Network Transformation Planning
As Beyond Technology nears the end of a very large (700+ site) network transformation program, I have taken time to look back and consider why the program has been so successful and how we have been able to assist our client to materially change their digital agility and readiness for ongoing business productivity improvements.
An organisations network is foundational, when it is poorly performing its almost impossible for the IT function to build or maintain credibility with the business. When the architecture is legacy, or the operational strategy is non-ideal, the IT function can't respond quickly enough to the business, is constantly on the back foot with regards to security, and never have the budget or time to be proactive in delivering improved capabilities to the business.
When your Network, Telecommunications and operational strategies are aligned with the digital aspirations of the business - you have a highly performant, scalable, reliable, efficient, secure and cost effective foundation to build your broader digital business evolution.
The telecommunication landscape and contemporary network architectures is fundamentally different to where it was just 5 years ago. The fundamental evolution of the industry through the NBN build, Covid impacts and the global cyber security degradation has left technology leaders without lived experience to assist in the navigation of the transformation objectives. Both carriers and network vendors are struggling with the shifting dynamics of the market and clients are finding that they have a limited window to decide on the optimal transformation approach and how to get the most out of their budget.
We have found that our experience and expertise has provided our clients the air cover that they need to shift their focus from the weeds of the network transformation, to the truly unique value add opportunities in their business. Having the confidence that the network transformation program will deliver them the correct balance of cost/risk/performance/agility has provided the opportunity to engage with the business on specific and impactful digital transformation projects that rely on the solid network infrastructure foundation.
The network transformation agenda needs to reduce operational complexity (more people managing the network is not an option), improve reliability (24*7 high avaliability is always mandatory), improve performance (bandwidth requirements keep growing and network destinations keep changing), improve security (network threats grow every hour), and reduce/avoid costs (do more with less, rinse and repeat).
Advice needs to be trusted, vendor agnostic and independent. Unfortunately conflicts of interest are rife in the technology industry. Sometimes these are obvious (its no surprise when your managed service partner only recommends a technology that they support) and sometime not so obvious (when advice is effected by secret commissions or just technical bias).
If you know of an organisation that is having its telecommunications contracts up for renewal in the next 12 months, considering the lifecycle replacement of network infrastructure, or is looking towards a digital business transformation agenda - then let them know that Beyond Technology can help.