Most industries are undergoing a digital transformation that is radically changing how they operate. Enterprise systems take manufacturing work orders and distribute instructions to factories across the globe about how to run production. Artificial intelligence (AI) is impacting everything from how a worker is notified that there is an issue with some remote machine to how a service representative interacts with a customer.
Behind it all has been the network. From the early days of digitizing operations to what’s become the digital-first revolution, the network is a must. First there was the wide area network (WAN) that extended across large distances so that a business’ applications and services could be useful at any location. As times changed, and organizations looked for higher-performance and lower costs, software defined WAN (SD-WAN) took over as the next generation of networking technology.
Now the acceleration of digital transformation has pushed networking technology even further. The latest applications and services that companies consider might run on different cloud environments or their own broadband internet. They’ll need to run without a single hiccup. And of course, it will all need to be done securely.
A lot to ask from any IT team. During COVID-19, as digital transformation has only become more important, it’s nearly impossible. Today, making remote work and collaboration a reality is a top IT investment as employees across North America and the globe continue to work from home.
That’s why the next generation solution from Masergy, the SD-WAN and cloud platform for the digital enterprise, is so important. This solution includes enhanced security, and fully managed or co-managed offerings that takes the work off of IT’s hands so they can focus on providing essential support. Recognizing that moving to SD-WAN is a process that adapts to where a company is on their digital transformation, Masergy help them adopt SD-WAN on their own terms.
Of course, there was far more nuance to Masergy’s offering, which included improved SLAs and a new channel partner program. And all those intricacies needed to reach the right audiences, who run across numerous networking solution providers each day. That’s why prior to launch, Hotwire worked with Masergy to highlight what was so different about what they offered, and how to make sure that businesses large and small were able to recognize how important it all was.
Through the media and a sponsorship with CRN TV, Hotwire helped Masergy secure at least 27 articles across IT and channel outlets. Influential outlets like SDxCentral and FierceTelecom described Masergy’s innovative and unique position in the market as well as their commitment to offer robust service level agreements. CRN, one of the most trusted resources for channel news, covered multiple aspects of the launch.
In addition to the new offering launch, Masergy was also working with the research firm IDG to highlight specifically how the network is so important for the new normal resulting from COVID-19. The radical change in work led to a reconfiguring of IT infrastructure that supports the applications people depend on each day. For instance, almost two-thirds of respondents noted investing more in network infrastructure in Q2 than they did in Q1 of 2020.
Hotwire secured at least 8 articles coming out of the launch for the SD-WAN market trends report. Publications like Computer Weekly, Telecom Reseller and Light Reading highlighted how quickly network agility and secure SD-WAN architectures were becoming a priority, a key finding for Masergy and its customers.
What’s evident in these findings is that companies want the complex made easy to manage and trust. For an SD-WAN solution, this interest shows up through multiple factors. At 70%, security considerations were ranked very important with the next top factor, current IT staffing capabilities, identified by 54% of respondents. A close third and fourth were flexibility of solution (52%) and available features/functionality (50%).
Easy to manage became even clearer when questioned on the type of SD-WAN solution preferred. A full 46% wanted a managed service maintained by the provider, while 29% wanted a co-managed solution. Only 25% were interested in a standalone device that required a do-it-yourself approach.
As people look ahead to the next normal, the network will only grow in prominence. The shift to working from home could quickly become an interest in work from anywhere, and companies need a strong core in order to make that a reality for employees.