One of the key learnings in life is that the expectations we have in our heads don’t always match up with reality on the ground. Take, for instance, the task of building a house. You might think that it is a straightforward process, only to realise that it’s an intricate and difficult job that requires significantly more manpower, budget and expertise than you anticipated. You’ll have to do some serious last-minute scrambling to remedy the issue, or risk ending up with a house that is less than satisfactory.
Similarly, without the right approach, you may run into problems when constructing a cloud-ready network to power your enterprise needs. Indeed, it can be tempting to think that given the technological advances and wide array of software available today, getting your network up and running will be a straightforward task. But this couldn’t be further from the truth.
In reality, on-the-ground network deployment is a complex process, and you’re likely to encounter a myriad of potential pitfalls that you may not have initially taken into account. These include underestimating the work involved, getting derailed by pesky operational disruptions during migration and navigating skill gaps among in-house technicians and inexperienced service providers. Each of these hurdles can have far-reaching consequences, ranging from higher costs to delays.
It’s therefore essential to be apprised of the obstacles, so that you can take the necessary steps to address them. Here are some of the most common mismatches between expectations and reality when setting up cloud-ready networks.
Expectation #1: Network deployment is the same regardless of the region.
Reality #1: Countries are governed by vastly different regulatory and compliance restrictions, and network infrastructure can be inconsistent – especially in a heterogenous region such as Asia.
Expectation #2: The SD-WAN overlay has all the answers.
Reality #2: Subpar underlay planning results in poor Internet visibility and security. The underlay must be designed properly for the smooth running of the overlay.
Expectation #3: A single network blueprint meets all business needs.
Reality #3: Different organisations have distinct requirements. Your network blueprint must be customised to grow with your organisation and meet your specific demands.
Expectation #4: Receiving 24x7 operations and service support.
Reality #4: Not all markets and providers will offer this service, and SLAs and SOPs vary. This may lead to slow responses to network outages and extended downtime.
Expectation #5: Full visibility spanning the entire network.
Reality #5: Poor visibility can occur if the overlay and underlay are not integrated. This will make it harder to carry out network management and troubleshooting.
Expectation #6: Proactive monitoring across all systems.
Reality #6: A lack of automation and open APIs prevents effective monitoring, which affects network performance and incident reporting.
How can you overcome these disparities to create a successful cloud-ready network? It starts with selecting the right provider. Besides being apprised of these challenges, they must be equipped with the appropriate technology, solutions and expertise to address them.
For instance, the ideal vendor should be able to provide the right design and solutioning services to architect a custom-built network tailored to your unique business needs – ideally one that’s been created with a holistic suite of cutting-edge software-defined technologies. They should also exercise the appropriate care when designing the underlay and ensure that your entire network is integrated for optimal visibility, management and monitoring. Furthermore, they must have a proven track record of operating in your region of choice. This will make them well-equipped to help you navigate the minefield of diverse regulatory requirements, and to offer the service support you require regardless of the location.
Bridge the gap between expectations and reality by partnering with Singtel. Besides its deep regional expertise, it has a comprehensive range of software-defined solutions to help you design a fully optimised, cloud-ready enterprise network to prime your organisation for success.
