Seamless collaboration, automation and safety are growing stronger.
5. Unlocking the Future of Device-as-a-Service (DaaS)
In 2021, remote device management was a gradual trend, but now it has become a mandate. Being able to securely manage and support devices remotely via cloud-based tools is imperative for organizations with a hybrid workforce. With device security and compliance becoming essential, we are seeing a shift in focus from IT emergency triage to more proactive planning around the overall device experience.
“Customers are saying, ‘We’ve gotten over the initial hump, but now how do we enable our workforce to succeed in this new environment?’ It’s moving into a more mature optimization phase,” says Greg Konig, NWN Carousel Devices Vice President.
In 2022, we expect a continued high demand for PCs and other devices as well as technologies to monitor and manage performance and network experience for those devices. Most employers are not prepared to implement modern device management, which is driving strong interest and growth in a Device as a Service (‘DaaS’) model. As a leading Cloud Communications Service Provider, NWN Carousel provides Customers with a holistic DaaS offering to securely deploy and manage their device fleet, including end-user support.
There will also be continued interest in better analytics tools to evaluate the end-user experience. Many organizations have their collaboration tools in place and now need to learn how to manage the end-user experience, including ways to identify shortcomings and improve overall reliability. This is not just for device health and performance, but for an overall end-user experience by translating trend information into meaningful actions to improve end-user productivity.
“We’re not just providing the management of the device fleet, we’re also providing secure end-user support combined with EMP for the overarching management layer.”
Greg Konig, NWN Carousel Devices Vice President
Looking ahead: Management and optimization of an organization’s end-user experience is the next phase. IT admins need a way to evaluate how the technology is working for their employees at home and ensure they are as productive remotely as they are in the office. Taking a deep dive into improving the overall performance and reliability of the infrastructure and devices is key for success in 2022.
6. Operate at Scale in a SASE Model
Aging technology and infrastructure that doesn’t have the capacity or scalability to support a seamless end-user experience (whether from a home office, coffee shop, or corporate office) has been a real struggle for many organizations in the new ‘Hybrid Work’ model. In the coming year, Customers are looking to cloud service providers to deliver secure, managed, as-a-service platforms that create this seamless experience for their employees.
Poor application user experiences have led to workplace dissatisfaction and reduced productivity. Disparate technologies have caused operational inefficiencies leading to IT teams spending a majority of the time fighting fires instead of proactively supporting the business.
“There’s no longer a centralized infrastructure, but now a distributed infrastructure along with the fact that applications are in the cloud, users are remote and everything isn’t centralized in one place. This is here to stay.”
Sonal Patel, NWN Carousel ATS Vice President
In 2022, the focus will be on integration of network and security along with visibility of the user experience and applications. We’ll see a shift from the traditional LAN/WAN environments to ‘work from anywhere’ hybrid architectures.
Scalability in the IT platform and applications will also be a shift in focal point. Expanding or reducing consumption will also be based upon needs.
“In the past, customers could do a five-year ROI with technology. That’s no longer realistic. It’s more of a 3-year period with a focus truly looking at the network as a utility. Asking: ‘How much are we consuming?’” says Sonal Patel, NWN Carousel ATS Vice President.
Attention will also be on a Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) infrastructure. SASE allows for the merging of wide area networking and security technologies through cloud services to connect users and apps, regardless of location.
“Secure access security is on top of mind for all customers. As well as how do they enhance the hybrid workforce,” says Sonal Patel, NWN Carousel ATS Vice President.
“There are a lot of people that are leaving their current jobs because employers are not able to offer hybrid or remote work options. That’s going to impact the ability for employers to be able to retain talent.”
Looking Ahead: An experienced cloud communications service provider, like NWN Carousel, can provide the infrastructure connectivity, including the circuits, along with security components, in a bundled solution resulting in a predictable billing model.
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