With the growing popularity of centrally hosted applications, the enabling role of the data centre is now more vital than ever – if it’s supported by a scalable, high performance network, argues Brendan Lynch
Operating a low latency, all-fibre network that runs to every corner of the UK puts us in a good position to serve the needs of those transitioning their business to Cloud computing – whether they’re doing this themselves or through one of our wholesale channel partners (like a systems integrator (SI), a reseller or a data centre operator).
We increasingly find ourselves in a sweet spot for delivering on the demands of wholesale customers, whether they’re looking to transition their own core infrastructure or to sell on to their customers.
Our perspective
At the heart of this transition is the crucial relationship between the data centre,as a centre for hosted applications, and the network that enables access to those applications. We work with a number of data centres, to bring them on to our network and to provide them with fibre access across the country.
Our position allows us to see just how central data centres have become, as well as the value they deliver for both our wholesale customers and the end-user in a world of growing Cloud requirements. Our expertise lies in providing the right network to support centralised applications, understanding user requirements and understanding the network benefits they are looking for.
Scalable service
We also work with leading SIs and other wholesale customers across the UK. We’ve identified that what they need is futureproofed, scalable bandwidth plugged directly into their core sites and into the sites of their core customers. Only with fibre do you get burstable bandwidth that scales to any requirement, able to cope with applications that become more bandwidth-hungry and data-intensive over time.
When you’re talking about the criteria that SIs need to apply when selecting a network partner, saleability matters, as it’s saleability that determines how an SI can support their customers in the future. They also need to ask about performance. When an application is hosted by a Cloud network, for example, performance will be at the heart of the customers’ experience. So an SI needs to ask who can scale and who offers low latency.
We have a network that’s designed for high capacity, low latency demands. It’s also developed to deliver TV services. We therefore have the right tool for pushing large amounts of data around the UK. We enjoy market advantage, and can push that advantage through to our customers.
