What Are the Key Points of Cloud-Managed Networks?

Cloud adoption reached maturity over the past decade, and by 2022, more than 60% of corporate data resided in the cloud. The latest cloud trends include multi-cloud as the standard and, more recently, cloud-managed networks to meet the demands of agility, scalability and security in enterprise network infrastructures.

Traditional networking approaches often struggle to keep pace with the dynamic nature of modern operations. Cloud-managed networks signal a paradigm shift in network management, leveraging cloud technology to streamline operations, optimize performance and bolster security. It is growing in popularity; globally, the cloud managed network market size was $21.6 billion in 2022, projected to increase to $36.3 billion by 2027.

Let’s explore cloud-managed networks’ key points, benefits, challenges and implications for businesses across various industries.

Understanding Cloud-Managed Networks

Cloud-managed networks represent a departure from traditional on-premises network management models. Instead of handling your IT infrastructure with on-site network controllers and management software, cloud-managed networks run these resources through the cloud. They are often overseen by a third-party managed service provider like Red River.

At their core, these networks rely on cloud-based platforms to centralize the management, monitoring and configuration of network infrastructures, including routers, switches, access points and security appliances.

This highly centralized approach offers several advantages over conventional methods, including simplified deployment, enhanced visibility seamless scalability—and more.

Features and Benefits of Cloud-Managed Networks

Outsourcing network management is the next evolution in cloud computing. Organizations increasingly rely on external vendors to keep their networks running and data secure. The model is highly attractive for several mission-critical reasons.

Simplified Deployment and Management

One of the primary benefits of cloud-managed networks is their simplified deployment and management processes. Deploying networking equipment has always been a significant challenge, requiring hours of configuration and set-up, which ties up IT teams in manual work.

Unlike traditional networks that require extensive on-site configuration and maintenance, cloud-managed solutions enable organizations to provision and manage network devices remotely via intuitive web-based interfaces. If you use a managed service provider, they typically set up your cloud settings in advance, accelerating and improving the deployment process. When a device connects to the cloud network via the virtual control center, the configuration quickly downloads and launches—and the machine is ready.

In this way, cloud-managed networks can reduce the need for specialized IT expertise and accelerate the deployment timeline, allowing businesses to adapt to changing requirements more swiftly.

Enhanced Visibility and Control

Visibility into network performance and security is crucial for maintaining optimal operations and mitigating potential risks. Cloud-managed networks offer unparalleled visibility and control, allowing administrators to monitor network traffic, identify anomalies and enforce policies from a centralized dashboard. Managing your cloud network means you can quickly identify issues to reduce unplanned downtime. It also means you can maintain operations from anywhere.

Real-time analytics and reporting capabilities enable proactive troubleshooting and optimization, empowering organizations to address issues before they escalate.

Some of the typical monitoring options include:

• Traffic analysis: Advanced traffic analysis capabilities enable administrators to gain deep insights into network traffic patterns and application usage. Administrators can optimize network performance, allocate resources effectively and enforce policies to prioritize mission-critical applications by analyzing traffic flows and identifying bandwidth-intensive applications or potential security threats.
• Device management: Cloud-managed networks centralize the management of network devices, providing administrators with granular control over individual devices and configurations. From the cloud management dashboard, administrators can remotely configure device settings, deploy firmware updates and enforce security policies across the entire network infrastructure, ensuring consistency and compliance with organizational standards.
• User activity monitoring: Cloud-managed networks offer visibility into user activity, allowing administrators to monitor behavior, access privileges and authentication events. By tracking user activity logs and audit trails, administrators can detect unauthorized access attempts, enforce access controls and investigate security incidents more accurately and efficiently.
• Alerting and notifications: Cloud-managed network platforms proactively alert administrators to potential issues or anomalies through customizable alerting and notification mechanisms. Whether it’s a network outage, performance degradation or security breach, administrators receive timely alerts via email, SMS or push notifications, enabling them to take immediate action and minimize downtime.
• Policy enforcement: Cloud-managed networks enable administrators to define and enforce network policies centrally, ensuring consistent application of security protocols and compliance with regulatory requirements. By configuring access control lists (ACLs), firewall rules and Quality of Service (QoS) policies from the cloud management interface, administrators can regulate traffic flow, mitigate security risks and maintain a secure network environment.
• Historical reporting: Cloud-managed network platforms offer extensive reporting capabilities, allowing administrators to generate historical reports and performance metrics for trend analysis, capacity planning and compliance audits. By analyzing historical data on network performance, security incidents and user behavior, administrators can identify areas for improvement, optimize resource allocation and make informed strategic decisions.

Scalability and Flexibility

Scalability is a cornerstone of modern network architecture, especially for businesses experiencing rapid growth or seasonal fluctuations in demand. Cloud-managed networks excel in this regard, offering seamless scalability without costly hardware upgrades or infrastructure overhauls. Whether adding new sites, expanding capacity or integrating emerging technologies, cloud-managed solutions provide the flexibility to adapt to evolving business requirements with minimal disruption.

Robust Security Features

Security remains a top priority for organizations of all sizes, particularly considering the growing threat landscape. Cloud security has long been the best option for peace of mind against cyber threats. Cloud-managed networks offer extensive security features, data backs up regularly and applications are updated frequently to protect against ransomware. Cloud-managed networks incorporate robust security features to safeguard data, applications and infrastructure against cyber threats. For example, cloud managed networks typically offer:

• Data encryption: Cloud service providers typically offer encryption mechanisms to secure data as it moves between the user’s devices and the cloud servers and when stored in the cloud.
• Identity and access management (IAM): Effective IAM practices are essential for securing cloud networks. IAM should include implementing strong authentication mechanisms, such as multi-factor authentication (MFA), and enforcing least privilege access policies to limit access to sensitive data and resources only to authorized users.
• Network segmentation: Segmentation involves dividing the network into smaller, isolated segments to contain potential security breaches and limit lateral movement by attackers. Cloud networking solutions often provide tools for implementing virtual networks and firewalls to enforce segmentation and control traffic flow between different segments.
• Security monitoring and logging: Cloud networking platforms typically offer built-in monitoring and logging capabilities to track user activity, network traffic and security events. By monitoring logs and analyzing network traffic patterns, administrators can detect suspicious behavior and potential security threats in real time, allowing them to respond promptly and mitigate risks.
• Compliance: Regular security audits and compliance assessments are essential for maintaining the security of cloud networks. Organizations should conduct regular audits to identify vulnerabilities, ensure compliance with industry regulations and standards and implement security controls to address gaps or weaknesses.
• Vendor security practices: When choosing a cloud service provider, assessing their security practices and protocols is crucial. Organizations should evaluate the provider’s data security measures, compliance certifications and incident response procedures to ensure they meet industry standards and meet the organization’s security requirements.
• Data loss prevention (DLP): Implementing DLP measures helps prevent sensitive data from being leaked or compromised in the cloud. DLP solutions can monitor and control the movement of sensitive data within the network, enforce encryption policies and detect and prevent unauthorized access or sharing of sensitive information.
• Disaster recovery and redundancy: Cloud networking solutions often offer built-in redundancy and disaster recovery capabilities to ensure data availability and continuity of operations in the event of hardware failures, natural disasters or cyberattacks. Organizations should implement robust backup and recovery strategies to protect data and minimize downtime.

Cost-Efficiency and Predictable Expenses

Cloud-managed networks follow the traditional software-as-a-service (SaaS) subscription model. Cost considerations play an increasingly significant role in IT decision-making, and cloud-managed networks offer compelling financial efficiency benefits compared to traditional networking approaches.

By shifting from a capital expenditure (CapEx) to an operational expenditure (OpEx) model, organizations can enjoy predictable expenses, eliminate upfront hardware costs and leverage pay-as-you-go pricing models. Additionally, the centralized management and automation capabilities inherent in cloud-managed networks reduce the need for dedicated personnel, further optimizing operational expenses while freeing up internal teams for more strategic endeavors.

Simplified Updates and Maintenance

Patch management and regular updates may be all that’s standing between you and a cyberattack. Failing to upgrade with the latest security releases leaves organizations vulnerable. Simply running regular backups is the best way to thwart a ransomware attack. Yet nearly half of organizations admit they need to regularly update or backup their devices.

Cloud-managed networks solve this problem. Keeping network infrastructure up to date is essential for maintaining performance reliability. However, traditional network maintenance, largely manual in scope, can be time-consuming and disruptive. Cloud-managed networks streamline updates and maintenance tasks by automating software upgrades, patch management and configuration changes across the entire network. It offers enterprise organizations a hands-off approach to ensuring access to the latest features and security enhancements without experiencing downtime or operational delays.

Cloud Managed Networks: Challenges and Considerations

While cloud-managed networks offer numerous benefits, they also present certain challenges and considerations that organizations must address:

• Connectivity and reliability: Dependence on internet connectivity introduces potential risks related to downtime, latency and data transmission delays. Organizations must implement redundant connectivity options and robust failover mechanisms to ensure uninterrupted access to cloud-managed services.
• Data privacy and compliance: Storing sensitive data in the cloud raises concerns regarding data privacy, compliance and regulatory requirements. Businesses must carefully assess the security posture of cloud providers, implement encryption protocols and adhere to industry-specific regulations to protect sensitive information.
• Vendor lock-in: Adopting a cloud-managed network solution ensures reliance on a specific vendor’s platform and ecosystem. Organizations should evaluate vendor lock-in risks and consider interoperability with other cloud services and on-premises infrastructure to maintain flexibility and avoid potential limitations.

Red River, Your Cloud Network Managed Service Provider

Red River is a leading cloud network managed service provider offering comprehensive solutions tailored to meet the evolving needs of businesses across various industries. With a commitment to excellence, security and innovation, Red River empowers organizations to leverage the full potential of cloud technology while mitigating risks and optimizing performance.

As a trusted partner, Red River delivers services designed to streamline network management, enhance visibility and improve operational efficiency. From initial consultation and assessment to design, implementation and ongoing support, Red River offers end-to-end solutions to help organizations achieve their cloud networking goals.

With a focus on security, Red River implements robust encryption protocols, access controls and compliance measures to safeguard data and applications from cyber threats. Our team of certified professionals brings extensive technical expertise and industry experience to deliver tailored solutions that align with each client’s unique requirements and objectives.

Whether it’s troubleshooting issues, optimizing performance or planning for future growth, Red River partners with our clients every step of the way to ensure success. Contact us.

Q&A

Is a cloud managed network safe?

Yes, a cloud-managed network can be safe, provided proper security measures are implemented. Encryption protocols, robust identity and access management, network segmentation and continuous monitoring are essential components for ensuring the security of cloud-managed networks. Organizations are encouraged to conduct regular audits and compliance checks along with collaborating with reputable cloud managed service provider to maintain a secure network environment. While no system is entirely immune to risks, organizations can mitigate potential threats and safeguard sensitive data by adopting a comprehensive security strategy tailored to their specific needs and requirements.

What are the types of cloud managed networks?

Cloud managed networks come in various types, each catering to different organizational needs and preferences. The four most common types include:

1. Public Cloud Managed Networks: Utilize cloud services provided by third-party vendors accessible over the public internet, offering scalability and flexibility.
2. Private Cloud Managed Networks: Operate within a dedicated infrastructure, providing enhanced security and control for sensitive data and applications.
3. Hybrid Cloud Managed Networks: Combine elements of public and private clouds, allowing organizations to leverage the benefits of both while maintaining data sovereignty and compliance.
4. Multi-Cloud Managed Networks: Utilize multiple cloud providers for redundancy, cost optimization and workload diversification