Canadian telco TELUS and Nuage Networks from Nokia have joined forces to launch TELUS Network as a Service (NaaS), a new software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN) solution that enables businesses to virtually build, manage and cloud-optimize their networks quickly, easily and cost-effectively through a flexible self-serve platform.
For Canadian businesses, establishing or expanding a network, or changing its configuration, can be a complex, expensive and time-consuming process. In fact, according to IDC Analyst Connection, 80 percent of Canadian organizations agree that simplifying management of their networks would be a significant business benefit.
At a time where IT teams and budgets are already stretched thin, a new network initiative can divert IT resources and focus from strategic projects that drive growth and profitability, claims TELUS.
"Businesses looking to grow can be challenged by lengthy lead times and the complex IT required to build or change a network," said Navin Arora, Senior Vice-President of Business Solutions at TELUS.
"TELUS Network as a Service is a game-changer for Canadian businesses, helping them optimize their IT and reduce costs. Our cloud-based integrated connectivity platform is fast, easy to install and has self-serve capabilities; making it convenient for businesses looking for managed services."
TELUS NaaS can reduce network deployment time by up to 80 percent, and provides full line of sight to network performance data. Businesses can enjoy cloud-optimization through improved network performance and customizable policies that ensure mission-critical traffic, like VoIP, is prioritized over other types of traffic.
Robust firewalls along with a 99.9 percent uptime guarantee and automatic wireless LTE backup in the event the primary connection fails ensures data is safe and protected to prevent costly system downtime.
The solution can be installed over any TELUS Internet solution and those of most other providers, making it available to businesses across Canada.
"TELUS is seizing the benefits of SD-WAN technology and the greater automation and flexibility it brings to its business customers," said Nuage Networks from Nokia founder and Chief Executive Officer, Sunil Khandekar. "Our technology provides a flexible and open SD-WAN infrastructure that can serve as a foundation for TELUS' next-generation WAN offerings."