network management platforms. Cloud-managed Wi-Fi targets a market that is feeling a need for wireless but lacks the resources to do a traditional implementation everywhere.

No hybrid model- Even if IT departments offload the hosting of management servers and cloud platform management, the management of endpoints and adding access points, is still in the hands of the internal IT staff. The complexity of the hybrid model limits the application of the cloud-managed WLAN architecture to a specific subset of organizations. Most network administrators that are looking for a hybrid option, still have to choose between a standalone access point or WLAN switch.

In most cases, on-premises controllers offer far more flexibility when it comes to the design and deployment of the WLAN. This includes support for legacy Wi-Fi applications and more control to manage complex network designs and enterprise network environments. While cloud-managed WLAN vendors are introducing more robust security and management options, it’s important to evaluate the state of your network (and plans for the future) and determine which factors are most critical to your organization.

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DRaaS: What is it and do you need it?

Making decisions about how to keep a business up and running can make for many sleepless nights for CIOs. Today’s businesses produce a staggering amount of data that must keep flowing in the face of business-killing disasters, as any interruption to a business’s operations can cost the company millions in revenue—and the CIO his or her job.

Smaller budgets, fewer resources, and a mandate for agility to remain competitive can make devising a Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery (BCDR) plan a monumental task. Conventional disaster recovery solutions are on-premises systems that require costly hardware, software, and skilled engineering staff to run it.

As a result, many many organizations are looking for more cost-effective and efficient BCDR solutions to keep their business running without breaking the bank. Increasingly, they’re finding Disaster-Recover-as-a-Service (DRaaS) the ideal solution for balancing continuity and costs.

Introducing DRaaS

Many companies opt to maintain a physical DR presence--deploying and managing their own infrastructure and policies--to satisfy expectations of their stakeholders and customers. But physical DR can get expensive and complex as a business grows, requiring more locations, stocking them with hardware, and staffing it with qualified personnel.

Disaster Recovery-as-a-Service (DRaaS) offers a cloud-based, hosted solution as a cost-effective and efficient alternative to conventional on-premises deployments. DRaaS leverages third-party infrastructure (including security protocols) to simplify scaling BDCR activities by replicating data to multiple locations for maximum protection against profit-killing interruptions.

DRaaS offloads the time-consuming tasks of searching for new data center locations, configuring infrastructure, and hiring qualified staff as a business grows. More importantly, it provides exponentially more flexibility around what, where, and how much data can be stored to maximize redundancy and minimize IT infrastructure investment.

Why your business needs DRaaS

Disaster Recovery-as-a-Service allows businesses to rapidly configure and construct architecture to suit their unique needs, eliminating many of the most resource-intensive BCDR operations and freeing time and budget for IT staff to focus on higher-value business activities.

Whether a business is attracted by the security and control of a private cloud deployment, the cost-effectiveness, and ease of use of a public cloud, or the best of both worlds with a hybrid solution, DRaaS can help transform and protect a business more efficiently, while providing greater agility.

No matter the BCDR demands, DRaaS platforms deliver continuous system availability, lower total cost of ownership, and the flexibility to optimize business continuity by assuring that a business keeps functioning during and after any type of disaster by virtualizing each location where the data resides.

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Why Your Business Needs G Suite

Choosing the right productivity tools for your team can help promote collaboration, innovation, and superior service for your customers—essential elements to sustainable growth and success.

While most productivity packages offer similar features and functionality, different businesses have different needs and might wonder which solution is right for them. Below are several reasons it’s time your business switched to Google’s G Suite.

Applications and Integrations

Among the biggest advantages to using G Suite is its Google pedigree. Google is a pioneer in cloud-only productivity applications that foster team collaboration and connectivity to spur productivity and G Suite brings its best of applications together in an intuitive, fully integrated platform with your branding, accessible from virtually any mobile or desktop device.  

G Suite features the popular and commonly used Gmail as the anchor of its platform. The email service is complemented by word processing, spreadsheets, and presentation apps to give employees a package of intuitive, feature-rich apps they need to get the job done. Documents of all types and sizes can be automatically stored and backed up in Google’s cloud-storage solution, Google Drive, and searched from a common search bar with the recently debuted Google Cloud Search function (available in the Business and Enterprise plans).

In addition to the standard content creation tools and cloud backup, G Suite also includes a robust calendar app along with Google Hangouts, a rich video collaboration, and chat tool available from within the Gmail application to facilitate seamless, instant connections with colleagues, co-workers, and customers around the world. For more advanced business functions, G Suite also integrates with an array of other popular business tools, including Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software, finance and accounting services, and customer support tools, among many others.

Flexible tiered pricing

G Suite is available in three pricing tiers to provide businesses with much-needed flexibility in choosing a solution that works for their specific needs.

The Basic plan includes 30GB of storage, email, voice and video conferencing capabilities, and access to Google Docs, Sheets, and Presentations for $5 per user per month. The plan also features smart shared calendars, 24/7 multichannel support, and an administrative portal for you to control access and secure your communications.

The Business plan, G Suite’s best value, is an enhanced office suite with unlimited storage and archiving. For $10 per month per user, this tier includes all the features in the Basic plan, as well as email archiving and retention policies for securing sensitive information and user audit reports to give you full visibility into your employees’ activities.

The Enterprise plan is a premium office suite with advanced controls and capabilities. This tier features custom pricing and inclusions based on your business’s specific requirements. In addition to all the features in both the Basic and Business plans, the Enterprise plan also features advanced data protection and loss prevention capabilities, integration with third-party archiving services, and enterprise-grade access management tools to comply with even the most stringent guidelines and regulations.

Security

Data and network security is an increasingly complex and important topic in today’s business landscape. As a global technology leader, Google is committed to creating a transparent and secure platform experience for its users. The company has developed and recently launched new security enhancements for G Suite that provide users and administrators a range of powerful tools to protect intellectual property and other high-value information.

Tools such as custom audit alerts, password alerts, and recovery options form part of Google’s collaborative security culture, which also features 24/7 monitoring. In addition to user-level controls, administrators have a full suite of system configuration tools and application settings, which include 2-step verification and advanced data loss prevention (DLP) for every business regardless of size or industry.

Efficient, easy-to-use tools from a recognized brand

Google’s G Suite offers something for everyone. Whether you’re a 5-person startup or a multinational corporation, the cloud-based productivity platform offers efficient collaboration and powerful tools for creating, sharing, editing, and saving files from any device. With a very affordable fixed cost per user, G Suite is more cost-effective than many other solutions, fitting neatly into virtually every budget.

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Security Threats to Protect Against

It seems like every day there is a new media report about a malicious cyber-attack or a new super hacker group. Whether it’s reports of Yahoo users’ accounts being compromised (again!) or another business paying ransomware demands, many IT security professionals are left feeling overwhelmed and unprepared. (Source: Yahoo). With more and more vulnerabilities and ‘fronts to watch,’ organizations are seeking added protection from managed security experts. Analysts predict that in the months and years ahead, more enterprises will select security software-as-a-service (SaaS) to bolster cyber protection efforts. By the end of 2015, 15 percent of all security was delivered via SaaS or on a hosted platform; by 2018 over 33 percent will be (Source: Cyber Security Ventures).

The ubiquitous presence of mobile devices in the workplace, increased connectedness of devices (i.e. Internet of Things (IoT)) and the sophisticated nature of network intrusions, are just some of the security threats organizations need to watch out for. Let’s explore four main security threats every business should be aware of in the year ahead.

More connected machines mean viruses spread faster than ever- Gartner released a report showing the growth of IoT devices to reach 25 billion in the next five years.  (Source: Gartner). What’s the big deal with the free flow of data between devices, you might ask? Well apparently, this is a huge concern for security experts because when devices are all connected, malicious code like viruses and botnets can spread from device to device, more quickly than ever before. Not only that, manufacturers could be at the greatest risk as Industry 4.0 and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) era heats up. Security weak spots will continue to be exploited as producers support data exchange by linking products with supply chains, partners, customers, and workers.

BYOD has changed the corporate security landscape forever- Living in the world of IoT is compounded even more by the fact that the lines between consumer and corporate information have been blurred. BYOD and the proliferation of mobile devices in the workplace have permanently altered the way corporate security is managed. Mobile devices like laptops, tablets, and smartphones are used by employees daily to access corporate information. Traditional defensive perimeter solutions, like firewalls, intrusion prevention, and endpoint security products, can no longer keep pace. That’s because perimeter defenses are designed to look for malicious traffic coming into the organization from the outside, rather than assuming malware is already inside, brought in by BYODs.

Proliferation of container applications- Container technology is a concept where software and applications are developed to run reliably and consistently in every computing environment. This is done by ‘containing’ an application’s entire runtime environment into one package. This includes development, a testing environment, staging, to production and then to a data center or to a virtual machine. The problem arises because like VMs, these containers can run multiple instances of an application. Thus, if there’s a cyber attack, several instances can be infected and infiltrated at once. The other factor is the relative newness of container technology. While container frameworks offer many benefits, the software applications may be more heavily targeted to cyber attacks, compared to network intrusions or virtual machines.

While perimeter-security applications may have been the best defense against traditional network-based cyber attacks, today’s corporate IT landscape has evolved so dramatically, it’s clear that new strategies are needed. Security services delivered through the cloud and managed by a provider may be part of the missing piece needed to fortify enterprise security.

Wrap up

Companies of all sizes and verticals are benefiting from unified communication platforms that tear down the barriers and complexity of once ‘siloed’ corporate communication tools. By taking a more central approach− and linking in business processes−organizations can further enhance customer and partner relationships as well as facilitate anytime, anywhere communications across all channels.

Those that leverage UC effectively are also ultimately supporting worker productivity and enthusiasm. Because let’s face it, good communication is the key to good business. And, when employees have access to world-class tools they are more empowered and engaged. That means they are at their best and delivering the best customer experience possible. That type of positive energy is good for any corporate bottom line.

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SDN Gets a Second Wind

The concept of Software Defined Networking (SDN) has attracted a lot of attention over the past several years. First, because of its promise to deliver a more agile and programmable network infrastructure. And second, because of its ability to support network virtualization. Most analysts agree SDN has been confined largely to the data center (cloud service and telecom space) because the technology tends to consolidate network configurations and management, which can limit control and visibility.

However, the launch of Application Centric Infrastructure (ACI) technology is reinvigorating the conversation around SDN in supporting virtual networking and as a result, it is opening up the technology to the enterprise. This breakthrough protocol extends the technology access through APIs. In a nutshell, this approach puts intelligence in all of the network devices using an Application Policy Infrastructure Controller (APIC), thus moving away from legacy multi-protocol dependency.

According to InfoWorld, Cisco’s new operations control protocol called OpFlex (replaces OpenFlow) opens up SDN to large-scale deployments and distributes control of the configuration to the network. Essentially, that means the infrastructure and protocol decentralizes network control and give admins the ability to adjust settings based on application requirements. (Source: InfoWorld). This ACI model is chosen generally because it is simple and geared for speed. Not only that, it is scalable and it's interoperable.

Who cares about application-level policies?

Why is this shift important, anyway? The ACI model is considered a disruptive change because of the nature of today’s enterprises and data centers. In both network environments, there is generally a mixed bag of network equipment. That could include various network services, virtual switches, routing equipment, etc. The ACI approach is moving towards an open-source protocol that vendors can embed into devices and software so it can take be controlled from an APIC-enabled box. Users can create full automation of all virtual and physical network parameters through a single API. Now, that’s flexibility!

Open SDN vs. private SDN?

Today’s multi-vendor network environments have traditionally been tangled with interoperability issues. Whether it’s hardware-defined SDN (such as Cisco’s original OpenFlow protocol) or proprietary software used to manage these networks, supporting virtual networking through SDN has been a challenge. The OpenDaylight Project (ODL) is just one example of a leading open-source platform for programmable SDN that offers solutions to these barriers (Source: Silicon Angle). These open source platform options provide policy controls for multi-vendor environments and are spurring a tremendous growth potential in the industry. In fact, according to Infonetics Research, the SDN market is set to grow from $289 million in 2015 to $8.7 billion in 2020 (Source: Infonetics Research).

The need for next-generation networks

This growth is also being pushed because many experts believe SDN and network virtualization technologies are essential in creating next-generation networks. These networks have to be able to keep pace with the enterprise environment and data center infrastructures that are managing cloud, virtualization, and the digital workforce that is more mobile and widely dispersed than ever before. The network layer has become even more important in today’s enterprise. From the WAN to branch offices to the campus network, these next-gen networks are the foundation of leading enterprises. Together, they can deliver fast speeds, low latency, and high scalability.  To that end, enterprises looking to adopt public and private cloud services should consider the implications and benefits of SDN and network virtualization.

Brad Casemore, the Director of Research for Data Center Networking at IDC points out that software-defined networking− both open SDN and proprietary SDN solutions− have come a long way in redefining the network and will continue to do so as companies look to various application delivery options.

“While networking hardware will continue to hold a prominent place in network infrastructure, SDN is indicative of a long-term value migration from hardware to software in the networking industry. For vendors, this will portend a shift to software- and service-based business models, and for enterprise customers, it will mean a move toward a more collaborative approach to IT and a more business-oriented understanding of how the network enables application delivery,” said Casemore. (Source: IDC)

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Cloud Contact Center Challenges

While the precise value of a positive customer interaction may be difficult to quantify, most business leaders believe customer interactions are the ultimate critical success factor. In fact, by 2020 analysts predict that customer experience will overtake price and product as the key brand differentiator. (Source: Walker). This surge in customer awareness comes at a time when building consumer and brand loyalty is harder than ever. This is in part because of growing customer demand and expectations, increased global competition and the pervasive nature of social media.

To meet these challenges and build strong customer bonds, cloud contact centers have emerged as a mainstream alternative to traditional on-premise or outsourced contact centers. Most cloud-based contact centers include a web-accessible platform for managing and routing customer calls and interactions. Many also include omnichannel communication features like VoIP phones, chat, mobile, social, email, and text. From this platform, contact center managers can also fine-tune best practices by capturing key data about customers and contact center performance. Because the infrastructure is hosted in the cloud, contact centers can also be accessed from virtually anywhere, which means remote agents can be utilized, trained and scaled quickly to support evolving customer experience initiatives. 

While the pros of cloud contact centers are many, when considering options, it’s important to acknowledge possible challenges as well. Talk to contact center-as-a-service (CCaS) providers about their philosophy and solutions to see if they match business your business goals. 

The long-term cost of hosting- The truth is, hosting contact center platforms in the cloud can be an expensive endeavor over time. If the technology is hosted for three to four years, or more, eventually those monthly costs are higher than purchasing the technology outright. However, this approach generally requires significant capital investments in hardware, software, IT resources and training upfront, which can be a challenge. Many small business and startups don't have that kind of capital.  Not only that, during implementation, even more, IT resources, and money, may be needed to integrate the call center technology with in-house CRM and unified communication (UC) systems.

Dependence on the vendor for valuable customer interactions- One of the most valuable aspects of managing a contact center platform and people in-house is that the organization is in full control over customer interactions and customer service processes. Full access to all customer service data as well as complete transparency into customer care procedures can be useful. When these functions are managed internally, contact center managers can, in most cases, more easily interact with agents on a consistent basis. This interaction can aid in training and help to instill the company’s culture, which should genuinely represent the brand. With this approach, a company’s customer-centric vision can be shared and voiced through each customer channel and through each interaction. Relying exclusively on a vendor to manage customer engagement can be operationally efficient, but each company must decide how to best approach its customer service strategy.

Heavily regulated industries- Another potential challenge for cloud-based contact centers is if a company is in an industry that is highly regulated or has multiple compliance requirements. Similarly, those organizations that deal with highly sensitive customer information or technical information may require customer agents with specific qualifications and training (i.e. legal or financial industries). While some virtual cloud providers offer access to skilled agents that may meet compliance needs, such as those that specialize in healthcare and are HIPPA certified, company leaders need to determine how customers will be served.

While none of these challenges to cloud-based contact centers should be automatic showstoppers, it’s important that companies address each issue thoughtfully and with an open mind. Because let’s face it, there’s zero potential for revenue growth or sustainability without happy, brand-loyal and positively vocal customers.

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Biggest IAM Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

A recent report by Forrester tells us that 80% of security breaches today involve privileged credentials (Source: Forrester). That number is staggering but not entirely surprising. That’s because modern enterprise networks have expanded and spilled over beyond traditional perimeters and outside the safety net of endpoint security and enterprise firewalls. Today’s technology and business landscape are instead ripe with BYOD devices, mission-critical apps− accessed both on-premises and in the cloud− and a remote workforce that requires always-available mobile connectivity. In this environment, pre-cloud and pre-virtualization security is no longer adequate to keep security breaches at bay and hackers from uncovering corporate identities.

Identity and access management (IAM) solutions have emerged to help close the door to these security exploits and to reinforce compliance by protecting users’ access in multi-perimeter environments. The trick is to select and implement an IAM solution that protects and manages digital identities while also providing identity governance, security policy enforcement, and user-based access control. Before moving forward with an IAM framework, watch out for these commons missteps to avoid scope creep and cost overruns. 

Incomplete enterprise risk assessment- during the IAM planning phase, it’s imperative to identify key business objectives and perform a complete enterprise risk assessment. This includes identifying all infrastructure components as well as performing data classification. This will help determine proper access management policies. The process includes identifying what data should be protected (i.e. determining if is it high risk such as customer or financial data or if it’s lower risk). It’s also imperative to decide who owns that data and what business units are authorized to access which data sets. Failing to account for the dynamic demands of users who are accessing IT assets, and identifying user access that’s not in sync with business unit leaders, will put the IAM initiative at risk.

Failing to future-proof IAM- One of the most critical mistakes an organization can make is underestimating the impact of managing mobile devices in the enterprise. This includes evaluating how mobile access and Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) strategies and solutions will eventually fit into overall enterprise security plan and IAM solution set. Going forward, in addition to authorizing and authenticating user identities, identity and access management will expand to include access to applications and devices. In other words, internal corporate resources will need to be accessed by managed and unmanaged hardware devices. This is an important distinction to make when evaluating IAM solutions because today many IAM frameworks use the identity of the user, without accounting for the identity of the mobile device. Look ahead to see how IAM solutions will converge with evolving EMM tools. This is particularly important for extending identity management to applications and devices for authorized machine-to-machine (M2M) communication.

Lack of interoperability with existing systems- A mixed platform environment with diverse applications, infrastructure, and apps, is the new norm for the modern enterprise. An IAM solution touches many of these environments so it’s important that they work well together. Essential IAM capabilities like single-sign-on (SSO), user provisioning and password management and audit process improvement, touch heterogenous systems in the enterprise. Look for systems that off automated provisioning of accounts, fulfillment of access requests and automated policies & workflows regardless of the existing IT systems in place. It may make sense to keep IAM systems and the directory of authentication credentials on an isolated server or cloud instance.

Ignoring other users- It’s important to remember that IAM solutions go beyond authenticating and authorizing employee access to applications, data, and devices. Other legitimate users across an organization may also require access to get work done and build connections. Look for IAM solutions that can scale to address the needs of internal employees as well as guests, partners, and customers.

Today’s successful enterprises are leveraging IAM solutions to provide seamless and secure access to enterprise applications and data from an array of devices, platforms, and networks. Getting there requires ensuring the IAM solution is scalable and comprehensive and most importantly aligned with the organization’s most strategic goals. By integrating IAM into an overall enterprise security strategy, organizations can efficiently meet project milestones and in doing so strengthen the privacy and security of enterprise assets.

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Defining 4G/LTE

We see the number/letter combination in the corner of our smartphones so often, it has almost become invisible: 4G/LTE. Not only that, ‘4G’ is also touted so repeatedly (and loudly) in Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T commercials, most of us hit the mute button without even realizing it anymore. We know 4G/LTE has something to do with cellular networks and speeds, but what is 4G/LTE really? And, what does it mean for our daily lives in which smartphones and connectivity have become such a necessity for work, life, and play? Let’s start by defining 4G/LTE:

4G/L·T·E DEFINED:

4G/LTE is really two terms in one. 4G is a collection of fourth-generation mobile data technology. Not surprisingly, it succeeds 3G and is also called IMT-Advanced (International Mobile Telecommunications Advanced). All 4G standards must conform to a set of specifications created by the International Telecommunications Union. LTE stands for Long Term Evolution, which is not really a technology, but a standard for wireless communication. (Source: TechTerms).

How fast is 4G?

4G technologies are required to provide peak data transfer rates of at least 100 Mbps (megabytes per/second). This includes the connection rate for mobile phones, smartphone tablets, etc. However, keep in mind that actual download speeds vary based on location, signal strength, and interference. As an example, just because a device has the capacity to reach 4G, it doesn’t mean you’ll automatically hit those connection speeds (for instance, you’ll have the best chance if you’re in a city, as opposed to a remote location, assuming wireless interference isn’t too severe).

Are you really getting 4G speeds?

The short answer is: no, not really. When the governing body set the minimum speeds for 4G mobile devices, around 2008, they decided that because 4G was not actually attainable in the practical sense for network providers, they would introduce the term LTE. LTE basically means the authentic pursuit of the 4G standard, and it offers a considerable improvement over 3G technology.

As a result, most network providers today offer 4G LTE network speeds which they brand as next-generation connectivity performance, even though they are actually hitting pure 4G speeds.

Does 4G matter anyway?

The answer to this really lies in how these connection speeds impact the user experience. How fast can your devices load pages, download music or video conference in real life situations? As a rule, while 4G/LTE seems to be a considerable improvement over 3G speeds when comparing 4G/LTE and “true 4G” networks of today, most upload and download speeds are almost identical.

4G and the enterprise

If your company is considering 4G/LTE wireless internet to provide remote access to enterprise applications like CRM and collaboration tools, consider how connection speeds impact performance. For instance, simplified and fast access to applications like Salesforce.com, Cisco WebEx Social, and other business apps, will ensure the applications are used. Many believe the improved speed of access to applications, and the ability to work from anywhere and at any time, are real business benefits. When comparing 4G/LTE mobile data plans for the business, also consider factors like bandwidth requirements and data overage charges.

What’s next?

You won’t be surprised to hear that several carriers are already looking ahead to 5G mobile broadband. Experts predict that 2017 will see more trials of 5G technology as the wireless industry continues to define what the 5G technology looks like. AT&T has already announced they are conducting 5G trials with Intel this year. The new 5G wireless modem will work at both super-high radio frequencies and lower-band airwaves. Many believe that early 5G network adoption will come from the enterprise side, in the form of from drones, self-driving cars, industrial applications, and some broadband service to homes and businesses. (Source: Investor’s Business Daily).

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SD-WAN Market and Growth

While Software-Defined WAN (SD-WAN) technology was once reserved for smaller-scale operations, it is now seen as a proven, and more mature, network architecture. Today, it is trusted by many distributed enterprises, including those in financial services, healthcare, and retail. The exponential growth rate in the SD-WAN market has been spurred by several factors, including the increased demand for cloud-based services as well as the growing appetite for bandwidth by the enterprise branch office.  On top of that, there’s also an increased reliance on high-performance networks, prompted by the need for greater mobile connectivity and access to always-on applications.

To meet these challenges, SD-WAN technology reduces the cost and complexity of traditional WAN enterprise networks by automating the configuration of WAN routes. It also ensures a reliable and agile connection that can handle spikes and dynamic traffic by running connections over a hybrid of broadband connections, from MPLS and broadband to 4G/LTE networks. SD-WAN architectures route and prioritize traffic according to policies set by the enterprise in order to optimize connections− all from a centralized controller. In doing this, SD-WAN is seen as one of the biggest disruptive technologies in the networking industry in years. In fact, Gartner predicts that spending on SD-WAN products will rise from$129 million in 2016 to $1.24 billion in 2020. (Source: Gartner). Here’s a closer look at the drivers of the SD-WAN market:

Increased use of cloud applications- The increased adoption of cloud-based and hybrid-cloud architectures in the enterprise has caused network managers to rethink traditional WAN networks. WAN networks that once connected branch and remote offices to the corporate office, which then connected to the Internet, are no longer equipped to keep pace. Today’s=-09 common SaaS applications as well as Unified Communication and Collaboration (UC&C) applications, storage and backup applications, and IaaS such as Microsoft Azure, rely on more responsive network architectures. As companies continue to look for the ability to balance loads across the WAN and route traffic over cost-optimal links, SD-WAN adoption will continue to grow at a fiery pace.

More options from more vendors- Industry analyst firm IDC estimates that for the 2015–2020 period, the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for the SD-WAN market will be over 90%. (Source: IDC). Much of that growth will come from the likes of enterprise networking hardware and WAN optimization vendors (i.e. Cisco, Riverbed Technology, Nokia) as well as startups and integrators. Other service providers will make up the rest of the market gap, such as those that deliver SD-WAN managed services, cloud-managed SD-WAN services or hybrid SD-WAN providers. When evaluating SD-WAN vendors or cloud service providers, consider factors that could cost you down the road, like security and interoperability. 

With a growing number of SD-WAN vendors out there, issues around interoperability are more important than ever. A successful SD-WAN deployment will require a network infrastructure that can seamlessly connect to the branch, campus, and multiple cloud instances. Only then is centralized network management and optimized end-to-end routing of SaaS and other applications possible. To get there, ask service providers questions about SD-WAN cloud intelligence options that promise better monitoring, greater agility, and consistent security.

Other SD-WAN services combine a managed MPLS service with the bandwidth of a broadband internet WAN connection at the branch site. This gives users even greater reliability and performance. That’s because connectivity is dynamically routed based on best available links looking at latency, jitter and SLA requirements of specific business applications. Other options like the hybrid WAN let organizations slowly migrate applications to the cloud, as the business grows or needs change. 

When network traffic can be optimized and routed based on application requirements, cloud service delivery can be optimized across the entire enterprise. SD-WAN architectures make this possible by simplifying and optimizing network configurations.  In doing so, enterprises are finding ways to improve performance significantly and cut network complexity. Today’s leading businesses are also benefiting from centralized management capabilities across the WAN architecture and reduced capital and operational expenses.

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What’s Your Unified Communications Plan Missing?

The term Unified Communications (UC) encompasses a large scope of solutions. From instant messaging platforms, video conferencing, and file sharing programs, to mobile applications. The common denominator of UC solutions for the enterprise is the platform’s ability to increase productivity, flexibility, and collaboration in the workplace. The increased collaboration includes internal team collaboration− between marketing and the call center, for example, − as well as communication with external audiences such as partners, supply chain companies, vendors, and customers.  

The UC industry continues to evolve with a number of marketplace consolidations. Chris Wilder from Moor Insights and Strategy, cites consolidation in the space, such as the merger between Nokia and Alcatel-Lucent in addition to Cisco Systems’ numerous acquisitions, as part of this trend. He believes marketplace consolidation will continue to be a transformative force in the UC market (Source: Forbes).  Moving beyond traditional unified communications solutions like Microsoft’s Skype, Slack, and Google Hangouts, UC technologies will continue to expand particularly into the mobile space.  Here are some other important trends to keep in mind if you’re considering re-invigorating your UC strategy.

Moving beyond the hype! Real benefits of Web Real-Time Communications (WebRTC)- WebRTC technology makes it possible to extend features like voice and video into any desktop or mobile web browser. It allows for peer to peer, encrypted communications in the browser. What does that actually mean? In a nutshell, WebRTC lets users streamline voice and video calls and tie into screen sharing and multi-media instant messaging tools all at once. It is an open source alternative to a proprietary technology used by traditional UC vendor applications. It can run on top browsers, including Chrome and Firefox and soon Safari (if the rumors are true!). The fact that Slack and even Facebook messenger are now supporting WebRTC technology points to the fact that it's gaining traction as a viable alternative protocol for new communication and collaboration apps.

Consider mobile device management- With the proliferation of consumer video and voice applications (Youtube, Facetime, Skype) it’s no wonder employees expect the same high-quality experience from all applications at all times− whether they are using a tablet at home, in a client office, or they are on the corporate network. A user could even be a laptop on free WIFI at the airport; regardless, they want a seamless experience. Individuals want a unified and intuitive user experience, where mobile devices and smartphones are reliable and the primary means of business communications. 

This brings a new set of challenges, including ensuring communications are secure and real-time application performance is high, even when it’s   out of the control of the IT department (public WIFI). Many companies are turning towards cloud-based hosted Mobile Device Management Solutions (MDM) for help. Not only are these providers delivering the networks and bandwidth to run these applications, they are taking it a step further to ensure the end-user experience is high. Providers can help set up a secure platform that allows users to exchange sensitive corporate information on mobile devices and through UC platforms seamlessly. 

Embedded UC into more applications− The emerging WebRTC standard and standard session initiation protocol (SIP), makes it easy to see the massive productivity potential of UC-enabled apps. For instance, what would happen if you were able to integrate secure, instant messaging capabilities into your CRM system like SalesForce? Or, if you could allow VoIP calls to be made directly from those applications after double-clicking on a contact (even ones accessed on a mobile device)? In this same example, imagine if a customer support manager could make a call to a customer directly from SalesForce. And then, they could record and archive that interaction by linking that CRM record to an enterprise DropBox account. What would that do for productivity? The potential synergies with UC and the applications that employees use most are exponential. 

With application performance, Quality of Service (QoS) and security challenges that come with enterprise communication, many believe that Unified Communications-as-a-Service (UCaaS) will also continue to be an area for expansion.  It’s easy to make the case, considering employees are becoming more dispersed and workforces are becoming more mobile and global every day. A cloud and hybrid service model looks promising in helping to deliver the performance, security, and scalability required for competitive enterprises.

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Private vs. Public Cloud vs. Hybrid- What’s the Difference?

More and more organizations today are deploying cloud-based solutions to help simplify complex IT architectures and to drive down IT spending.  In fact, a study by MarketsandMarkets suggests that the hybrid cloud market is estimated to reach $91.74 billion by 2021 (Source: MarketsandMarkets). If your organization is considering a move to a cloud-based environment, it’s important to evaluate the different options available. A first step is to take a closer look at the differences between common cloud environments, including on-premise private cloud, public cloud, and the increasingly popular hybrid cloud option. With a solid understanding of each, enterprises can successfully leverage cloud architectures to meet new business goals and determine winning strategies for moving certain applications or servers to the cloud.

Why on-premise private cloud? Private cloud environments can be configured to support nearly any application. However, running and operating a private cloud generally makes the most sense for legacy applications, I/O-intensive applications (i.e. HR, accounting systems) or for mission-critical applications with strict security requirements. Those compliance requirements might come from corporate standards (i.e. those required for a defense contractor) or they might be industry or government mandated. Often requirements outlined by the likes of HIPPA and PCI, make a strong case for an on-premise private cloud option. A private cloud, run through a virtual private network (VPN) offers organizations the ability to safeguard critical data from potential data leaks with minimum risk and maximum ROI.

When evaluating VPN services such as Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services, or services offered by cloud providers, ask what your virtual network environment will look like. What network and endpoint protection is available to monitor file activity and provide security alerts? What malware is available? Can you create subnets and configure your own route tables and network gateways? If this level of management is too much for a small IT staff, consider how a cloud service provider can help streamline management and improve the reliability of the VPN. If an incremental approach is most prudent, ask if a pay-as-you-go cloud model is available to help with scalability and predictability of pricing.

Why public cloud? The public cloud architecture is really the foundation of the cloud movement. In the public cloud environment, an organization gains access to pooled computing resources either from underlying physical servers or from a virtualized environment, across a public connection. This is generally called the Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) model because it allows organizations to establish infrastructures by leveraging foundational services like computing, storage, networking, and security infrastructure from a cloud provider. Often server space, network connections, bandwidth, IP addresses and load balancers are also delivered in this IaaS model. As a result, the cloud architecture helps organizations to improve business agility and achieve higher scalability to expand and contract as business needs change. This cloud scenario is also more secure and reliable in many ways because if one server or network switch fails, service levels are maintained because there are a multitude of hardware and software resources available.

Often organizations select the public cloud environment for tasks such as long-term data storage, testing environments that need to scale up and down quickly, or new applications where demand is uncertain.

Why hybrid cloud? The beauty of the hybrid cloud is that it offers a balance between private and public cloud architectures. It allows the best of both worlds because an organization can run legacy applications in a stable and highly secure environment in a private cloud, with the option to reach out to the public cloud when needed. In a hybrid cloud environment companies also have access to on-demand resources from a shared pool, which gives ultimate flexibility to spin up resources. This could mean if an organization is mandated with compliance requirements, those highly encrypted servers could sit on-premise in a private cloud. Then, other applications are placed in a public cloud or hybrid environment to support variable workloads, such as application development, promotional applications that need to scale quickly or BI and analytics applications.

This option is often suitable for organizations looking to streamline operations and to cut capital expenses (i.e. nixing costly hardware, software and maintenance investments).  These organization also still require the scalability needed for SAN-based storage, disaster recovery and more. Cloud computing architectures like those offered from VMWare let users integrate on-premise infrastructure with public cloud deployments for the ability to move resources between multiple servers rapidly.

Often when evaluating the pros and cons of cloud environments, the answer generally lies somewhere in the middle. Most organizations need the ability to increase computing, storage, and backup capacity, and manage new applications on the fly. With these needs, it makes perfect sense to virtualize some tiers of the application stack and migrate some applications to the cloud. On the other hand, most companies also require the security and reliability of a private on-premise cloud architecture to run certain parts of the business. If your organization is exploring different cloud models, consider an architecture’s ability to deliver the right balance of functionality, flexibility and investment protection.

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What is Managed WAP

Have you ever been logged into ‘Guest Wi-Fi’ at a hotel and when you walked from your room to a conference room only two doors down, you got kicked off the Wi-Fi network? Or you’re at a tradeshow and you can only get Wi-Fi from one side of the show floor? If you answered, yes, those locations were probably delivering Wi-Fi using a standalone access point. Instead, they might consider using a managed Wireless Managed Access Point (WAP) for internet connectivity. Managed WAP is perfect for large offices, indoor-outdoor campuses or hotels because it does not rely on a single access point and it can cover a larger area. In a traditional Wi-Fi setup, network pros must run wires from a central location to each access point. This connects to a wired router, switch, or hub, which then sends out wireless signals. Instead in a Managed WAP scenario, a centralized Wi-Fi WLAN controller is used to manage several access points (maybe hundreds) from a single controller. In short, a WAP device is a central receiver and transmitter of wireless radio signals that generally produce public wireless hotspots.

As a result, controller managed Wi-Fi access points let individuals roam from office to office, or zone to zone, using a single Wi-Fi network. Managed WAP delivers superior convenience and removes barriers to collaboration and information sharing in the office.

Managed WAP options

Organizations considering a Managed WAP environment, either from a managed cloud provider or a self-managed on-premise option, should ask about cloud managed WAP as well. Many providers offer multi-site management of wireless access points via the cloud. Often, these options eliminate the cost and complexity of traditional on-site wireless controllers. Other benefits include:

Reliable connectivity and consistent performance- More and more businesses today rely on enterprise-grade Wi-Fi. The proliferation of cloud-based applications means that employees and partners count on reliable internet connectivity to do everything from messaging, to accessing BI and analytics applications, to paying vendors and monitoring product inventory. A Managed WAP environment can deliver reliable and fast Wi-Fi performance while meeting growing network demands such as adding new users, new guest networks, new applications, etc. 

Quick, simplified deployment- A cloud-based WAP controller generally includes automated provisioning and access point pre-configurations. Administrators first access wireless network settings from a dashboard, they then mount and plug in the primary access point. From there access points are assigned confirmations directly from the cloud for remote access. Cloud-based controllers can be accessed and managed through any device that has access to the internet. This also gives managers greater network visibility and access to reporting and analytics dashboards for real-time information about network status and usage.

Streamlined day-to-day wireless management- New access point policies, security changes, firmware updates, or adding new applications, can be managed directly through the WAP controller. Network changes are then filtered through to multiple access points in one step, which streamlines management and helps maintain Wi-Fi network health.  Some controllers also include mobile management capabilities, letting managers enable, disable or extend user access from a smartphone. Guest management from these apps or controllers is also streamlined because administrators can apply different network privileges as needed to specific categories of users. 

Granular network control- Many cloud-based managed WAP controllers also allow for in-depth traffic monitoring and traffic shaping. This ensures that each user has enough bandwidth to support their applications. Businesses that need this level of control, can use the WAP controller to classify hundreds of applications quickly and create per-application bandwidth limits. This lets users set up rules to prioritize mission-critical applications for adequate bandwidth and restrict non-critical traffic as needed.

For most enterprises, the decision to offer high-performance Wi-Fi connectivity for employees and guests is no longer optional. The heavy reliance on cloud-based infrastructure makes secure, enterprise Wi-Fi almost mandatory. Network administrators looking to streamline Wi-Fi deployment, optimize network performance and gain tighter control over network traffic may find significant benefits in deploying a Managed WAP architecture.