Navigating the bumpy road to optimized operations
For many Canadian businesses, optimization isn’t just important — it’s key to keeping up with today’s market. Fortunately, there has never been a better time to achieve this. With the flexibility and cost-effectiveness of cloud storage, the valuable information gained from IoT sensors and devices, and the speed and security of modern networks, the solutions are out there to help business of all sizes maximize their performance and minimize costs.
However, how do you identify the best solutions for your business? How do you secure, manage and support them? While the answers often depend on which industry and sector you’re in, there are some common roadblocks and challenges.
Optimize with care
Optimization requires knowing when the time is right to replace legacy technologies, consolidate, or add solutions on top of your existing infrastructure. It’s about knowing how to get the most out of advanced technologies like the cloud and IoT – and sourcing the skill sets you need to be successful. Without the right team, you’re exposed to issues such as incomplete or faulty implementations, which can lead to more harmful consequences than falling short on maximizing efficiency.
The cloud is a great way to optimize costs. It can also be a very safe and secure way to store data and launch applications. In fact, 70% of Canadian business leaders rank cloud services as a top strategic priority.1 That being said, cloud implementation gone wrong can cause security shortfalls that can put a company’s network environment, reputation and profitability at risk. This is especially dangerous in today’s sophisticated cyber threat landscape. In 2021 alone, one in three Canadian organizations suffered a data breach.2 Preventing these incidents isn’t easy as every new cloud, sensor, and device on the network serves as a potential entry point or “back door” for malware and cyber attackers – a challenge we explore in our protection and compliance post.
To allow for operational optimization, the network must also be secured, and should be capable of supporting software-defined technologies that enable businesses to get the most out of automation and other methods of optimization.
Improve efficiency without putting security at risk
Start by identifying the right mix of solutions for what you need. This requires knowing the ins and outs of your network environment. Check the connectivity you’re using for every application. For example, running your operations over Wi-Fi and offloading some devices and processes to a private wireless network could increase the density of your operations. It could also help with major improvements in areas such as speed, latency, scalability, and reliability. Optimization often involves moving on from legacy systems that are part of your operations. For example, adopting a next-gen network like SD-WAN can streamline traffic and application routing for better flexibility, control and performance.
Next, make sure you can make the most of your technologies and are able to secure them. IoT solutions can offer unparalleled visibility into every area of your operations. However, what you do with that visibility is what counts. To make the most out of the information you gather, you will need the right management platform along with the right expertise to turn data into insights that can improve your operations.
Of course, it can be a difficult and lengthy process to assess your corporate network, consolidate technologies, and implement and secure next-gen solutions. If this is true for your business, consider asking for help from a trusted partner.
The good news is, there are many ways with which to optimize your operations. Adopting cloud solutions, deploying IoT sensors and implementing software-defined networks are great options. However, the road to true optimization can be bumpy, so don’t let the common roadblocks and challenges impact you.
Bell is here to help
We have the expertise you need to successfully optimize your operations. We can identify risks, weigh the pros and cons of possible solutions, and develop a special plan for your situation and needs. Bell’s professional and managed services teams have worked with Canada’s largest businesses to assess, design, deploy and support the solutions required to realize their customer experience ambitions. Let us help you today!
Sources:
1 IDC FutureScape: Worldwide IT Industry 2021 Predictions, Doc # US46942020, October 2020
2 IDC ITA survey, 2021, n=314