Network Platforms delivers cost-effective connectivity in a pinch

Issued by Rubicomm for Network Platforms
Johannesburg, 20 Jan 2016

Gavin Epstein, Sales Executive at Network Platforms

Network Platforms, services-driven ICT solutions provider, has launched a bundle that provides customers with both licensed microwave and fibre connectivity without the delays or the price tag. Reliable, scalable and easily adapted to suit specific client capacity requirements, it delivers high-quality connectivity, a rich feature set and enhanced security.

The uptake of fibre services and the ability to deliver fibre to most locations has resulted in one major downfall - lead time to implementation. Wayleave approval can delay the process and the time spent waiting can have a negative impact on business growth and investment.

Network Platforms saw the opportunity to address this challenge by introducing a bundle that offers both a fibre and a wireless licensed connection. The latter can be connected and in use by clients within a few weeks, providing high-quality connectivity on microwave for the short term and shifting the microwave connection as a backup link once the fibre connection is implemented.

The microwave connection gives the organisation the bandwidth required for local and cloud-based services until the fibre connection becomes available. Once fibre has been implemented, the microwave element of the bundle then becomes the backup, with automatic failover in the event of a network failure.

Gavin Epstein, Sales Executive at Network Platforms, says: "This blended bundle of fibre and microwave ensures client connectivity to the cloud at all times and is a very important requirement for the modern business. Many organisations remain cautious of a cloud infrastructure investment due to concerns around connectivity and network instability. With our solution, there is always a powerful backup in play that will keep everything running smoothly."

When using the microwave system as a failover link, the bandwidth backhaul to the data centre is not in use and its secondary status means Network Platforms can keep the costs down.

"The added benefit when using our bundle alongside the Network Platforms Enterprise Cloud infrastructure is that we can bill access to the cloud separately to Internet access and save on costs," says Epstein. "For example, if the client has 100MB link but only requires 50MB Internet capacity, they will have 100MB to access cloud services hosted in the Network Platforms infrastructure. This level of adaptability makes a big difference to the bottom line, as client will have a larger capacity to access the cloud services and reduced costs on the Internet breakout, with the added benefit of redundancy with the inclusion of a wireless failover link."

Win-win situation

In addition to the failover structure, Network Platforms monitors the links to ensure they are running smoothly and keeps a close eye on bandwidth usage. If a connection fails or flatlines, the company is notified and investigates immediately.

"We have introduced a Web interface with a graphical display which gives clients visibility over the bandwidth usage and uptime," says Epstein. "Every detail across both the fibre and microwave connections is attended to and our clients are assured of seamless connectivity and the freedom to invest in the cloud."

The Network Platforms connectivity bundle provides an option for traffic monitoring and management, a Web interface and targeted bandwidth allocation to specific applications or users. It hands the South African organisation the confidence to invest in cloud solutions and architecture with reliable connectivity and performance.

Network Platforms

Network Platforms is a services-driven ICT solutions provider.

The company owns and operates from data centre infrastructures across South Africa and London.

It has established partnerships with several leading and international technology services and solutions businesses, including Cyberoam, Cisco, Microsoft, VMware, Teraco, HP and Mimecast.

Network Platforms utilises its expertise and these resources to deliver professional, comprehensive solutions for internal IT managed services, connectivity and cloud services.

The company adopts a proactive rather than reactive management of a client's IT infrastructure.

Network Platforms' focus is on keeping its clients' IT systems operational, available and secure - always with the objective of ensuring that unreliable and inefficient IT systems do not impact on a business' bottom line.

In data and tech driven economies, the modern business has to be agile, streamlined and efficient.

Decision-makers rely on systems that are operational, available and secure in order to enable them to focus on everyday demands of expanding businesses, managing costs and increasing revenues.

The company has developed a Managed Services Model that provides affordable proactive IT management and support to growing businesses.

This model and proactive solution incorporates a comprehensive range of support services, including application bandwidth monitoring, hardware and firmware management, configuration backups, maximum security and ongoing proactive server monitoring, among others.

Network Platforms' solution portfolio covers various technologies, including layer 2 connectivity, VPN, local/international breakout, physical and virtual hosting and ADSL reseller model.

Network Platforms' value proposition includes guaranteed service levels and nationwide service and support, focused on connectivity, cloud services, IT management, VPN management, IP PBX/ VOIP communication, infrastructure monitoring, and virtual hosting, among others.

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