Inventory: Excellent NaaS providers in 2021

NaaS, short for Network as a Service, is a service for network transmission connections that optimizes resource allocation by integrating network and computing capabilities as a unified whole.

To put it simply, NaaS is a business model through which users can access network transmission services provided by third parties through the Internet, and the payment method adopted is often based on a subscription model.

As early as five years ago, many of the hot NaaS startups have been acquired by large enterprises. However, NaaS is still an emerging market, and Cisco's entry may mark the transition of NaaS from early adoption to mainstream deployment.

This article takes stock of the top NaaS providers in 2021.

Aryaka SmartServices

Aryaka provides managed network and security services based on SD-WAN and SASE architectures worldwide. Aryaka's SD-WAN-as-a-Service product enables enterprises to consume network services through its cloud-first network infrastructure.

Core advantages:

• Global PoP Points
• Dedicated L2 connectivity, managed network and security services based on SD-WAN and SASE architectures
• Guaranteed performance for global applications
• Integrate regional multi-cloud connectivity to improve application performance
• Providing a range of cloud edge services
• Achieve SD-WAN service provision globally within 48 hours
• Aryaka Network Management Center (ANMC) provides scalable multi-tenant automation and orchestration to provision, configure and scale thousands of sites
• Aryaka EagleEye surveillance capabilities include predictive analytics and machine learning
• Aryaka's global NOC provides 24/7 operations to ensure enterprise network uptime

Perimeter 81

Perimeter 81's NaaS service integrates network management and security into local and cloud-based resources such as AWS, Salesforce, Azure and Google Cloud. This cloud-native NaaS includes a range of security tools for authentication, Wi-Fi security, zero trust, DNS filtering and breach prevention. By placing network resources closer to where they are needed, it helps reduce network latency.

Core advantages:

• Multi-region support: Dedicated gateways can be deployed in different locations to ensure the network can provide the best service with the least latency and the fastest speed
• Split tunneling: IT administrators can control whether all network traffic or specific subnets are tunneled from client applications to the Network as a Service
• Use connectors to connect cloud and on-premises environments, or use IPsec site-to-site tunnels to create a secure communication link between two different networks located at different sites.
• Create users, groups, and group profiles: You can add team members and create groups to segment network access permissions
• Administrators can configure based on role, device, location, operating system, etc.
• Create specific access policies and enforce security measures such as single sign-on integration and two-factor authentication
• Encrypts all data and traffic sent over the network
• Enable zero-trust access policies based on qualifiers such as user role, device, and location

Cloudflare Magic WAN

Cloudflare Magic WAN replaces traditional WAN architectures with Cloudflare's network, providing global connectivity, cloud-based security, performance, and control through a single interface. It can securely connect any traffic source, including data centers, offices, devices, and cloud properties, to Cloudflare's network. Users can configure public and private routing policies to send traffic where it needs to go.

Core advantages:

• Partnerships with network providers such as VMware, Aruba, and data center providers such as Digital Realty, CoreSite, and EdgeConneX to help enterprises migrate their networks to the cloud using existing hardware
• Magic WAN configuration exists on every server in every data center at the Cloudflare edge
• Services in more than 200 cities around the world
• Wide distribution of edge locations provides performance and resiliency not available from other NaaS providers
• Users can choose any hardware they want to connect to Cloudflare

Cisco Plus NaaS

It’s no surprise that Cisco is aiming to be a leader in NaaS. After all, Cisco has dominated the networking space for decades. Its Cisco Plus brand encompasses a variety of cross-architecture solutions designed to deliver services.

Cisco Plus NaaS includes intelligence from AI-driven visibility and automation to drive performance and cost optimization. For example, Cisco Plus Hybrid Cloud provides data center network, computing and storage technologies in a consumption model. Cisco has only recently launched this platform and it is still in its early stages, but it has already attracted the attention of competitors.

Core advantages:

• Ability to scale as needs change
• Cisco's SASE architecture converges networking and security in the cloud
• End-to-end visibility from user to application, across any cloud and any network

Akamai Aura Managed CDN

Akamai specializes in content delivery networks (CDN). Akamai provides a highly distributed server platform that responds directly to end-user requests for web content. It acts as an intermediary between content servers and end-users or clients. Akamai Aura Managed CDN is the SaaS version of the company's flagship CDN solution. Managed CDN services include users providing video streaming services and optimizing their network content delivery while reducing deployment time and upfront costs.

Core advantages:

• Provides HTTP video delivery in multiple formats to network connections over carrier networks, delivering premium subscription content to devices
• Reduce complexity with Akamai’s turnkey CDN solution that’s maintained and monitored 24/7
• Expand online video libraries, accelerate web content, and stream to any device
• Reduce costs by managing a single CDN infrastructure, offloading and controlling OTT traffic, and eliminating hardware
• Operators can also interconnect or federate Aura Managed CDN with the global Akamai Intelligent Platform to provide CDN beyond their own network coverage.
• Aura Operator Portal provides network operators with an analytics and reporting portal to monitor performance and behavior

Megaport MCR

Megaport Cloud Router (MCR) provides virtual routing capabilities for on-demand private connectivity at Layer 3, which is pre-configured in data centers in key routing regions around the world to enable data transfer. Without the need for physical infrastructure, users can take advantage of cloud-to-cloud networking, private peering between cloud providers.

Core advantages:

• Multi-cloud and hybrid cloud environments
• Internet Service Provider
• Cloud Service Providers
• Connect directly to any provider on the Megaport Software Defined Network
• No equipment to own or maintain, and no IP addresses or AS numbers to purchase
• Reduce latency by enabling direct connections between cloud providers
• Inter-region or inter-cloud connectivity to control and localize traffic
• Speeds from 1-10 Gbps

Amdocs NaaS

Amdocs' programmable NaaS automates and orchestrates the design, ordering and management of network services. The company is focused on providing SD-WAN services to MSPs rather than directly to enterprises.

Core advantages:

• Instant deployment, multi-vendor and multi-domain pre-integrated business processes
• Vendor-agnostic
• Each microservice constitutes an autonomous function and with DevOps approach, services can be released in a short cycle
• Complies with MEF (Metro Ethernet Forum) SD-WAN service attributes and service definition technical specifications

Palo Alto Prisma

Palo Alto Networks Prisma helps simplify management, supports application-defined SD-WAN policies, and delivers secure SD-WAN to branch offices via the cloud. It combines SD-WAN technology acquired from CloudGenix with Palo Alto's expertise in networking and security. Use cases include router modernization, cloud migration, and network operations automation.

Core advantages:

• Deep visibility into applications
• Intelligent 7-layer network strategy
• Automate operations using machine learning and data science
• Can increase bandwidth 10 times and reduce 99% of network failures
• Improve cloud-delivered branch security and reduce network costs

Original link: https://www.enterprisenetworkingplanet.com/data-center/top-naas-providers-of-2021/