Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) is a very popular topic in the modern enterprise. It promises a way to consume networking technologies in the same way that one would purchase cloud computing by only charging users for what they need. In this episode of the Tech Field Day podcast, Jordan Martin, Micheline Murphy, and Robb Boyd join Tom Hollingsworth as they discuss the various ways that Network-as-a-Service can be expressed in an organization. They debate the merits of the operational model versus the financial aspects and how NaaS blends into the wider industry trends.
Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Overcast | Amazon Music | YouTube Music | Audio
Watch the presentations from Networking Field Day on the Tech Field Day Event Page.
Network-as-a-Service is a way to help organizations take advantage of elastic pricing and operational simplicity. Much like the managed service providers (MSP) years ago, NaaS companies allow you to effectively rent the hardware from a company that will deploy and manage it for you. If that sounds more like leasing equipment you’re not far from the truth. The panelists discuss how the shift in terminology has transformed a financial transaction into more of a status symbol in enterprise IT.
NaaS isn’t something that is being theorized though. Many companies are doing it today, and not all of them look like the total replacement model. Some are doing it in more focused areas, such as SD-WAN and SASE providers handling the back-end infrastructure and leaving the management of on-premises devices to the customer. There are also avenues for providers to only do a portion of the infrastructure, such as firewalls or wireless access points. As companies spend more time developing products and solutions the number of options available to those that want to implement NaaS will only continue to grow.
The wider industry is focused on providing flexible models that allow more customers to add technology while also reducing the need for capital expenditure (CapEx) budgeting. With more users working remotely the need for massive office upgrades is subsiding. That means more opportunities for providers to come in and offer compelling solutions at lower price points. However, companies need to understand what they’re getting into and how it could affect them in the future before they decide that going with the service model is the right decision.
Podcast Information:
Tom Hollingsworth is a Networking and Security Specialist at Gestalt IT and Event Lead for Tech Field Day. You can connect with Tom on LinkedIn and X/Twitter. Find out more on his blog or on the Tech Field Day website.
Jordan Martin is the Principal Architect at World Wide Technology. You can connect with Jordan on LinkedIn, on Mastodon, or on X/Twitter.
Micheline Murphy is the Consulting Systems Engineer at World Wide Technology. You can connect with Micheline on LinkedIn or on X/Twitter. Learn more about her on her website.
Robb Boyd is the Host of the WTT Research Series at World Wide Technology. You can connect with Robb on LinkedIn or on X/Twitter. Learn more about Robb on his website.
Thank you for listening to this episode of the Tech Field Day Podcast. If you enjoyed the discussion, please remember to subscribe on YouTube or your favorite podcast application so you don’t miss an episode and do give us a rating and a review. This podcast was brought to you by Tech Field Day, home of IT experts from across the enterprise, now part of The Futurum Group.
