Sunday 5 February 2017

Managed Network Services: The Good and The Bad

Managed network services are quickly transforming to become a viable alternative to the traditional management of the MPLS networks. Through managed services, you are basically out task some if not all your network services to a different company taking over the tasks agreed upon. Several more common tasks which lend themselves to the out-tasking include internet and intranet hosting, disaster recovery and business continuity, data storage, managed business voice, managed security and managed VPN.

The Pros of Managed Network Services
When you go for managed network services, you can dramatically decrease the overall network costs. For instance, when you move to managed network services from MPLS, DSL VPN or frame relay, you will see a reduction in costs of 17 to 65% based on research.

Managed network services are perfect for small companies which lack adequate IT sources and enterprise organizations. When you don’t have a full time dedicated IT staff, staffing problems which can adversely affect network operations that can disappear the moment you switch to a managed service provider. If you already have an existing IT department, your dedicated IT team will be able to focus on more important network problems instead of the routine tasks.

Although personnel costs benefits can be crucial, out-tasking to managed services provider can even result to savings in some other areas such as training costs, recruitment costs and equipment costs.

The Cons of Managed Network Services
Just like with major changes, it is a must to go in with your eyes wide open to possible pitfalls of outsourcing your network services to another third party. The one size fits all approach to managed network services should not and does not exist. For this reason, any provider that you consider should take time in carefully examining the requirements of your business and provide a solution which can address all your concerns. See to it that you discuss topics like maintenance, guaranteed uptime, security, reliability and availability. Majority of providers are going to draw up a service level agreement defining quality of service as well as other parameters. See to it that the proposed network services are aligned with you while supporting your business goals.

There are managers who are worried that they will lose control over their business operation when they opt to outsource services like network management. Good thing that managed network services are not a choice between all or nothing. You can choose the services which best suit your comfort level and specific needs.

Another common concern is on network security. You are probably curious about the safety of your data when you put them in the care of a third party. If you happen to be subject to the consumer privacy regulations, your concerns will not only be nagging worries as these are the law and you have all reasons to expect for outstanding security from your chosen provider. Since network security is often mandated and crucial, most organizations actively look for providers with compliance and security expertise.

Going for managed network services has its own set of pros and cons. A reliable service provider understands your concerns and works closely with you to come up with a solution which can solve your business challenges, save money and give you the peace of mind.

Here is a list of managed network service provider in the Asia Pacific Region:


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