How a modern digital platform can support a lasting business

transformation for your organisation

Unlock the future withconnectivity services andnetwork modernisation

Introduction The agility of many organisations is often limited by the shackles of legacy infrastructure. In this eBook we will discover what solutions are available to meet this challenge. Today, any organisation can be flexible, agile and responsive without having to endure the upheaval of a traditional network refresh. CIOs are often burdened with complex IT infrastructure and legacy investments, meaning innovation and forward-thinking has to take a back seat to f iref ighting and simply ‘keeping the lights on’. 

Outdated and ageing networks can create many challenges, ultimately putting your business at risk. From a lack of standardisation to security, many organisations are still reliant on network equipment that has reached end-of-life and has been built upon their legacy network infrastructure over time. This can become costly and complex to manage, and a blocker to modernising any business. Even a relatively up-to-date network may be based upon design principles that are many years old and therefore not f it for purpose in the world in which we now live. Network modernisation is now critical to the success of an organisation’s digital transformation.

Today’s highly mobile users, data and applications in the cloud, huge numbers of previously unconnected devices (or ‘things’) now requiring access to the network – plus the spectre of constant security threats – mean traditional networks will never be adaptable enough to meet these challenges.

 Here we will outline the growing

impact of digitalisation and why organisations should embrace the changes that can deliver operational eff iciency, workplace transformation, and help realise the full value of data to drive a positive customer experience.

 Every organisation is at a different

point on its digital transformation journey: facing up to the demands of hyper mobile users and dealing with the exponential rise in network traff ic; managing the complexities of data across locations and at the edge; struggling to support the rise of SaaS with traditional networks; and dodging the slings and arrows of a growing array of cyber attacks.

 Over the following pages we’ll

examine how adaptable solutions can

deliver the digital platforms that are critical to the successful navigation of these challenges; connectivity services and network modernisation can offer the synergy to securely deliver applications to the workplace, wherever that may be. In recent years, the transformational shift to these solutions has fundamentally changed the way networks are designed, built and operated – enabling an unparalleled degree of flexibility. We will discover how software-defined solutions can manage the complexity of separate wired and wireless networks and reduce multiple network management systems.

By supporting access to increasing numbers and types of devices, they enable organisations to leverage the next generation technologies delivering higher rates of data transfer. The consistency required to achieve the same level of granular quality of service, policy, and security enforcement across networks is now a reality.

In its simplest form, the journey from analogue to digital and the conversion of information into digital formats is by no means a new concept. The need for information to be processed, stored, and transmitted through digital circuits, equipment, and networks has been growing exponentially as digital transformation continues across industries and sectors. 

Industry 4.0 is changing the way companies use technology. Digitisation is driving the move away from legacy infrastructures and private data centres, while we see a huge growth in cloud-based services driving the push towards greater operational eff iciency. The next step is digitalisation. Existing business models are changing in light of advanced technologies generating strategies for value creation by entering new markets with products that appeal to new customers. In pursuit of these goals, reliable platform support is needed for latency sensitive day-to-day applications, for everything from industrial automation and robotics to f inancial services, AI and self-driving cars.

 Organisations and their solutions

providers require connectivity, security, and observability closer to where applications are consumed – at the edge. Paper processes, with all of their manual ineff iciencies, are being replaced by digital systems. As this workplace transformation gathers pace, value is being realised from historical data silos being accessed via new platforms offering the transparency and security businesses and their customers need.

 Digitisation and digital

transformation are often used interchangeably, but differences in the way these terms are applied – and the expectations of those businesses and consumers whose interactions will be defined by them – are emerging. When we call a f inancial institution or hospital and our transaction history and medical records are instantly available, that’s digitisation at work. The ability to manage that data and realise its value requires a digital transformation built with the

appropriate connectivity services and trusted networks that deliver results via a secure platform for continued innovation. This is the process of digitalisation. The impact of digital transformation linked to business value is key: a recent study by McKinsey found that 50% of surveyed companies reported a moderate to significant impact on realising new revenue streams, while almost 70% reported an impact on increasing existing revenue streams and 76% reported an impact on reducing costs.

 Out of necessity during the pandemic,

we have seen a willingness to integrate digital technologies into existing business models, enabling required changes in the way companies operate

to deliver products and services. Hybrid working models are becoming the norm. For an increasing number of our customers, work is something they do – not somewhere they go. In the wake of COVID-19, it’s now clear that every company needs to be a tech company. The greater acceptance of (and necessity for) remote working has triggered workforce optimisation on a scale we have never seen before.

Through a spike in demand for online services and the increase in cyber attacks, technology that delivers on the true benefits of digitisation has emerged as a critical business capability driving the customer experience.

What is digitisation?

“Digital transformation linked to business value is key.”

The Digital PlatformLogicalis has a tried and tested blueprint, based upon a proven methodology, which forms the basis of our customer value proposition. We believe that customers need a Digital Platform to enable them to realise their digital ambitions. This platform needs to display three key attributes: Adaptability, Security and Observability.

In this document we will explore each of these areas in detail. Underpinning this is our engagement methodology, which is based on the “Advise, Adopt, Adapt” model. Using this model, we advise our customers on the best solution to address their requirements, both today and in the future. We then work with the customer to implement the solution. Finally, we engage with the customer via a comprehensive set of life cycle services to ensure that they are deriving maximum value for money – and therefore benefit – from the solution.

UsersNo longer bound by a single geographic location, users are hyper mobile and not restricted by legacy systems and the barriers of historic network design. Increasingly, the legacy systems trying to meet the needs of the modern user are found wanting and are not “digital business” ready. Facing up to the future of work, organisations need to ensure their home users do not feel like second-tier employees and are able to enjoy uninterrupted access to servers and video conferencing to keep them attached to the company culture.

The future of work needs to be planned for now: a distributed workforce and workplaces connecting to distributed applications in service hosted locations. Users need reliable connectivity closer to where their applications are consumed, delivered via the cloud to the edge. Ultimately, it should not matter whether a user is connecting from an office, home, or on mobile – the technology needs to be able to deliver a consistent experience.

In today’s world, data is the new fuel – the growth engine. However, being able to effectively access and leverage that data 24/7 is one of the biggest challenges companies now face.

Challenges

ChallengesSecurityThe domino effect caused by the prevalence of the work from home/work from anywhere dynamic has meant that security concerns have become increasingly challenging. A recent Malwarebytes survey found that since the start of the pandemic, security breaches in a staggering 20% of respondents were the result of remote workers. Meanwhile, 24% said they had paid unexpected expenses specifically to address a cyber security breach or malware attack. 

Cyber attacks can have a detrimental impact across the whole organisation, so preventing them needs to be a business priority. The issue persists because traditional networks were not designed and configured to support modern businesses with their digital strategies. Inherently static in their nature, they were built for connections and the few devices that come in to connect to a service – a static client base connecting to a static application location. Today those boundaries are shifting, with a whole range of different devices requiring connection to the network. Consider this: today, a network manager has to be able to reliably connect users and devices which could be anywhere – in an office, at home, on a train, in a delivery truck – to data and applications, many of which will be hosted “off-prem” in the cloud, and they need to do this reliably, consistently and securely. This is a far from trivial exercise and can only be achieved via a “secure by design” philosophy.

Network trafficMeanwhile, the network itself is facing new demands. It is expected to handle more traffic from the rise in connected devices, from coffee machines and electric vehicles to forklift trucks and transport systems. The dawn of Industry 4.0 is being driven by these connections as the Internet of Things (IoT) and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) both gain momentum. Analysts predict there will be more than 125 billion devices connected by the IoT by 2030. The data collected can be used to automate operations and improve decision-making, enabling improved safety and security, operational efficiency, asset management, and predictive maintenance. 

A successful IIoT implementation requires information technology (IT) and operations technology (OT) to work together – a difficult challenge, both technologically and culturally. IT is often driven by rapid change, while OT is typically driven by established tradition. But as manufacturers increasingly require access to more data, once siloed manufacturing machines and systems are progressively becoming connected to networks. While the efficiency results are beneficial, those same operational systems are now more susceptible to cyber attacks (such as DDoS attacks and employee sabotage) that previously only affected IT systems. Furthermore, the legacy systems and software used on the OT side and connected to the internet have opened a potential Pandora’s box.

The edge In the past, data and applications were stored in a data centre – but now they can be in hundreds of different locations/at the edge. According to a recent Accenture survey, 85% of executives say they are not confident that their current operating model can meet shifting strategic priorities like these – and a worrying 94% believe that very operating model is putting their organisation’s growth and performance at risk. 

The need to deliver applications at the edge is putting a big demand on the networks that must keep up with a mobile workforce and its changing end device requirements. Are they in the cloud, on-premises, or at another location that requires connection to different services? With this complexity comes the need to police access and avoid the security threats that come with a completely open network. These problems and more can be solved with software-defined solutions that overlap to meet the demands of connectivity and networking. Referring to the earlier introduction, an adaptable network is key in delivering these requirements.

Challenges

Solutions

Organisations are now fundamentally reimagining their entire business model, supported by technology enabled by the cloud. Failure to modernise could condemn businesses to irrelevance or worse. A McKinsey report on digital recovery found that just 8% of companies believe their business models will remain economically viable

Delivering SaaS via secure remote accessThe rise in remote employees and an increased reliance on SaaS applications create new, wider gaps in security. Put simply, it’s more challenging to protect users at the edge – ensuring seamless connections that optimise productivity, without creating performance issues that drag down user experience. Logicalis leverages a secure access service edge (SASE) model, an architectural approach that offers an alternative to traditional security. SASE converges networking capabilities with cloud-native security functions to simplify deployment and streamline management in the cloud.

as the business community moves towards digital transformation. It warned that companies could see revenues slashed by up to 12% over three years if they do not adopt a first-mover position. Choosing adaptable solutions can be a key part of that digital transformation journey.

Supporting remote users with software-defined technologiesEnabling the future of work with a hybrid approach to supporting remote users working from anywhere requires seamless connectivity. Logicalis provides assurance of the same application

Logicalis can give remote users an SD-WAN connection that drops them off into a secure area – with the addition of DNS security, a secure gateway and malware protection – offering proactive protection against cyber attacks in the cloud. This allows real intelligence over a home broadband connection, where we utilise the cloud to decouple the logical decision-making for network traffic flows and application performance from the physical media. The integration of Cisco’s comprehensive suite of security tools guarantees remote workers can safely access SaaS applications such as Office 365 and Salesforce via the cloud – without the installation issues experienced on-premises.

performance and security with three key software-defined networking solutions from Cisco that deliver secure connectivity and advanced monitoring: SD-Access (Software-Defined Access), SD-WAN (Software-Defined WAN) and ACI (Application Centric Infrastructure). This allows us to deliver the same user experience over an internet feed as you would expect over a dedicated leased line or MPLS circuit connecting all locations for standardised tasks. A key benefit of software-defined technologies is that they massively reduce operational complexity. If we can simplify operations, this in turn allows us to adapt the network quickly and easily to changing business demands.

Secure cloud integrationLogicalis is able to take that traditional WAN connection and extend it into a cloud environment – be it Azure, AWS or Google – which gives our customers a single control plane to manage their office campus and cloud infrastructure. That seamless interaction takes a trusted workplace and extends it into the cloud.

Cisco’s ACI offers software-defined networking for data centres and we can take this a step further. We can spin up ACI Anywhere, delivering the same look and feel but in a cloud environment. It’s a hybrid cloud solution for the many customers who want to retain an on-premises data centre, combined with instances in any cloud platform, allowing us to create a unified fabric across those platforms. Again, this approach deploys a single control plane for configuration across multiple locations with the integration of security into the traffic flow itself. Logicalis can create user groups with permissions that enforce who can connect to what, because you may have specific data or users that sit on-premises that you never want to speak with cloud instances, and vice versa. This connectivity layer introduces another level of security.

Advanced monitoring and observabilityLogicalis can provide secure access wherever you are connecting from and into whatever location you want to be able to connect to. The advanced monitoring we offer gives a level of assurance that sits on top of that. It’s not about one-size-fits-all, it’s adaptable to support your path to innovation. Adaptability is a key requirement for everything we build, with security backed by observability at the forefront of what we do – because there’s no point having a secure service if you don’t have the transparency to see what’s going on across your network. 

Monitoring is key and it’s why we deploy tried and trusted solutions to help us deliver that peace of mind. ThousandEyes, AppDynamics and Cisco Intersight integrate together to deliver business observability across the full stack. We’re able to give our customers monitoring assurance from an application they don’t own, traversing infrastructure they potentially don’t own, on compute they don’t own, over more infrastructure they don’t own, across mobile devices they don’t own. But how can we give a level of assurance over a connectivity service we don’t always own, manage or control? That’s where observability solutions from the likes of LogicMonitor and Accedian come into

Managing devicesAll of the devices a company issues its staff can become vulnerable at the edge. Additionally, in the bring your own device (BYOD) world, many of these devices will not be company issued and instead owned by individual employees. Logicalis are able to provide a single policy, but each device works in a slightly different way. We can lock down a phone or laptop and give you access to the internet everywhere around another element in the network. Simultaneously we have embedded security via a policy-driven approach delivered by automation from software-defined networks. Physical configuration is minimal because it’s all driven by a centralised controller acting like an orchestration platform. That centralised controller is the intelligence – the brains behind a dynamic configuration policy – which drives the performance optimisation of devices. AI-driven technologies can learn the user trends, services, and application metrics that are specific to your network. AI-driven predictive analytics and proactive insights allow users to anticipate and

prevent failures. Allied to this, Cisco AI Network Analytics provides accelerated remediation through machine learning, which identifies the most critical variables related to the root cause of a given problem. This proactive observability can be the starting point for automated network changes to deliver more throughput for specific applications and their users. A Machine Reasoning Engine (MRE) can define the next intelligence evolution and help with complex workflows where the result of one action determines the next. It closely resembles how human beings themselves reason things out and accomplish multistep tasks.

 It’s time to recognise that businesses

cannot be masters of everything. Beware the snake oil pitch and look to those seeking to build the dynamics of short-term trust with goal-setting, rather than tying you in to five-year promises. It’s important to be adaptable to change and avoid trying the same approaches and expecting a different result. Rely on our experience to take the complexity out of change management. Prepare to move beyond the clouds of uncertainty that may be affecting your business and leverage a platform for an iterative journey that can help you plan for your immediate future while working towards long-term goals.

play. They act as sensors and integrations into those services, looking at developing a secure experience rather than managing the service itself.

Advise, adopt and adaptLogicalis approaches each customer’s challenges with a focused three-phase iterative cycle: advise, adopt and adapt. We can advise on the right network managed platform to fix your current issues; a platform designed in such a way that it can be easily adapted to integrate with wider network modernisation projects in the future. We’re here for the journey, ready to adapt our offering to meet your growing requirements. Have you got older devices that aren’t operating in the right way, but still need to be integrated? Do you require secure segmentation on your network? Do you have multiple types of users? We can help by adapting our initial installation to deal with new

challenges as they arise; adaptability delivered by software-defined solutions. 

We offer scalability for the journey, not just a box solution that leaves you scratching your head and ringing up a help desk in your hour of need. We help you grow organically; step by step you can boost your capability in the required increments. Change doesn’t have to be a rabbit in the headlights moment to fear. Our solutions are inherently secure – security is built in by design, not a bolt-on afterthought. 

 We believe it takes time to change,

to manage the learning curves and deal with the teething problems of a new tomorrow for your business. As

your workforce and network presence grows, we can guide you with a bite-sized installation for each new project that comes online. And throughout your transformation, observability is crucial – so we deliver the ability to monitor everything from the network, through the infrastructure and right up to the application itself, enabling us to quickly identify and remediate critical issues as your organisation’s reliance on digitisation increases.

 Logicalis offers a multi-year investment

cycle with short-term deliverables that enable businesses to climb the stairway to success one step at a time in a lifetime value partnership.

Why choose Logicalis?

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Trust Logicalis to guide you onyour digital transformation journey