In the third blog in this series, I explore the many benefits of a Well-Architected Network. A Well-Architected Network represents CoreSite’s connectivity vision and commitment to customers, and is inspired by and aligned with the Well-Architected Framework presented by cloud leaders such as AWS and Microsoft.
Well-architected networks deliver performance, flexibility and data access every application needs.
The key foundational pillars of a Well-Architected Network, outlined in part 2 of this blog series – including availability and reliability, high performance, resilience and redundancy, and scalability – deliver the following top advantages:
1. Business Continuity
“Business continuity is an organization’s ability to maintain or quickly resume acceptable levels of product or service delivery following a short-term event that disrupts normal operations,” according to Cisco.1
For example, when the network is down, normal business operations are disrupted – employees cannot utilize essential applications, communicate with each other or serve customers. For this reason, business continuity is vital to a company's survival as well as success. You can read more about the devastating costs of network downtime in part 1 of this blog series.
Business continuity is not achievable without an available and reliable network. A Well-Architected Network is designed with operational excellence and redundancy to ensure that the network is up and running 24/7, so the company can conduct business.
2. Operational Agility
Your network is the underlying fabric that interconnects your company’s operations. It enables communication and collaboration with partners, suppliers and customers all over the world. A Well-Architected Network provides the flexibility to foster productive, highly secure and revenue-generating business relationships and customer experiences that build brand loyalty.
The operational agility of Well-Architected Network is especially advantageous in today’s hybrid work paradigm, enabling remote employees to reliably connect to the data and solutions they need to support the business – including video conferencing, email, chat and a variety of business applications. A Well-Architected Network provides your organization with the agility to adapt to evolving employment practices and economically, effectively leverage remote talent.
The Open Cloud Exchange® is a platform built to simplify network services involved in provisioning and network interconnection.
3. Cloud Connectivity
The cloud is mandatory in the digital world. In fact, 89% of those surveyed for the Flexera 2024 State of the Cloud Report say they have a multi-cloud strategy.2 The cloud offers scalability, flexibility and reduced IT costs – and a Well-Architected Network is needed to ensure fast and reliable cloud connectivity.
A direct cloud connection – a dedicated physical fiber connection from a colocation data center to a cloud provider, completely bypassing the public internet – is the ideal option. However, your direct connection is only as good as the network that connects you to the cloud. The quality of the network design and infrastructure becomes more important than ever in this scenario. A Well-Architected Network makes a secure, consistent, low-latency direct cloud connection possible.
4. Data Accessibility
Data is the foundation of the enterprise in the digital age. Empowering decision-makers to guide the organization, data is critical to operations, product development, sales, customer service and much more.
“Data accessibility supports organizational agility,” explains GigaSpaces, a digital integration hub provider. “The ability to quickly access and analyze data means that businesses can adapt their strategies and operations faster and more efficiently, an essential aspect of staying relevant and competitive in a fast-paced digital environment.”3
However, data does not have any value if it cannot be used by the right stakeholders at the right time. A Well-Architected Network maximizes the value of your data by providing reliable access to the information needed for the day-to-day decision-making that drives the business.
5. Employee Productivity
Employee productivity is a top objective for any organization and a key component to success. High productivity means the company's workforce is accomplishing tasks more efficiently and effectively to realize the corporate goals.
IBM explains, “A properly optimized network is an essential part of making any organization function. If employees cannot readily access the tools they need, productivity drops. Whether it's ensuring fast access to cloud-based applications, or that Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services used for conference calls are available, organizations must match network performance with employee needs.”
By providing optimized connectivity, a Well-Architected Network enables communication, collaboration and a range of other business applications, allowing employees to do their best work and fostering productivity across all your teams.
6. Customer Satisfaction
“Customer satisfaction is a measure of how well your organization meets customer expectations – and a crucial component of business success,” according to Salesforce. “Without it, your customers churn, revenue drops, profit margins shrink – and in the worst case, doomsday scenario, your business could collapse. Really. It’s that important.”5
A Well-Architected Network actualizes customer satisfaction in several ways. First, it produces a world-class user experience for customers that are interacting with your company through digital venues such as a website or mobile app. Today, user experience is the scale by which your customers rate the value of your business.
Second, a Well-Architected Network drives innovation, so you can bring to market new products and services that your customers value. Whether you are developing inventive software, apps or products, or finding new ways to meet customer needs, a Well-Architected Network is core to this mission.
Third, a Well-Architected Network gives your service team the ability to elevate customer experience. With easy access to customer data, your team is better equipped to solve problems and keep customers happy.
All of these advantages help improve customer satisfaction and build trust, thereby increasing customer lifetime value and retention.
7. Competitive Advantage
“The ultimate goal of network optimization is to convert your network into a competitive advantage for your business by ensuring optimal performance and reliability,” advises Kentik, a network observability company.6
While other companies are struggling with network latency, downtime, scalability limitations and outdated technology, a Well-Architected Network presents you with an opportunity to surpass the competition in a variety of ways. By delivering all the advantages detailed in this blog, a Well-Architected Network will ultimately provide you with a strong competitive advantage.
Know More
Ready to take the first step to getting all the benefits that a Well-Architected Network can deliver? Get in touch!
In the meantime, learn more about selecting a data center provider that can design and help implement the network you need to be more productive and competitive, check out our “Ultimate Interconnection Buyer’s Guide and Checklist.”
References