Data provides businesses with the ability to monitor performance and KPIs or key performance indicators related to project progress, financial performance, marketing, or sales that in turn could result in smarter business decisions due to accurate business intelligence.
But these efforts will all be for naught if your infrastructure is not prepared to properly manage your data. Having a poor infrastructure causes silo that delay, limit, or withhold data from relevant to and from relevant departments.
Ill-advised and poor decisions are typically made due to inaccurate and fragmented information. Fortunately, security and connectivity could help prevent this from occurring.
The Need for Connectivity
Connectivity, as its core, enables centralised backups and management, sharing of documents and equipment, as well as access to automation devices and business apps. This issue becomes even more significant for more complicated operations.
Aside from the increase in bandwidth and speed requirements, an organisation should likewise consider extra infrastructure investments. Also, if your operations cover multiple branches in different locations, then you would need more comprehensive connectivity options. This is for securing, facilitating and speeding up transactions and communication that are network-based.
These data services for connecting different locations come with extra complexities and costs. WANs or wide area networks are usually created from MPLS or multiprotocol label switching services. But besides eating up a substantial amount of an organisation’s budget, they could likewise take a significant time to implement.
Enter the cloud, where functions of onsite appliances and hardware like backups tools, firewalls, and servers can now be accessed via cloud services. These novel approaches to connectivity have proven to be ideal options that any organisation can use for improved inter-branch connectivity. It helps them set up multiple branches more efficiently, affordably, and quicker than standard MPLS.
Also, these help avoid the costs and complexities of appliances as well as reduce the need for equipment purchases and complexity of traditional network installation.
Security Matters
While the cloud could be a very valuable tool for connectivity, it has also made security practices more complicated. Due to the nature and amount of data organisation’s obtain and store, such as payment and sensitive customer information, they’re also appealing targets for unscrupulous hackers.
Organisations can face various challenges with network security based on appliances. These include appliance sprawl, providing access to cloud and mobile services, as well as securing cost implications and performance of backhauling traffic bound for the Internet across MPLS to the organisation’s main site.
Fortunately, may cybersecurity firms or companies offer security services with bundled networking solutions. But businesses must likewise ensure that their staff is adequately trained on security best practices to help minimise the risk of cyberattacks.
A properly managed, secure and connected infrastructure should be a top priority for the continued growth and success of your business. It will allow you to leverage accurate data for driving sound business decisions, prevent downtime, and ensure your employees’ productivity.
Put simply; a data-driven business promotes improved efficiency, accountability, and transparency so that your organisation could work towards an attainable goal.
