Ultimate Guide to Network-as-a-Service (NaaS)

Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) is a cloud-managed network service that provides businesses an enterprise-grade network, with included design, build, optimization, and operations, using a consumption-based subscription model. Like any pay-as-you-go SaaS platform, customers get access to state-of-the-art network technology and service without the upfront expensive infrastructure, build, and upkeep costs.

The resulting network service often is better than more traditional build-manage-own networks, because it consolidates connectivity, hardware, software, monitoring and management tools into one interoperable service. Plus, it provides guaranteed performance due to additional redundancy and resilience built into the NaaS service.

By outsourcing the labor-intensive tasks of network lifecycle management and automating ongoing network performance optimizations, organizations discover that NaaS provides a streamlined network solution. This approach enhances user experience while allowing for greater agility, flexibility, and reliability across branch, campus, or office environments.

More companies are adopting NaaS for branch and campus networks for a variety of strategic and operational reasons.

• Financial: Traditional network infrastructure requires significant upfront capital expenditure (CapEx) for purchasing hardware, software, and other network components. Additionally, ongoing operational expenses (OpEx) for maintenance, upgrades, and management can be unpredictable and high. NaaS offers a subscription-based model that converts CapEx into predictable OpEx.
• Operational: Companies with limited IT resources to dedicate to networking often struggle to manage growing network infrastructure, which can include multiple branch offices and a mix of on-premises and cloud applications. The IT team is overwhelmed with daily network management tasks, troubleshooting, and ensuring network security and performance. NaaS providers take over the daily operational tasks of managing the network, including configuration, monitoring, maintenance, and troubleshooting, enhanced with AI-driven networking tools and automations.
• Flexibility: Businesses experiencing rapid growth or frequent changes in demand due to distributed workforces need a network that can scale quickly and efficiently. Traditional network setups can be rigid and slow to adapt, leading to potential performance issues or underutilized resources. NaaS provides the flexibility to scale network resources up or down based on real-time needs. This agility ensures that the network can support business growth and changing demands efficiently.
• Technology: Keeping up with the latest network technologies, security threats, and best practices requires continuous investment in training, tools, and resources. While smaller sized companies may lack the in-house expertise, medium to large enterprises are experiencing overstretched IT resources or unpredictable priorities making it challenging to manage complex network environments effectively. NaaS providers offer access to the latest technologies and industry expertise as part of the service. This includes advanced Zero Trust security measures, AI-driven analytics, automation, and proactive monitoring.

Enterprise networking, like most technologies, continue to grow in complexity with new hardware, services, security, and underlying technologies and standards introduced, creating more to implement, operate, and maintain. At the same time, IT resources are expected to accomplish more, supporting critical office network functions and building more strategic and revenue-generating projects.

Consumption-based Model with Predictable Costs

Because NaaS is a subscription service, customers get the same visibility into the monthly costs of their network services. Typical challenges like price fluctuations when upgrading to new hardware and software aren’t part of the NaaS model.

Depending on the NaaS provider, flexible consumption-based pricing makes scaling network services and advanced capabilities easy to plan for, unlike more traditional three- to five-year appliance and licensing models.

Scalability and Flexibility of Network Services

NaaS is built to be scalable and flexible, giving companies a streamlined way, through automations and processes, to adjust network resources according to demand.

Inherently, NaaS gives companies a way to adapt their network to changing business requirements, like prioritizing varying application workloads, increasing bandwidth and capacity, or scaling up and down branch offices without significant capital expenditure.

AI-driven Operations and Simplified Lifecycle Management

AI-driven operations, also referred to as AIOps, use AI and machine learning to automate and optimize Day N network lifecycle management, greatly reducing the complexity and workload associated with managing modern networks by eliminating much of the manual monitoring and intervention required.

Especially helpful for IT organizations with tighter resources, it makes it possible to focus more on strategic initiatives and innovation, rather than routine maintenance and troubleshooting, ultimately leading to more efficient and resilient network environments.

Included State-of-the-Art Technology with Continuous Deployment

The speed of networking innovation makes it challenging to keep pace, whether it’s supporting new architecture or evolving standards like Wi-Fi 7, WPA3 encryption, SD-WAN, SASE, and new AI networking tools. With lengthy hardware and licensing cycles, many companies are faced with rapid obsolescence of their network infrastructure with no reasonable means to deploy new technologies.

What’s more, it’s financially costly to keep up so many companies hold on to outdated technology for at least five to seven years. Outside of capital costs, it’s challenging to continuously integrate and deploy like the way SaaS products work because you risk service disruptions, staffing for advanced technologies like AI, or compatibility issues with existing infrastructure.

Because NaaS works on a consumption model, NaaS providers deploy the most state-of-the-art network infrastructure and technology and through the life of the service ensure all hardware and software are frequently upgraded through SaaS-like continuous integration (CI) and continuous deployment (CD) pipelines.

Many businesses struggle with complex networks and limited IT resources. NaaS solutions help address these challenges by balancing business priorities with technology needs, offering reliable, high-performance network experiences. They ensure network resilience through redundancy and automatic failovers while also improving quality of life for IT organizations by resolving common issues.

Consolidating the fragmented network vendor landscape

Consolidating the fragmented network vendor ecosystem can significantly improve efficiency and performance. Managing multiple vendors is challenging due to differing processes and compatibility issues. Network as a Service (NaaS) offers an integrated platform that combines hardware, software, and operations, reducing administrative overhead and streamlining communication. With established partnerships and best practices, NaaS ensures compatibility and predictable performance, creating a reliable and cohesive network experience.

Performance-driven network infrastructure upgrades and optimizations

Performance-based upgrades and optimizations are essential for network-as-a-service (NaaS) providers to maintain effective network infrastructure. NaaS providers handle hardware replacements, offer quick upgrades for failing equipment, and implement technology updates to enhance performance. They also manage software and firmware updates to mitigate security risks and improve functionality. Additionally, NaaS providers utilize centralized Network Operations Centers (NOCs) for real-time monitoring and predictive analytics, leveraging AI to optimize network performance and security while reducing the burden on in-house IT resources.

Simplified network infrastructure

NaaS enables companies to customize network design to meet specific business needs, ensuring necessary capacity and capabilities while keeping costs manageable. It simplifies deployment, enhances performance, and prioritizes security and reliability. Each network is unique, and NaaS providers offer tailored configurations to accommodate user growth, application prioritization, and security policies, allowing for scalability and flexibility to support business growth and new technologies.

Managing physical deployments, installations, and contractors

Network deployments are intricate processes that require various components to work together seamlessly, especially when involving physical construction. NaaS providers typically handle the entire deployment process, including hardware and software installation, onsite configuration, ISP procurement, and physical cabling. Many offer full onsite management, allowing the deployment to proceed without the customer's presence, streamlining coordination. They also maintain partnerships with dark fiber and internet circuit providers to ensure optimal connectivity and meet specific usage needs.

Eliminating IT support tickets and compliance risks

NaaS providers are leveraging advanced automation, AI operations, and network management tools to optimize the network lifecycle. These technologies facilitate real-time monitoring, automate troubleshooting, and enable predictive analytics, reducing IT workload and minimizing human error. This proactive approach enhances network performance, security, and adaptability while lowering the risk of security vulnerabilities and compliance issues.

Reducing operational burdens

A fully managed Network as a Service (NaaS) allows IT organizations to outsource the operational aspects of network management, enabling a focus on strategic initiatives. Key benefits include automatic failovers for enhanced business continuity, minimized risk and downtime through proactive maintenance, scalability on demand to adapt to changing business needs, and managed upgrade schedules that relieve IT staff from hardware responsibilities. This approach enhances network resilience and efficiency while reducing the burden on IT teams.

Centralizing advanced network capabilities and services

NaaS enables the integration of advanced technologies like IoT, AI, and edge computing by providing robust, adaptable network infrastructure. It offers the necessary bandwidth and low-latency connections for IoT devices, dynamically allocates resources for AI applications requiring high computational power, and easily supports workplace technologies such as video collaboration and unified communications (UCaaS). This flexibility helps businesses stay competitive and agile in utilizing new technologies.

A Cognitive Network Operations Center (NOC) is a virtual and centralized location to monitor and operate a company's network systems and infrastructure. Unlike traditional NOCs, Cognitive NOCs maintain and optimize network health, performance, and security through intelligent automation and advanced analytics by utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). They play a key role in ensuring that network services operate smoothly and efficiently, monitoring for incidents, and responding to any issues in real-time with limited human intervention.

Having a Cognitive NOC enables organizations to focus on their core business operations rather than the complexities of managing network infrastructure. This not only enhances operational efficiency but also allows companies to focus on their core business objectives, knowing that their networks are being securely managed by intelligent systems and skilled professionals.

There are several benefits to having a Cognitive NOC:

• Proactive Monitoring: By leveraging advanced monitoring tools and predictive analytics, potential security threats can be identified in real-time, implementing adaptive security measures to safeguard data and applications.
• Rapid Incident Management: AI-driven monitoring and analysis enables faster response times to incidents, and oftentimes issues can be remediated before a customer even sees them. This ensures that potential disruptions are addressed well before they escalate, minimizing downtime.
• Regular Maintenance: Network performance and security are optimized with regular maintenance activities, including software updates, hardware upgrades, and configuration changes.
• Enhanced Visibility: Comprehensive monitoring of network resources provides better insights into performance metrics and usage patterns. This visibility facilitates informed decision-making regarding resource allocation and management.
• Optimized Performance: Network resources are managed more effectively with strategies such as capacity planning and traffic management, which boost network performance, reliability, and security.
• Improved Network Uptime: The reliability and efficiency of the network are optimized by utilizing on-site network and Wi-Fi probes with AI-assisted intelligence to effectively manage incidents and identify trends.
• Comprehensive Support: Technical support workflows provide assistance for users and IT teams with network-related inquiries and problems.

NaaS significantly differs from traditional network management by adopting a subscription-based delivery model. Unlike traditional approaches, where companies invest heavily in their own hardware and software, NaaS allows businesses to scale network resources flexibly based on demand, while outsourcing management tasks such as configuration, monitoring, security, and upgrades to a cloud-managed platform. This model reduces the burden on internal IT teams, enhances cost predictability, and ensures access to the latest technologies, allowing companies to focus on their core activities.

What is the difference between NaaS and a lease?

NaaS and leasing network equipment both provide alternatives to outright purchasing network infrastructure, but they differ in scope of services, flexibility and cost, and operational risk.

• Fully Managed Network vs Hardware Only: Leasing network equipment typically means renting hardware like routers and switches, with the customer handling deployment, management, and maintenance. In contrast, NaaS offers a comprehensive solution that includes hardware, software, and proactive management, ensuring a fully managed network experience.
• Predictable Costs vs Rigid, Fixed-Capacity Contracts: Leasing network equipment spreads initial capital expenditure over a set period of time, but it still involves the same complex planning, unexpected costs, and potential over or under provisioning as purchasing equipment outright. In contrast, NaaS offers predictable, all-inclusive operational expenses on a subscription basis, making it more budget-friendly and scalable. Additionally, NaaS includes equipment upgrades, allowing customers to access new technology without additional capital costs and minimizing common provisioning issues.
• Operational Flexibility vs Operational Risk: Operational flexibility in network management, particularly through NaaS, can significantly reduce operational risks. Traditional equipment purchasing and leasing place the burden on in-house IT staff amid rapid technological changes, increasing vulnerabilities and upgrade costs. NaaS offers end-to-end network lifecycle management, minimizing risks of outages and security issues by promoting dynamic operations over fixed equipment setups.

What is the difference between NaaS and managed service providers?

NaaS and managed services providers (MSPs) both offer solutions to outsource network management and operations, but they differ in scope of services, delivery model, flexibility, and agility.

• Scope of IT and Network Services: MSPs provide a wide array of IT services, including network management, but NaaS providers specialize exclusively in end-to-end networking. They employ domain experts to handle daily operations, focusing on areas such as network architecture, Zero Trust security, AI networking, automation, and proactive monitoring and optimization.
• Delivery Model: NaaS is a comprehensive service that merges hardware, software, and management into one subscription model, including standard features like network design, deployment, and security. While some services may incur extra fees based on the MSP, they typically offer fixed or flexible pricing but lack the dynamic scalability of NaaS. Instead, MSPs focus on maintaining resources and may charge for upgrades rather than providing immediate capacity adjustments.
• Hardware Ownership and Upgrades: NaaS providers own and manage the entire network lifecycle, including hardware upgrades and replacements, while MSPs typically resell or lease equipment and manage customer-owned infrastructure, relying on OEM support or customer procurement for necessary equipment.
• Performance Guarantees: MSPs often lack ownership of essential network infrastructure, limiting their ability to provide strong SLAs and performance guarantees. While they can enhance network resilience, these services are usually add-ons, unlike NaaS, which incorporates them as core elements.
• Native vs Optional Features: MSPs typically offer an ala carte menu of IT services, so features that are native to NaaS are frequently add-ons, leaving it to customers to choose between numerous options. For example, network security is a core component of NaaS, so not only is technology like Zero Trust architecture built in, NaaS provides focused network expertise and purpose-built technology to ensure interoperability that complements customers’ existing cybersecurity stack.
• Proactive vs Reactive Management: Managed Service Providers (MSPs) offer different levels of maintenance and support based on contract terms. NaaS takes a proactive approach, continuously monitoring the network and resolving many issues automatically through built-in automations and AIOps. Software and security patches are also applied automatically to maintain a secure, always-on network environment. 

NaaS delivers an integrated solution for advanced network management, equipping organizations with the capabilities necessary to ensure scalability, agility, cost-efficiency, and enhanced security. By understanding and using the full range of services that should be offered in a comprehensive NaaS solution, organizations can better focus on their core business operations.

These main components constitute an end-to-end NaaS solution:

• Configuration and Deployment: A successful NaaS configuration must consider user counts, application needs, workspace demands, guest access, and security. It should also account for the physical environment to ensure optimal network coverage and proper installation of necessary hardware and equipment. Effective planning facilitates smoother future expansion, while post-installation requires thorough network configuration and performance testing, ensuring legacy equipment remains operational until validation is complete to prevent service disruptions.
• Connectivity: Reliable internet connectivity is essential for smooth network operations, requiring the integration of WAN and internet services, along with partnerships with fiber and circuit providers. While NaaS may not address the underlying infrastructure, it can help in procuring and managing internet services, including negotiating with providers, monitoring performance, and troubleshooting to maintain high-quality connectivity.
• Hardware, Maintenance, and Upgrades: A reliable NaaS solution requires top-tier hardware, encompassing both wired and wireless components like WiFi access points, switches, routers, and firewalls. It should also integrate essential IoT devices and sensors, including AV technology and environmental sensors. To ensure optimal performance, automatic updates, ongoing maintenance, and timely hardware upgrades are crucial as standards evolve.
• Integrated Security: Security is crucial in any network setup and requires a robust framework that includes modern access control policies like Zero Trust models. Effective security measures involve real-time threat detection, micro-segmentation, strong security policies, and regular updates to address evolving threats. Additionally, implementing advanced encryption protocols and multi-factor authentication can significantly strengthen the network's security.
• Managed Network Services and Performance Monitoring: Continuous monitoring involves real-time tracking of network health and traffic, along with automatic software patch deployment to maintain security and performance. It includes comprehensive reporting and analytics for insights into network trends and improvement areas. Additional services, like a cognitive NOC utilizing AI, enhance network infrastructure management. These proactive strategies help ensure effective performance and availability, addressing issues before they affect customers.
• Enhanced Integrations and Extensibility: API access allows customers and partners to develop additional services and seamlessly integrate with key organizational tools, including IoT data and third-party cybersecurity tools. This integration enhances communication, productivity, and creates a more cohesive network environment.

With many businesses moving more of their operational technologies to as-a-Service products, NaaS brings predictability and flexibility costs to enterprise networks. NaaS already solves most challenges facing IT teams today, including

Legacy Network Transformation

Requirement: An organization with outdated network infrastructure looking to modernize its network for improved performance, security, and scalability.

Solution: NaaS transforms legacy networks by providing a modern, cloud-based network solution that replaces or enhances existing infrastructure, using a cap-and-grow approach. By leveraging NaaS, the organization can transition from outdated hardware and software to a more agile, scalable, and secure network without the need for significant capital investment.

The NaaS provider handles the migration process, ensuring minimal disruption to business operations. Typically, network transformations include fully managing network operations, upgrading network security measures with Zero Trust, optimizing performance, and incorporating advanced features like automation, AI-driven analytics, and real-time proactive monitoring. As a result, the organization benefits from a future-proof network that is managed end-to-end and can easily adapt to new technologies and business demands, ultimately improving network satisfaction, efficiency, and reducing operational costs.

Distributed and Branch Office Connectivity

Requirement: An organization expanding operations to new distributed or branch offices.

Solution: With its purpose-built architecture and streamlined workflows, NaaS facilitates the quick and cost-effective deployment of network infrastructure to new locations. NaaS can provide branch offices with secure, high-speed connections to the main office and other branches, supporting seamless communication and data sharing. This brings a fully cloud-managed branch network ensuring consistent network performance across all locations with predictable costs. NaaS eliminates the need for the company to manage complex network installations and hands-on operations, which is especially beneficial for companies without in-house IT resources in branch locations.

Campus Area Networks (CAN)

Requirement: A large corporate campus needing to connect multiple buildings with a reliable, high-performance network.

Solution: NaaS offers a streamlined path to efficiently design, deploy, manage and optimize network infrastructure for campus area networks, connecting various building spaces such as conference and meeting spaces, offices, cafeterias, and facilities management. By using NaaS, the corporate campus benefits from outsourcing network operations with centralized management and monitoring of the entire network through a cloud-based NOC, ensuring consistent performance, security, reliability, and wireless connectivity across all locations.

Additionally, NaaS can support the integration of advanced technologies such as IoT devices, smart spaces, and spaces equipped with modern collaboration tools. The flexibility of NaaS allows the campus network to scale easily with new buildings and technological advancements, maintaining a future-proof and efficient network environment.

Before choosing the right NaaS provider, it's crucial to assess your network needs by evaluating your current infrastructure and future requirements. Consider factors like network capacity, bandwidth, and potential growth to clarify what you need. Once you have this understanding, research different NaaS providers and compare them based on reliability, scalability, security, cost, and support. Look at their service offerings, service level agreements (SLAs), and customer reviews to make informed choices. After narrowing down your options, request detailed proposals from each and review them carefully, focusing on how they meet your specific needs, SLAs, security measures, and pricing models.

• Cost and Pricing Models: Cost efficiency is a significant factor when selecting a NaaS provider. Look for pricing models that offer predictable operational expenses without hefty upfront costs. This will reduce upfront investments in hardware, minimizing ongoing operational expenses related to maintenance and upgrades. Some providers will also offer full replacement of hardware at no additional cost, which further ensures budget predictability.
• Scalability and Flexibility to Meet Changing Business Needs: Network needs will naturally evolve as any business grows. It’s essential to select a NaaS provider that allows businesses to scale seamlessly according to their needs. Rapid deployment and scaling of network resources ensure that the network can adapt to changing business requirements. Additionally, an automated customer ticketing system makes requesting new services, increasing capacity, or specifying additional network build-outs straightforward.
• Integrated Security and Compliance with Industry Standards: Ensure that the NaaS provider employs rigorous security measures and complies with industry standards. A provide that offers a Zero Trust security framework, including user authentication, least privileged access, and continuous authentication, is ideal. Real-time threat detection and anomaly detection with automatic issue remediation, along with micro-segmentation by device and/or user, help protect sensitive information and ensure data integrity. Regular software and security patches should also be included to maintain optimal security.
• Reliability and Service Level Agreements (SLAs): Look for providers that offer robust Service Level Agreements (SLAs) guaranteeing high uptime. A NaaS provider offering a fully managed 24/7 Network Operations Center (NOC) is a plus, ensuring continuous monitoring and maintenance to promptly address any issues. Such proactive monitoring and management ensures maximum performance and availability.
• Quality of Support and Customer Service: Excellent support and customer service are crucial for maintaining network performance. Look for a dedicated 24/7 help desk and support teams who can provide expert technical support across multiple communication platforms, including e-mail, Slack, messaging, and telephone.