Hybrid work environments and the additional devices that employees must use to remain connected are straining networks like never before.

As more businesses recognize the importance of network connectivity, they're also willing to increase their spending to ensure everything works as intended. According to a recent Quortus survey, nearly every decision-maker (97%) is willing to pay a premium to ensure a better connection, and almost half (47%) would increase their budgets by 10% to reduce network limitations and drive efficiency.

Yet, just because you're willing to increase your spending doesn't mean you're going to have the most efficient connections. In fact, paying more to add the newest technology may actually create more problems.

What you should be doing is tailoring your network to your needs while maintaining flexibility for the future. In essence, you need to be spending smarter.

If you take the time to understand where your applications reside, where your users are, and your traffic types and patterns, you can untangle your connections and end up with a better-performing, scalable, and more dynamic network - and it will cost less, too.

Have you overcomplicated your connectivity?

It's convenient to assume whatever available commercial-grade internet access that's offered by a local service provider will meet your organization's needs, but that can be risky.

Different types of access have varying degrees of reliability and bandwidth capacity, which can lead to unpredictable network performance. For example, you may use a mix of broadband, cellular, and even satellite connections without considering each option's costs and functionality.

You may also think buying expensive equipment or subscribing to a top-tier internet service provider (ISP) guarantees the best connection possible. That's not always the case. It may actually result in a mismatch between the equipment or service you've purchased and your network requirements.

To move beyond these antiquated ways of thinking and optimize your connectivity, run a self-assessment and map out what your specific business needs. Examine your applications and determine what purpose they have. Are they critical? What are the traffic patterns? How do people access them? Is it over the internet or via direct connect? Are they logging on remotely? What level of security is appropriate?

Those answers, among others, will help you define what you need from your network, including factors such as reliability, scalability, and data transfer rates. You can then decide which connections fit best and if an overlay network, such as software-defined networking (SDN) or a software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN) with an easy-to-use management layer, is necessary to manage traffic flow. Once everything's in place, you'll find your overall performance has improved, security risks are easier to mitigate, and fewer tools and systems are required.

Right-sizing your network is always a challenge, no matter how large the organization is. You never want to say you ran out of bandwidth, but you don't want to unnecessarily stretch or break your budget, either. You can play it safe - or you can play it smart.

One connection is never enough

You may wonder why, if the internet at your house never goes down, a connection that costs 10 times more is susceptible to outages. But your home network incorporates only a few devices, and your work network is not limited to just you, your spouse, and your kids. The increased demands on your work network can lead to slower performance or outright failures if it isn't properly designed for your comprehensive organizational needs.

According to LogicMonitor, 96% of organizations have endured at least one outage in the last three years. Having a low-cost backup solution in place, such as a broadband or wireless connection, not only minimizes the impact on your business when downtime occurs, but simplifies your network infrastructure by increasing reliability and aiding data recovery - and will be cheaper since it shouldn't be needed as often.

That low-cost circuit could also be used in conjunction with a network overlay when the primary connection is online so you can prioritize sending critical applications, like video conferencing, over a higher-cost circuit. You can then send lower-priority traffic, like emails, over the cheaper option to ensure the lower-priority traffic doesn't affect overall performance.

If you're in a rural area, you may not have the best connectivity in the first place. Having multiple links, such as a traditional carrier-type circuit and a satellite or 5G subscription, offers considerable protection against downtime. In addition, an overlay can monitor your networks and intelligently route traffic over whichever is strongest.

Putting a few servers in the closet is no longer the best way to ensure your business remains connected. With a modern approach to networking, you can optimize your connectivity while minimizing an outage's impact on your company's operations.

A smart approach is the right approach

In today's fast-paced business environment, simplifying your network connectivity is essential.

A thorough self-assessment will help you determine what makes the most sense for your company. And since there are multiple ways to maintain connectivity even in the worst-case scenarios, doing so will improve your performance, enhance your security, and streamline your systems, all while recouping substantial savings.

Many organizations overcomplicate network connectivity by making inaccurate assumptions about which solutions are right for them - and it's often a costly miscalculation. The smart approach to network connectivity is the right approach. Doing anything else is asking for complications.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Anthony Lobretto, Senior Vice President of Connectivity Services, 11:11 Systems

A talented technologist and proven leader, Anthony Lobretto possesses numerous years of experience in Network Management and Engineering and executive leadership roles. Across each tenure, he has successfully acquired and developed new businesses and led the design and rollout of large-scale networks in the Financial Services, Government, and Media and Entertainment industries. Anthony demonstrates exceptional capacity and success in analyzing and resolving sophisticated network technologies. Anthony currently holds the title of Senior Vice President of Connectivity Services at 11:11 Systems and is responsible for its connectivity business unit.