Category "Blog"

The world of Internet is steadily merging with the world of physical things. Out of this convergence is born Internet of Things (IoT), a giant global network connecting all web-enabled things (including people) in the world. From your coffee pot to your car to the cosmonaut orbiting around the earth, our virtual world will connect billions of smart devices with each other, creating an ecosystem where these things will have the ability to sense, interact and communicate with each other and influence actions and create services with or without human intervention.

As of 2011, there are more Internet enabled devices in the world than actual human beings. And it is predicted, that by 2020 there will be close to 50 billion devices worldwide. The enormous amount of data generated by these devices will obviously need to be stored and processed in Data Centers and will impact DC operations and architecture.

Impact on Data Centers

1. Optimizing storageAs more data is generated there will be a corresponding growth in demand for storage space. Not only will this lead to more Data Centers being built but will also lead to innovative ways for optimizing storage capacity with better servers and newer compression technologies.
2. Inbound data flow and network requirementsAs of now, DC architecture is designed to support large amounts of data flowing out to enterprises. Increase in IoT traffic will reverse this trend and see huge amounts of data, comprising a vast number of smaller data packets generated by individual devices, coming into the DCs on a regular basis. This will require Data Center owners to increase their inbound data bandwidth.
3. Security and data privacyWith the number of connected devices increasing, the networks have become more vulnerable to cyber attacks. The security landscape must be designed to deal with this ever-growing range of cyber threats. Also as more and more of our personal data is digitized and stored, Data Centers will need to ensure the highest level of data privacy.
4. Data Center locationsCurrently, Data Centers drive cost efficiencies by building large, single location DCs. With the increase in IoT data it will not be viable to transfer all this data to a centralized location. DC owners will have to build localized Data Centers to handle and process the local data traffic.
5. Cost efficienciesIt is virtually impossible to store all the IoT data generated, DC providers will have to look for more efficient ways to sort this data in real time to identify valuable data that must be stored and processed further. This will consume costly network bandwidth and processing power and further decrease the cost efficiencies currently enjoyed by DC companies.

Research firm IDC estimates, that global spending on IoT devices and services will touch $1.7 trillion by 2020. So while Data Center owners understand the challenges that are coming their way, they look at the rise of IoT as an opportunity rather than a threat.

Sify has over 16 years of operational and technical expertise in ‘designing, building and operating’ Data Centers, and can provide 360° DC build services, from planning, designing and building Data Centers to training support staff.

Running a business demands fast and reliable connectivity and this typically takes the form of investing in network hardware and staff for round-the-clock network management.

With NaaS (Network as a Service) this is all in the past. All you require now is a computer and an Internet connection to connect to your service provider network portal. NaaS is a cloud model, which provides businesses with network services over the Internet on pay-per-use or subscription consumption models. Network, the backbone of any company’s IT structure, is now available ‘as a service’!

Benefits of NaaS

The biggest advantage of NaaS is the complete control and flexibility that businesses can gain. Network administrators can exert total control on the allocation and provisioning of the bandwidth and as the network now exists in a virtual world, there is endless flexibility for network capacity and scalability. This flexibility also extends to the location of the business and of course, pricing models.

Shifting network services to the cloud saves the cost of investing in and running network infrastructure. This is guaranteed to result in immense cost savings for business that are running applications with thousands of users.

For companies with seasonal or sudden burst in workload NaaS allows instant ramp up and down of network capacity with just a few clicks.

With Network as a Service, businesses can eliminate all the hassle of managing and maintaining the network. The infrastructure and its complexities are invisible to the client; it is all taken care of by the service provider.

So why isn’t NaaS more widely adopted?

As with all big shifts to the cloud, the problems that emerge are grouped around security, compliance and reliability. NaaS is no different.  While it is not a new concept, enterprises have been slow to embrace it mainly due to concerns around issues of availability guarantees, SLAs and concerns regarding security, data privacy and compliance.

 It is safe to say that cloud computing will be the future platform for all businesses. As the move towards cloud accelerates, enterprises will need to consider network virtualization more seriously. After all, the benefits of cloud – speed, agility, low costs and scalability – have proven to be irresistible in the past.

We are Sify and we transform businesses for a digital world like no other. We are committed to building networks that allow businesses to provide information to its employees – anytime, anywhere and on any device.

To understand the importance of connectivity, let us imagine a day without it. Internet and phone lines are down. Your employees cannot access their mail; your offices cannot make or receive any calls; everyone from the CEO to the middle manager is left twiddling their thumbs as all their cloud hosted data and files are unavailable AND most importantly all your customer-facing applications are offline, turning away innumerable present and potential customers!

That reliable and highly available connectivity (Internet and telephony) is the lifeblood of the business world is irrefutable. In the present hyper-competitive scenario, organizations are increasingly turning to the latest technologies to achieve the best connectivity solutions at the most affordable prices. SD – WAN (Software defined – Wide Area Network) is the newest innovation to optimize WAN technology for faster, flexible and cheaper business connectivity.

SD – WAN explained

Enterprises have been relying on WAN networks to connect their branch offices; to ensure uninterrupted connectivity to remote locations they had to invest heavily in WAN infrastructure and bear the resulting maintenance costs. SD – WAN changed the landscape completely, allowing enterprises to only pay for the functionalities they require with their entire CAPEX investment amounting to small routers.

SD (Software defined) WAN is derived from the Software Defined Networking (SDN) technology, it utilizes software and virtualization technologies to create a WAN network that delivers faster, simpler and cost effective connectivity to businesses. SD –WAN achieves this by decoupling network software controls from the underlying hardware.

According to Gartner, SD-WAN has 4 main characteristics – it must be able to support multiple connection types, it must be capable of dynamic path selection, must be easy to configure and manage and should be able to support VPNs, and third party services.

So how does SD-WAN benefit businesses?

Application-driven technology

Applications are becoming increasingly complex and varied. The needs of these next gen applications can only be met with the flexibility and speed provided by SD-WAN’s use of hybrid networks, which provides secure access and fast connectivity at remote locations.

Security

Enterprise WAN networks are now open to a growing number of users accessing it from multiple points and from multiple devices. In such a scenario, security has become a weak point for WAN networks. SD –WAN provides enhanced security, delivered centrally via an API to cover your entire WAN landscape with comprehensive security solutions such as encryption and app firewalling.

Quick to deploy and easy to manage

One of the main advantages of SD-WAN is its ease of use and simplicity; it can provide extremely dependable connectivity to remote locations, which can be deployed within a few minutes and can be easily managed.

Cost efficient

Traditional WAN networks relied on expensive hardware which were seen as a necessary cost of doing business. With cloud-enabled connectivity, SD –WAN delivers enterprise-grade services without any CAPEX investment. With a number of service providers offering varied and competing packaged service offerings, businesses can now pick the functionality they need and pay for what they use.

Centralized control

Network managers have complete control and overview of their entire SD WAN network and all its components. This allows them to monitor the network in its entirety, optimize network usage and ensure centralized implementation of operational and security policies.

Whether you need to connect your HQ to remote branches or connect Data Centers across your organization, SD-WAN has transformed the network landscape by providing premium, secure, and simple cloud-enabled WAN connectivity.

With its obvious benefits, it is hardly surprising that SD WAN adoption is predicted to grow dramatically.By the end 2019, 30% of enterprises are expected to deploy SD-WAN technology,up from less than 1% today.

With the industry revenue expected to touch $6 billion by 2020, service providers are trying to attract new customers by offering a variety of SD-WAN based innovative services, which range from NaaS (Network as a Service) to specialized WAN appliances to cloud based WAN solutions. And as their legacy WAN technology comes up for technology upgrades, businesses will certainly consider these options.

Sify’s converged ICT ecosystem – comprising infrastructure and service offerings for cloud, telecom and Data Centers, allows it to offer enterprises end-to-end network services. Our SLA backed services will transform your business connectivity with enhanced network availability, reliability, performance and security.

In today’s hyper-connected and fast-paced global marketplace, connectivity is the lifeblood needed to keep businesses running smoothly. Enterprise, small or large, need reliable and fast communication networks to work and grow.

MPLS with its ‘labeling protocol’ provides organizations with a communication network that is completely dependable, fast, flexible and cost effective. The obvious and many benefits of MPLS Connectivity is driving businesses to consider switching to MPLS networks, but with the industry inundated by a wide range of services and management models the process of selecting an MPLS service provider can be long and complicated.

How do you evaluate the various telecom service providers and their offerings to get the best possible solution for your requirements? We list out the 5 key criteria that you need to consider.

Network coverage and reach of the MPLS service provider

The first thing that business need to check, is the network coverage offered by the service provider. Do all your desired locations fall under the network carrier’s footprint and in case you need global connectivity can they offer reliable international coverage? The coverage and reach of the service provider will directly impact issues such as latency, jitter, resilience and cost of the MPLS network.

Network project management and monitoring

Complex networks require constant management to run smoothly. Proactive management can lead to reduced costs and downtimes and enhanced security. Businesses need to understand the details of pricing and the scope of services offered under the head of network management and monitoring services. Do they monitor the entire network? Can they provide managed services to free up IT staff?

Complete MPLS Network Security

Security capabilities of the MPLS service provider need to be scrutinized closely. Businesses need to ensure that service providers are able to support and monitor the entire network closely and provide access to a dedicated security infrastructure including experienced NOC engineers to ensure guaranteed uptime.

Compare SLAs and check references

Another surefire way to assess the capabilities of the service provider is to check the SLAs (Service Level Agreements) offered. While experienced service providers with tested capabilities are usually willing to back their services with SLAs, it pays off to compare SLAs of several MPLS network providers. It is also helpful to look at their existing clients and check references to evaluate their performance.

Class of Service and Quality of Service

Businesses need to evaluate and understand the classes of service (COSs) offered by the carrier. How the carrier consolidates and prioritizes various traffic types will affect the Quality of Service (QoS). It is important that these COSs match your business requirement and the contract with the service provider clearly defines and states these service commitments.

While the above mentioned points form a base to shortlist the right MPLS network provider, other points, such as routing protocols, staff expertise, 3^rd party partnerships, network architecture and future scalability capabilities, must also form a part of the decision making process.

Although cost always plays a big role in any business decision, alignment to your business’ current and future needs and long-term goals should be the deciding factor. After all, your MPLS Network will form the backbone of your business for a long time to come.

Sify Technologies is uniquely positioned to cater to the MPLS Virtual Private Network (VPN) connectivity requirements of Large & Emerging Enterprise customers through its SiteConnect™ services which enable cost-effective converged network solutions that enable point to point data, voice and video traffic. Sify’s carrier-grade next-generation network core offers stringent SLA-based converged data, voice and video traffic support.

WAN – Wide Area Network, the three magic words that connect our world. Simply put, WAN is the network that connects local areas spread across the world.

The word network might conjure visions of tangled cables and blinking routers, but we have come a long way from the days when a 9.6 Kbps line was considered fast! Since its inception in the 1970s, WAN has been responsible for connecting people and facilitating business.

We trace the WAN journey through all its technological leaps from the 1970s to the present day and take a quick peek into the future of Enterprise WAN.

WAN evolution – 1970s to the present day

The late 1970s saw, what could be called, the start of WAN with X.25 Networks – a popular option with the maximum speed of 9.6 Kbps, which was used by many companies at that time.

The 1980s saw considerable innovations in WAN technology and through the decade network speeds of leased point-to-point lines kept improving. 1987 saw Cisco introducing routers to replace remote bridges.

At the beginning of 1990s, frame relay service was introduced and revolutionized the enterprise WAN industry by drastically reducing costs and increasing operational efficiency. In less than a decade, even the most reluctant organizations were using the technology.

The next big leap came with MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) – a successor to Frame Relay. Since its launch in early 2000s, it has been widely adopted by the majority of enterprises. It provides an IP based service to deliver voice, data and video on one network. Over time,WAN optimization technology has been added to MPLS networks to squeeze out more bandwidth and lower costs.

Enterprise WAN in the coming decade

Plagued by performance and reliability issues, WAN technology could not get the desired flexibility and cost effectiveness that other Internet based services achieved.

Cloud computing platforms changed this. SD- WAN (Software Defined-WAN) is the technology which will be the foundation of the next generation of enterprise WAN. It is software controlled, virtualized Network delivered through the cloud; with all the cloud related benefits of scalability, cost effectiveness and fast deployment.

Now that cloud service providers are offering cloud aligned network solutions, organizations can finally get access to the next generation of WAN to keep pace with cloud-based application.

Organizations need to move from using widely disparate and hybrid networks to integrated cloud-enabled networking platforms that can provide seamless manageability, high performance and high degrees of resilience and security. Watch this insightful video on WAN transformation

As cloud adoption accelerated, service providers listened to their customers experiences and problems; tweaked and optimized their cloud solutions to create the Hybrid cloud solution – a cloud platform with the benefits of both the public and private cloud. Hybrid cloud allows enterprises to cherry-pick the cloud solutions that provide the perfect balance between their business needs and budgets.Its no surprise, that hybrid cloud has seen the fastest adoption rate in the last year, with over 70% of enterprises deploying hybrid systems. But what exactly makes it so popular in the business IT world?Here are the reasons..

Best of both clouds

Public cloud offers flexibility, scalability and cost benefits, while private cloud allows greater control and complete data security. With a hybrid cloud platform, businesses can merge the two cloud models to maximize benefits while minimizing the risks. Companies can keep sensitive data on their private servers and use public cloud for running less critical applications and larger workloads.

Cost benefits

After deploying hybrid cloud, businesses can count on a quantifiable reduction in costs. The pay per use models drive cost efficiency and reduce wastage of resources.

Enhanced security

With the flexibility of storing sensitive data on dedicated servers, the biggest cloud concern around security has finally been laid to rest. Businesses do not need to miss out on the advantages of cloud computing while prioritizing compliance and security.

Are their challenges in moving to Hybrid Cloud?

As with any migration to new systems, deploying and operating hybrid cloud also has its fair share of complexities. Building a complex hybrid system needs skills and strategy and can get expensive if not handled and planned well. The biggest challenge lies in integrating data with applications and ensuring compatibility across the two levels of infrastructure.

But with increasing adoption of hybrid cloud systems, it is obvious that service providers and businesses have found a way to successfully deploy and integrate hybrid platforms in diverse business settings.

With almost 95% businesses using cloud in some form or another, the business world has accepted cloud computing as an inevitable IT structure. The debate has moved on to the pros and cons of the various cloud platforms. With the hybrid model the search for the perfect platform, with all the advantages and none of the risks, is finally over.

Sify offers Public, Private and Managed Cloud services, leveraging enterprise-class technology to guarantee high availability, performance, scalability and security. The services are a testament to Sify’s proven expertise in Cloud services and are offered in customizable, cost-effective models that are easy to deploy and use. The breadth of Sify’s expertise in end-to-end IT services makes Sify the ideal partner to manage the full spectrum of the IT needs of all organizations, across sector and scale.

According to a recent survey conducted by Right Scale– 93% of businesses are using cloud technology in some form or another. Chances are that your competitors are already using cloud platforms and are growing their businesses at your expense. To stay competitive it’s imperative to leverage the benefits of cloud. Embracing the cloud is no longer a choice; it has become inevitable.

But migrating your business to the cloud is easier said than done, like all large and potentially expensive business decisions it requires detailed analysis. Among countless choices, one critical decision is choosing the right type of cloud platform, a cloud solution that fits the requirements of your business, now and in the future.

There is a lot of discussion around the competing benefits of private and public cloud; But what are the main differences between the two and which is the best fit for your business?

Private Vs Public Cloud

Public cloud

In a public cloud your data and applications are hosted on shared physical hardware owned by the service provider, your company has no hardware and maintenance costs at all – the service provider bears complete responsibility for the management and upkeep of the Data Center.

Public cloud offers unmatched scalability, businesses can ramp up or down within minutes and pay for only what they use. Economies of scale work in favor of public cloud systems, businesses have access to fast and reliable IT resources at a fraction of what it would cost them to build and run their own IT infrastructure.

Private Cloud

Private cloud or Enterprise cloud, is custom made infrastructure dedicated to your company, but can be hosted either on premise or in Data Centers run by service providers.

Security and control are the obvious advantages of the private cloud and for organizations with strict regulations and compliance obligations this is an absolute must. Private cloud also allows for greater customization of the hardware and other resources to serve specific business requirements.

A quick checklist to find out which cloud fits your business

While cloud platforms, on the whole, offer huge advantages over traditional IT ecosystems, enterprises need to carefully consider the pros and cons of the various cloud solutions in the market.

Public Cloud could be the right choice for you if:

• Your business is dynamic and has seasonal bursts of intense activity, requiring a corresponding spike in bandwidth.
• You need access to the latest IT resources to grow your business, but do not have the budget to build your own IT infrastructure.
• Businesses that have stringent security and regulatory requirements.
• Organizations with deeper pockets who can afford to spend on capital investment.

Because of its irresistible combination of speed, agility and scalability with cost effective models, cloud is now the default IT system for all businesses; it is definitely here to stay. As the technology matures, service providers and ICT companies will continue to create and offer a larger variety of options to its customers. But as always, the choice between money and security will be the key deciding factor for most businesses.

Sify offers Public, Private and Managed Cloud services, leveraging enterprise-class technology to guarantee high availability, performance, scalability and security. The services are a testament to Sify’s proven expertise in Cloud services and are offered in customizable, cost-effective models that are easy to deploy and use. The breadth of Sify’s expertise in end-to-end IT services makes Sify the ideal partner to manage the full spectrum of the IT needs of all organizations, across sector and scale.

The biggest digital disrupter of the decade has finally hit the IT industry! The convergence of new technologies – social, mobile, cloud and data analytics, has fundamentally changed the way business is being done. Enterprises are, naturally, under immense pressure to adapt their existing infrastructures, strategies and workforce to deal with these changes.

But during this hectic time, businesses need to pause and reflect on how they want digital transformation to impact their long-term strategy and growth. Do they want to fire fight the next wave of disruption or be ahead of the curve? Do they want to patch on technology cures or create a future ready system?

To ensure that digital transformation finally results in a strong and adaptive business structure, here are the 5 key areas of consideration

Invest in creating a Digital Vision

Transformation is a top down process: senior management, from across all departments, need to come together to create a long term and holistic strategy to deal with enterprise digital transformation.What is needed is a digital vision to articulate the immediate impact and long-term opportunities that could come up due to the transformation process.

100% Customer focused approach

To create a truly future focused and adaptive business, the customer must be kept at the center of all business functions: this is the fundamental on which enterprises need to base their long and short term digital strategy.

Enterprises that listen to its customers, present and potential, are the ones that will, not just flourish in the current digital rich environment, but will be better prepared to ride the next wave of disruption. To build customer loyalty and a differentiated brand, customer engagement has to be amped up to deliver continuously improving and truly interesting and innovative 360° customer experience.

Follow the data, but with a context

Even though organizations are using Analytics and Big Data mining to improve their bottom-line, often the sheer amount of data can leave managers with a sense of uncertainty.

What is needed here is Context. An open communication structure within the organization will encourage employees from different departments to weigh in on how to interpret and use the data.

Transform your employees

Transformation will only work as well as the people running it. For many employees digital transformation can be a disruptive and challenging process and targeted training and change management will help to keep the workforce motivated.

To change ingrained mindsets is not an easy task, but to create an agile business, inter departmental collaboration must become part of the work culture. Employees, new or existing, must be encouraged to stay updated and learn digital skills and should be assessed on their ability to contribute to the new system.

Embrace the culture of Innovation

Finally, organizations have to foster a deep-rooted culture of innovation and experimentation. Talented teams from across departments must collaborate to constantly experiment and test new technologies and processes to reach more and more digital users. This quick thinking and agile workforce will create a business that is not just ready to manage the next big change but will actually create the next new technology disruptor.

Digital transformation is not an end in itself; it is a continuous process. For enterprises to constantly stay ahead of the curve, digital culture must seep into its very core. It changes not just how companies deal with its customers, but also impacts its internal structures, functions and processes. It becomes part of the organization’s DNA.

We are Sify and we transform businesses for a digital world like no other. With our SMAC network, global inter-cloud connectivity, agile IT and seamless access across platforms, we transform the way enterprises do businesses providing a unified customer experience.

Government and public service bodies were the late entrants into the digital world; slow and hesitant at the start they have now embraced digital with gusto. What started as online payment portals for electricity and phone bills has developed into a mission to provide digital access to all citizens.

The Digital Start

The first step to digitization started with online payment portals for public utilities, digitization of data such as land records, e-procurement projects and public sector banks sites.

The start was rocky, plagued with continuous downtime and untrained employees, but as Internet and digital technologies improved, these initial unwieldy digital platforms transformed into sophisticated Common Service Centers (CSC), access points connecting 2.5 lakh villages to a multitude of e-Services, from banking services to train ticketing and healthcare to agricultural information.

e-Governance matures – Aadhaar and India Stack

With Aadhaar and India Stack, the Government has finally incorporated Digital in its DNA. With more than a billion people registered – Aadhaar is the world’s largest biometric identity project. Launched in 2010, it is the ultimate example of IT technology joining hands with the government to radically change public service delivery.

The India Stack consists of digitized layers built on top of Aadhaar:e-KYC, eSign, Digital Locker and Unified Payment Interface. Together they create an end-to-end digital architecture that enables a paperless, cashless and presence less system. And the Government has made this user base of over a billion people available as an open API, enabling organizations and developers to innovate and build on the robust foundation of the India Stack.

Vision of Digital India

In 2015, the Government has laid out a clear vision for the digital future of India – to provide good governance that leads to inclusive growth, better jobs and access to services for all citizens. The Digital India Campaign, with a slew of policy initiatives, products and excellence centers, aims to fulfill this vision of making India truly Digital.

e-Governance has certainly come a long way since its inception, successful implementation of digital technologies has ensured, that the days of unending queues and unresponsive services are long gone. The next step is to move beyond providing services and become an instrument for good governance, transforming into a two-way channel of communication between the Government and its Citizens.

Watch the video below to see how Sify helps India Post, one of the oldest communications provider touching every part of the country, transform itself to a services centers while retaining the post and logistics.

The IT industry is no stranger to digital disruption, over the last 3 decades, new trends and technological leaps have time and again changed the direction of the industry. The first wave in 1990s permanently transformed industries such as music, photography and video rental and the 2000s saw major disruption in industries like television, travel and recruitment. We now face the third wave of digital disruption, brought on by the huge amounts of rich data produced by social media and mobile technologies.

How quickly and efficiently businesses respond to this challenge, will determine whether they will be competitive and profitable in the coming decades.

Challenges of Digital Transformation

State of existing IT

Business need to know where they stand in terms of their IT readiness.For digitally mature organizations the change is manageable, but some businesses might have to restructure and invest more deeply to embrace the digital environment.

Change Management

The digital way of working is based on openness and creativity; it promotes a flatter and less controlled organization. Enterprises need to embrace and incorporate this into their work culture and existing workforce must be motivated to join this new work culture with an open mind.

Digital Employees

For a business to succeed in a digital world, it needs to be staffed with people who live digital and breathe data. To fully understand the digital experience offered to customers, managers have to be comfortable with the technology themselves.

Customer is the king

Customer experience must remain the primary focus while designing and implementing digital systems. How you want to engage and service your customer? What are the business models that you offer? These are some of the questions that will drive your ultimate digital goal.

Leadership

Clear vision and strong leadership are two vital factors for long term Digital Success. Digital transformation is a top down process and a focused leader with a clear, detailed roadmap will successfully lead the organization through its digital journey.

Transformation, digital or otherwise, is crafted and enacted by people. Therefore, it’s no surprise that the success of digital transformation lies more with employees, managers and other stakeholders rather than implementing technologies. The right people will enable organizations to deal with, not just this wave of digital disruption, but all future changes that come their way.

We are Sify and we transform businesses for a digital world like no other. With our SMAC network, global inter-cloud connectivity, agile IT and seamless access across platforms, we transform the way enterprises do businesses providing a unified customer experience.