O2 Business has developed a new digital networking solution for SMEs that enables companies to easily network their company locations and securely set up existing infrastructures for the digital age.
The O2 Business Smart Network product is based on SD-WAN (Software Defined Wide Area Network) technology. Here, the management of the network is handled by specialized software that, for example, combines the physical network connections used in a company network into a single cloud-based network. By bundling all communication technologies in one network, the company’s IT becomes more powerful and stable while remaining flexible.
In addition, new digital services, e.g., to support the company’s own business model, can be integrated and used much more cost-effectively. O2 Business Smart Network bundles the existing Internet connections and, through central control, optimizes data traffic and the utilization of the individual connections.
For example, SD-WAN uses real-time monitoring to detect whether certain network connections are impaired, overloaded or even down and transmit the data packets via alternative “routes” through the company network. In addition, time-critical and application-critical data can be specifically prioritized in the network so that data traffic takes its route via a faster or more stable connection than less time-critical transmissions.
Future-proof company network
O2 Business Smart Network offers numerous advantages for companies: Straightforward management of all connections, prioritization of data traffic, better protection against outages, optimum IT security, greater flexibility in network operations, and cost reductions compared with traditional network solutions.
According to a recent study by market research company Capgemini, digitization is the number one priority for companies in Germany in 2021.1) SD-WAN enables companies to adapt and modernize their existing network infrastructure more flexibly, more quickly, and more easily, thus placing the digitization of the company on an optimal foundation.
A study by network equipment supplier Cisco shows that SD-WAN solutions reduce downtime by an impressive 95 percent compared to conventional fixed network infrastructures – and new services such as VPNs or firewalls can be integrated almost 60 percent faster.2) The significant reduction of both IT downtime costs and related administration costs is a business success factor for companies. With O2 Business Smart Network, medium-sized companies are now able to make their company network secure, stable and future-proof at an excellent price-performance ratio.
“Companies are very much under digitalization and cost pressure. They need to increase the performance and security of their networking solutions at the same time in order to be fit for the future,” says Karsten Pradel, Director B2B at Telefónica Deutschland, the company behind O2 Business. “For this purpose, we have created Smart Network, a modern, simple and flexible networking solution from the cloud, with which we solve the challenges for medium-sized businesses. As one of the pioneers for enterprise SD-WAN solutions, O2 Business is now also playing to its innovative strengths in networking solutions for SMEs with Smart Network.”
How SMEs benefit from O2 Business Smart Network
Improve network performance and stability: Costly downtime is reduced through intelligent control of connections, resulting in increased resilience.
Improve application performance: Using real-time analysis, SD-WAN routes traffic over the best available route for the software application in question.
Simple, central management:
Thanks to a clear web portal, central and location-independent management of the entire company network is possible in a single platform.
Cost reductions for IT support: Simplified and centralized SD-WAN control reduces the burden on IT managers of the company’s own network, so that time-consuming and cost-intensive IT support usually leads to cost reductions for IT staff and data centers.
Advantages for network security: Thanks to SD-WAN, security-relevant configuration changes to software or network components are implemented at all networked sites in near real time – without the need for an on-site visit by an IT specialist. The cloud-based central controller and other elements such as the central firewall are located in the European Union and therefore comply with the high European data protection regulations.
Flexible scalability and future-proofing: Thanks to the flexibility of O2 Business Smart Network, the network technology can be adapted quickly and flexibly with regard to future changes, such as new locations, additional data connections or new digital applications. The flexibility gained through SD-WAN contributes to future-proofing, because necessary scaling or changes and modernization of business processes and models are supported by O2 Business Smart Network.
Low barriers to entry: The integration of O2 Business Smart Network into a company’s existing IT landscape is possible without major disruptions to ongoing operations. Commissioning is uncomplicated and often possible without greater IT expertise at the local sites, as the prefabricated and preconfigured components integrate automatically into the corporate network.
