- Network security (policy management, etc.): cited by 44.0%
- Network monitoring, troubleshooting, and ongoing optimization: 37.6%
- Cloud networking (AWS. Azure, etc.): 35.6%
- Network automation (Python scripting, commercial automation tools: 34.8%
- WAN engineering (SD-WAN, routing, etc.): 30.8%
- Data center network engineering (EVPN-VXLAN, SDN overlays): 29.2%
- DNS, DHCP, IP address management: 20.4%
- Wi-Fi engineering: 11.2%
- None of the above: 2.0%
“Network security is the biggest issue today. Many organizations lack people who know how to design network security policies and manage firewalls and other network security devices,” the report reads.
Aside from mitigating skills gaps, EMA found that respondents believe NaaS can provide several other benefits, including quick access to new technologies, improved performance and SLAs, flexibility and scalability, and enhanced security. Still roadblocks to NaaS success remain.
EMA found that respondents would baulk at the following before embracing a NaaS solution:
- Higher total cost of over time (OpEx vs. CapEx): cited by 37.6%
- Lack of visibility into service quality: 35.2%
- Security concerns: 32.6%
- Regulatory compliance issues: 26.0%
- Fear of losing control over change management: 25.6%
- Lack of solutions that meet our business requirements: 21.2%
- Existing relationships with incumbent networking vendors: 20.8%
- Our network engineering team differentiates our business: 20.0%
- Confusion over how NaaS works: 19.2%
- Culture preferences in IT: 17.2%
- None of the above: 2.0%
Specific industries will have more concerns over security and sharing data with third-party providers than others, according to McGillicuddy, but there is also an expectation that security would be bundled into a NaaS offering. For instance, nearly 40% of respondents said they expect a NaaS offering to include integrated managed security services that cover network access control, firewalls, threat protection, security event management, and more.
“[Respondents] expect that NaaS is going to give them rapid access to cutting-edge technology. It’s going to help them close their skills gaps, and it’s going to improve overall network performance by holding NaaS providers to their SLAs,” McGillicuddy said.
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