Growth is widely considered the key to survival in the business world, but growth is not equally simple or achievable for every organization. That’s why many business leaders are seeking out managed networking solutions such as network as a service (NaaS).
NaaS enables geographic expansion and increases revenue without the added burden of increased operation expenses. It accomplishes this by folding hardware, licensing, configuration, implementation, and co-management into one monthly expense. The package can also be scaled up or down according to need.
The CBTS’ NaaS offering, complete with Meraki’s single-pane-of-glass dashboard, came out of a need to rapidly modernize outdated equipment without increasing costs or negatively impacting a client’s budget planning. The Meraki dashboard also features a managed service provider’s (MSP) portal, which allows for the management of multiple customer networks much more easily and with less personnel than is possible with traditional simple network management protocol (SNMP) tools.
Flexibility and agility are also core components of the Meraki/CBTS NaaS solution. It can easily be scaled up or down at any time to accommodate relocations, new facilities, or other network reconfigurations—making expansion a breeze for growing businesses or organizations with seasonal locations and job sites. Additionally, end users can benefit from collaborative co-management features if needed. This allows service providers to provide oversight during peak traffic periods or offer expert insight—all without the client needing to give up direct control or access.
CBTS offers the NaaS solution as a co-managed utility with a simple monthly recurring expense, including an automatically refreshing Meraki equipment licensing agreement. Complete visibility into the managed network is built into the solution, so end users can stay apprised of how the network is performing.
Other functions are also enabled to fulfill user expectations, including services like Cisco DNA Spaces and Cisco Unified Communications. This allows CBTS to deliver artificial intelligence and network insights in addition to a reliable software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN) experience. Being able to offer all of these capabilities with a single cost-effective and user-friendly platform allows enterprise leaders to set their organizations on a stable road toward sustainable growth and adaptation—all without major capital expenditures every few years.
Easily Migrate from MPLS to Cloud Computing Powered by Cisco Meraki
In recent years, CBTS has seen remarkable growth as a service provider, thanks in significant part to the transport-agnostic nature of the Meraki MX, which enables migration from a regional MPLS provider to a managed WAN provider that can reach across the entire North American continent. CBTS has since enabled MPLS solutions for 116 unique customers, with an average installation time of only 120 days. Today, CBTS can claim more than 600 WAN customers and an average WAN site install interval of 30 days. The partnership with Meraki has not only led to rapid geographic expansion for CBTS, but also simultaneously cut down on the provider’s quote-to-cash interval and operating expenses.
Another key to the success of the Meraki NaaS offering is the way it factors in each customer’s unique network environment, goals, and needs. From 3,800-site foodservice and retail businesses that require centralized, consolidated data center solutions to smaller organizations seeking an expert partner to troubleshoot their aging networks, CBTS has been able to reduce downtime, increase revenues, and simplify operations for a wide variety of clients with the Meraki NaaS offering.
