NETWORKS
For example, Devon County Council awarded a MPLS contract for a Wide Area Network to GCI Network Solutions in June 2025, worth £12m. E2E Technologies acts as a Network MSP offering a variety of connectivity options, ranging from simple business broadband to dedicated internet access solutions and managed MPLS services. Market Disruption NaaS providers are projected to disrupt and take market share from several traditional segments such as network hardware, managed services, older WAN providers, and the security appliance markets. The security appliance market encompasses the hardware and software solutions used to protect computer networks from unauthorised access and cyber threats, and includes devices like firewalls, intrusion detection systems, and VPNs. It is not all doom and gloom for vendors and distributors operating in those markets forecasted to be disrupted, as global emerging markets will still have a “network need” and will meet that need in any of the networking models, based on their geographical and economical situation.
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lead to unexpected costs if not properly understood and managed. NaaS solutions rely on the provider's infrastructure and configurations, but the customer still has responsibility for configuring their network access, security policies, and user permissions within the NaaS environment. Improperly configured access controls, like overly permissive firewall rules or weak authentication, can create vulnerabilities. Once sensitive data passes through third-party networks and is exposed, it is not so private anymore, and the repercussions to the owner can be catastrophic. Then there are the performance issues to consider. Too many tenants can produce possible network bottlenecks, and performance issues are tied to the quality of the user’s internet connection, which may have unpredictable latency that was not scoped out at the outset. With any aaS (as a Service) it is always best to do a TCO (total cost of ownership) analysis before decisions are made. Long- term operational costs may exceed one- time investments in owned infrastructure, especially for stable, unchanging needs. How does one choose whom to NaaS with? Well, buyer beware, but when and if any organisation decides to opt for a NaaS model, or some hybrid model with NaaS in it, hopefully they choose a reputable provider with a robust security posture. n
Choosing the wrong NaaS partner
might entail in organisations finding it costly or complex to switch out or switch over instantly.
NaaS may not be right for Everyone
Selecting a NaaS provider needs to be carefully considered. The major reasons for a company taking its time to consider which NaaS vendor to choose include being locked into contracts, weighing up cost of ownership, and control, especially regarding data sovereignty, data security and integrating NaaS into or switching over to existing network models. Choosing the wrong NaaS partner might entail in organisations finding it costly or complex to switch out or switch over instantly. Sometimes like a bad marriage, the dependence on a NaaS partner makes it difficult to leave. Or worse, there is deception at the beginning, where unclear pricing models and hidden fees
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