Powering growth with high-speed networking

IT leaders face myriad tactical challenges: An increasingly large cohort of remote workers needs to access data and applications. Aging infrastructure is not up to the challenge of tomorrow’s high-bandwidth connectivity.

The threat of cyberattacks requires a sophisticated prevention strategy. Although you may be working on important projects — migrating your organization’s data beyond its traditional on-premises location, for example, or developing a diverse, resilient data storage and backup solution — your overriding goal is not tactical. It’s to help your business grow.

In fact, 83% of executives say they are focusing their business strategy on growth.¹ This will require moving to high-performance technologies, such as network infrastructure that can handle the throughput of connections up to 100 Gbps. At the same time, realizing the full benefit of your technology investments will require a clear strategy for choosing the right solutions for your business.
 

The right strategy at the right time

It’s a pivotal moment for many organizations — and their IT strategists. The structure of work is changing. Seven in 10 organizations are expanding permanent remote work options for roles that allow it.³ And 58% of employees have the option to work from home for all or part of the week.⁴

But to fully realize the productivity of remote workers and those in branch offices, organizations need the right network to support them. More VPN and Ethernet traffic running through the network to access the internet, internal data and essential cloud applications increasingly requires high bandwidth beyond the capability of legacy connectivity solutions. The move to a remote workforce has been paralleled by the migration of data and applications. A focus on the cloud and cloud migration were named as top initiatives by 65% of large-organization IT executives.⁵ Half of all enterprise applications are predicted to be moved off-premises by 2024.⁶

Underpinning these advances in remote work and cloud computing: connectivity capable of moving data and workloads quickly between multiple data centers, on-premises servers and wherever workers are located. Organizations are realizing better performance by upgrading the dedicated internet and Ethernet connections at their headquarters and regional offices. As they implement these investments in their IT infrastructure, many are also exploring advanced networking options such as SD-WAN and high-performance security solutions at the edge.

Reaping the benefits

High-performance connectivity is foundational for digital transformation and cloud migration — two top corporate technology initiatives.⁸ And high-capacity internet and Ethernet services provide numerous benefits beyond simply moving data quickly:

Cost control: High-capacity networking solutions enable more widespread cloud computing, which helps organizations save money while implementing new technologies. For example, 87% of respondents in one survey said they are using cloud services to reduce IT costs without reducing headcount, while 78% are investing in the cloud to support mobile and edge capabilities.⁹

Managed services in the cloud also cut costs by reducing complexity. The less time it takes to configure, maintain and troubleshoot a network, the lower the ongoing costs will be. Additionally, managed services allow executives to move spending from capex to opex, something 53% of organizations are doing.¹⁰

Increased productivity: Giving workers smooth access to cloud-based data and applications — whether they are at the main office, in a branch office or remote — helps ensure their productivity. Being able to hire for some roles across a wider geographic area also expands the pool of available workers, bolstering the workforce. For IT specifically, restructuring connectivity and networking architecture to be more efficient can free up limited staff to focus on more important business priorities.

Enhanced experiences: High-capacity networks have the potential to increase performance for customers and employees. Direct Ethernet connections to cloud service providers, for example, allow fast and secure access to applications that are essential to business operations.

Business continuity: Every organization should be prepared in the event of fires, natural disasters and other disruptions to its communications. High-speed connectivity enables redundant, daily backups off site that can help get the business back up and running without data loss. High-performance connectivity infrastructure also provides opportunities for redundant connections and path diversity to help prevent service outages.

Stronger cybersecurity: With the average cost of a data breach in the United States at $9.44 million, cybersecurity is one of the top priorities for IT executives.¹² Newer, high-capacity networking technology can offer stronger security than legacy solutions without degrading performance. An SD-WAN and firewall with throughput up to 100 Gbps can enforce consistent protection across all locations with automated updates to keep pace with evolving cybersecurity threats.

Finding the right partner

IT leaders say a lack of quality data is the biggest challenge in making technology purchasing decisions.¹³ That’s why it’s critical to find an experienced partner for your investment in network infrastructure. The ideal provider can help you sort through the options, deliver connectivity everywhere you need it and meet the unique needs of large organizations.

A lot is riding on the future of high-performance connectivity and the benefits that will flow from a well-implemented solution. Working with a networking partner that offers a nationwide reach, advanced technology and deep expertise will be key to boosting growth with better network performance.

Learn more about how high-speed networking can support your business growth.
 

1. “PwC Pulse Survey: Managing business risks,” PWC, 2022.
2. Ibid.
3. Ibid.
4. “American Opportunity Survey,” McKinsey, June 2022.
5. “Flexera 2022 Tech Spend Pulse,” Flexera, June 2022.
6. “IDC Spotlight: Connectivity Performance Underpins Great Customer Experience,” IDC (Doc #US50299123), March 2023.
7. “PwC Pulse Survey: Managing Business Risks,” PWC, 2022.
8. “Flexera 2022 Tech Spend Pulse,” Flexera, June 2022.
9. Tim Rottach, “Reaching for the Heavens – How Cloud is Helping Balance IT Spending in 2023,” Couchbase, June 2023.
10. “More Than Half of Enterprises Confirm Cloud is Essential to Balance IT Spending, Couchbase Research Finds,” Couchbase, June 2023.
11. “IDC Spotlight: Connectivity Performance Underpins Great Customer Experience,” IDC (Doc #US50299123), March 2023.
12. “Cost of a Data Breach 2022,” Ponemon Institute and IBM Security, July 2022.
13. “Flexera 2022 Tech Spend Pulse,” Flexera, June 2022.
14. Ibid.