The network communication infrastructure is indeed shifting to a packet-based communication environment from being a largely circuit-switched architecture. Internet Protocol or IP is seen as the driving force behind this transformation. Managed IP services are not a recent phenomenon, and the term has been heard floating around since 2009. However, the positive response from this service’s early benefactors has helped Managed IP Services with WAN gain gradual popularity. Today, these services are seen as one of the emerging standards in WAN networking.
It has been around for some time now. Ever since it was first formalized in 2009, the term has been adopted by many providers and businesses. The concept has been accepted and adopted by early users of this service itself. It is, undoubtedly, perceived as the force driving the introduction of WAN networking standards.
To put it simply, IP management services are designed to take away the pain and effort of managing IP from the customer are IT team. In this setup, Managed IP vendors provide services catering to the organization’s WAN network, thereby allowing the customers to focus on their core business processes.
By doing so, the IP is managed entirely by the third-party vendor to ensure that there are no service gaps that can disrupt the network’s functioning. This service is also designed to increase cost-efficiency and ensure greater uptime and network availability as domain experts deliver them.
Global WAN networks are deployed to provide internet connectivity from even the most remote locations on the planet. Unfortunately, this public access internet is not optimized to ensure manageability, security, and performance guarantees, irrespective of whether they are CE, Layer 1, or even Layer 3 VPN based network connections.
Looking at the magnitude of this issue, managed IP support is the near-perfect solution for gaining enhanced manageability from the networks. Hence, services to manage IPs are offered by vendors to ensure that the networks work in line with the client’s expectations without transferring the headache of management onto the end customer. Managed IP services function efficiently by bridging any gaps that the customer might experience in terms of skill and resources.
We call it “near-perfect” as one vendor may not be capable of offering robust management services. While most vendors and service providers are continually upgrading their offerings to include more and more technologies, very few global players have the capability to offer services across platforms. On the other hand, some service providers have built niche IP managed services to ensure that their offerings are the best-in-class.
The vendor addresses these shortcomings, and the customer receives the required level of service defined by strict Service Levels Agreements (SLAs).
The SLAs are defined solely by the vendor in conjunction with the client’s expectations. As of now, there are no set industry standards defining these SLAs. As a result, the service providers provide packed deals depending on their capabilities and customer requirements. They are specific to the OS version or the vendor’s capabilities. Therefore, it is crucial to ensure that you have as few vendors as possible since not every vendor will have all the capabilities.
VPN (Virtual Private Network) is one of the most sought after applications of managed IP networks. VPN has gained this stature as it is capable of ensuring an optimum level of security while maximizing performance and availability.
All communication and information flowing through the network are encrypted and secure from external hacks. Therefore, businesses can secure their sensitive communication requirements by opting for a VPN. The conveniently available public internet network is transformed into secure and private networks for your business communications.
IP based managed services also support enterprise-wide Voice over Internet Protocol or VoIP requirements. VoIP is cost-efficient over POTS and other traditional methods of business telephony.
However, VoIP can be reasonably complex to manage in-house. Hence, a managed IP service is the perfect solution to reap the benefits of this form of communication. (Another great alternative is SD-WAN which is abbreviated as Software Defined Wide-Area-Network)
Managed IP services are designed to ensure that your WAN network remains steady and robust to support not just VoIP but your data communications as well.
Most vendors offer comprehensive managed IP solutions, including proactive network monitoring, to ensure that the required levels of uptime and availability are maintained while minimizing the number of outages and providing better issue response and resolution times. Most importantly, the popularity of managed IP solutions is a direct result of satisfied customers who have benefitted from this service.
Managed IP can function with both LAN & WAN; however, it is preferred to use WAN. There are certain limitations to using it with LAN, which are overcome when implemented using WAN. Further, there are a few cost advantages too.
However, using WAN without Managed IP can have its own challenges; therefore, it is essential to understand the benefits and advantages of using WAN and how Managed IP helps overcome the flaws of WAN.
LAN, or local area network, is bound by geographical locations, and this is one of the most prominent factors pushing organizations to consider WAN or wide area networking instead.
WAN is capable of connecting various LANs to each other. This is usually across different locations as opposed to different devices in the case of LAN.
Private lines are an alternative to WAN, for establishing communication networks beyond your office premises; however, these can lead to high costs of setup as well as challenging operations. Not every business can afford such high costs.
Even if you consider point-to-point connectivity with technologies like Ethernet Private Line, the cost is likely to increase as your requirements scale up.
Therefore, WAN is a superior technology when it comes to interconnectivity across different geographical locations.
As an interconnected network of different LANs, a WAN is undoubtedly more complex, and the setup can be expensive as well, depending upon the chosen service providers. However, it is designed with enhanced security and higher levels of performance. The resulting network is not only more extensive but more intricate, as well.
Depending on the resources you are willing to invest in, a WAN network can spread over massive geographical areas. These networks are present all over the globe and are not restricted by geographical boundaries.
With its global reach, the internet is the largest IP network today. While it is widely available, communication over the internet is not always secure. In fact, most of the time, it is up to the users to ensure a secured and encrypted connection for communication.
A secured WAN ensures the security of Corporate Intellectual Property. It brings a high Cybersecurity level in place and prevents the global corporate networks from cybercrime and hacking. In the absence of a secured WAN, there can be a leak of Trade Secrets, Private Customer Data, or Future Plans. It can also result in Patent Infringement and cause the business a considerable loss.
This is where Managed IP comes into the picture. It is used to secure WAN and reduce its susceptibility to unauthorized access.
Steady developments in WAN and IP technology have redefined the networking standard. Considering the shift from traditional network communication, more and more organizations are requiring WAN. There is no doubt that managed IP services with WAN are necessary to efficiently and proactively deliver the solutions in line with the business’s requirements.
One of the most obvious advantages is the global reach of WAN that brings all the business locations on the same network. This results in seamless performance and business continuity.
Further, it is more cost-effective to use a secured WAN than using LAN or Private links for global networking.
Finally, it is easier to scale up using Managed IP over WAN because adding new locations requires less setup and installation time and costs.
The increased efficiency, reliability, and affordability are the main driving forces behind the emerging WAN networking standard supported thoroughly by managed IP services.
CarrierBid works with many companies offering private networks and data networking services designed to provide cutting-edge technologies along with fibre-optic connectivity. These are highly suitable to be combined with dedicated private lines and public internet for connecting different locations.
If you would like to know more about how your business can benefit from adopting it, then feel free to contact us directly; you can also fill our web form, and our experts can get in touch with you for an initial consultation. Our services are free of charge from start to finish!
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