Managed Network Edge

IT teams face increasing network complexity

It’s no secret that today’s networks are challenging to manage, let alone optimize for peak performance, for even the sharpest IT teams. Years of cobbled together local area network (LAN) and wide area network (WAN) technologies and equipment, often connected by multiple providers, have resulted in networks that are rigid, difficult to manage and complicated to secure.

There are also a growing number of cloud applications requiring direct internet connections that also create the need to prioritize traffic and manage bandwidth that add to the complexity. In fact, in a recent survey sponsored by Cisco Systems, IT professionals cite network complexity, application performance and security as their top network challenges.¹

On top of it all, many midsize enterprises lack the resources and in-house expertise to adequately address network security issues, increase capacity, improve functionality or add new locations to their network. Eighty percent of IT hiring managers report a gap in available technical talent.² Additionally, many are at risk of losing critical network knowledge if they experience turnover of key personnel.

This executive brief explains how a managed, all-in-one network solution from a single provider can simplify network management, strengthen security and enable seamless scalability.

80 percent of IT hiring managers report a gap in available technical talent.³

Network modernization drives simplification

Eighty-eight percent of executives say digital disruption such as mobility, cloud solutions and the Internet of Things (IoT) will have a major transformational effect on their industry. As a result, 63 percent of IT leaders plan to deploy modernized networks to meet quickly changing business needs.⁴

The good news for decision makers is the convergence of voice and data combined with the virtualization of network functions has created new, cost-effective ways to modernize network design and simplify IT. Gone are the days of needing to bond together T1s to increase internet connections, or add voice services line by line, ratcheting up costs each time just for a marginal increase in bandwidth or service availability.

IT leaders today have the opportunity to centralize and share services over their WAN, leveraging customer premises equipment (CPE) for routing and switching of both voice and data traffic. Instead of conducting a massive overhaul of a disparate patchwork of legacy networks, they have the opportunity to modernize their network using plug-and-play equipment to connect locations securely to cloud-based applications through secure IP-sec VPNs. This approach allows them to capitalize on the increased computing power of the cloud for a fraction of the cost of using a private WAN alone.

While some IT leaders will deploy networks entirely in the cloud, most will choose a hybrid approach that keeps a certain amount of applications and data within their own premises-based WAN while sending the rest to the cloud. This hybrid structure is a great way to duplicate important information in the event of an on-premises disaster or a disruption in service to the cloud.

63 percent of IT leaders plan to deploy modernized networks to meet changing business needs.⁵

Modernized networks must have the ability to easily reach the cloud while also streamlining how the physical network is configured. Trying to make separate technologies from different providers work together across all locations is no longer feasible in this fast changing business environment. What’s needed is a network that enables organizations to buy the network services they need now and quickly add services in the future without worrying about infrastructure interoperability.

Managed Network Edge simplifies the networking experience

Managed Network Edge from Spectrum Enterprise offers a modular, all-in-one solution to the complex network challenges you face every day, providing flexibility, security and scalability delivered over the Cisco Meraki platform. It has the ability to bring together equipment, connectivity and network management in a ready-to-deploy package that is designed to help you drive your business forward.

Whether your organization’s site is small or large, Managed Network Edge allows you to buy the services you need now, such as security and routing, so you can connect employees safely and reliably to cloud applications and the internet. You can then add additional services like WiFi to support employees or public usage, switching to gain more control over your LAN, or cameras for added security or buyer behavior insights.

This is what makes Managed Network Edge so flexible — once we quickly deploy the CPE at your location, these services will be available to you when you need them. When Spectrum Enterprise activates a new service for you, that service automatically integrates with the ones you are already using.

Managed Network Edge is also designed to scale as your business grows. As your organization’s footprint expands, SD-WAN can be activated and provisioned — providing efficient management of your WAN. The included site-to-site VPN works with SD-WAN to automatically create connections and tunnels to securely transport traffic throughout your network and connect your WAN to the internet and cloud applications. SD-WAN provides support for growing bandwidth demands, ensures application performance by optimizing network resources and easily scales as your business operations expand to new locations.

As new sites come online, Spectrum Enterprise will partner with you to determine the right connectivity and technology for each location. We can provide flexible connection options such as dedicated Fiber Internet Access, broadband and wireless. Best of all, we can manage the connections for you as part of your Managed Network Edge service or you can bring your own connectivity.

The visibility and support you need to drive your business forward

Regardless of how many sites you have, Managed Network Edge comes with access to an intuitive, cloud-based management portal where you can monitor and control your entire network or individual locations. The portal allows you to instantly access real-time analytics on network performance, health and bandwidth consumption by user or application. You can adjust settings, manage traffic, set alerts and monitor thresholds quickly in response to new information or lean on us for ongoing management as part of your service.

The portal puts you in the driver’s seat, free to decide how much flexibility and control you’d like when it comes to your network management. If your team is already stretched thin, our technical experts can manage it for you while still giving you visibility into your network through the portal. If you prefer a more hands-on approach, Managed Network Edge can also be co-managed. This enables your team to handle the aspects of network management they want to control while we take care of the rest.

With our support, you can reduce the time spent maintaining and managing the network and spend more time planning for future needs. At the same time, you can regain confidence your network is functioning efficiently and voice, video and data applications are meeting your requirements. Additionally, access to an expert team of Spectrum Enterprise engineers and technicians ensures continuity of resources, creating a consistent and effective network strategy.

Spectrum Enterprise brings a national reach as a facilities-based provider and 20 years of managed services experience. We’ll partner with you using our consultative approach to design and implement the right solution for your business needs — integrating your LAN, WAN and internet connectivity. We offer U.S.-based client service managers and 24/7/365 assistance for changes, upgrades and maintenance of your Managed Network Edge service. Throughout solution planning, design, implementation and ongoing management, we deliver comprehensive support and a high degree of accountability as your single network partner.

Choose Managed Network Edge from Spectrum Enterprise for an all-in-one, Cisco Meraki-based network solution including equipment, connectivity and network management — all for one monthly price.

To learn how you can simplify your network experience, visit Managed Network Edge.

1. Rohit Mehra, Rajesh Ghai and Brad Casemore, “SD-WAN: Security, Application Experience and Operational Simplicity Drive Market Growth,” IDC and Cisco Systems, April 2019.
2. Alison DeNisco Rayome, “Why 41% of IT Hiring Managers Say Finding Tech Talent is Becoming Harder,” TechRepublic, Jan. 16, 2019.
3. Ibid.
4. “2020 Global Networking Trends Report,” Cisco Systems, 2019.
5. Ibid.