Network as a Service is a cloud-based service model that allows organisations to outsource their networking infrastructure. Instead of building and maintaining their own network components, businesses can rent network services from cloud providers.

With the increased speed of network innovations, many organisations face significant technical debt in upgrading (and continue to upgrade) their own infrastructure.

Standardised network models including virtual private networks, multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) connections and on-premise networking hardware are quickly becoming obsolete. These changes are making it an increasingly attractive option to simply off-load this capability to an external service provider, and save on in-house expenditure.

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• Cost Efficiency: NaaS reduces capital expenditures (CapEx) and operational expenditures (OpEx) by eliminating the need for physical hardware investments and allowing for predictable, subscription-based pricing.
• Cloud-Centric Workflows: Traditional network architectures often struggle with the demands of cloud-based applications and remote workforces. NaaS offers scalable and flexible solutions that align with modern, cloud-first business models.
• Environmental Sustainability: By utilising energy-efficient, virtualised network functions hosted in optimised data centres, NaaS can significantly decrease a network’s carbon footprint.
• Automation and AI Integration: NaaS platforms often incorporate AI-driven insights and automation, enabling easier resource allocation, improved network efficiency, and reduced manual intervention.

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• Simplified Infrastructure: Providers manage the network, including hardware and software upgrades, reducing the complexity for businesses.
• Enhanced Security: NaaS solutions often come with integrated, cloud-based security features, supporting a Zero Trust approach and reducing the burden on internal IT teams.
• Flexibility and Scalability: Businesses can quickly adjust bandwidth and services to meet changing demands, with configurations made via software rather than physical hardware changes.
• Hybrid and Multi-Cloud Support: NaaS bridges on-premises and cloud environments, facilitating secure communication across diverse architectures.

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When looking into a Network as a Service model, it doesn’t have to mean that you switch off your existing network overnight. In fact, it would be heavily recommended to look at a piecemeal strategy that can gradually replace parts of your network in order to mitigate challenges such as:

• Integration Complexity: Organisations with legacy systems may face challenges integrating NaaS solutions seamlessly.
• Multi-Vendor Environments: Managing networks with multiple vendors can complicate NaaS adoption, potentially leading to compatibility issues.
• Security and Compliance: Ensuring that NaaS solutions align with specific security policies and compliance standards is crucial.

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As organisations increasingly adopt Network as a Service (NaaS) to modernise their connectivity infrastructure, the importance of robust APIs and seamless interoperability has become paramount in order to provide:

• Multi-cloud connectivity: Support for providers like AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, etc.
• Hybrid environments: Smooth integration between on-premises data centers and cloud networks.
• Standards compliance: Use of common protocols (e.g. MEF standards) to ensure compatibility with networking equipment and services from different vendors.
• Vendor neutrality: Allows businesses to avoid vendor lock-in and build flexible, future-proof network architectures.

At Colt we work closely with MEF and are an industry leader when it comes to API development and integration maintaining both a Colt proprietary SDN API and an MEF Sonata API. Colt has been working with MEF for a number of years and was the first service provider member to utilise the LSO Sonata APIs in partnership with AT&T.