Cloud – Technology Navigation Inc.

Cloud

Navigating Budget Planning Season: How an IT Advisor Can Be Your Financial Compass

technavadmin Cloud / Data Centers, Data Connectivity, Internet Services, IT Security, SD-WAN, Technology Navigation , , , , ,
Navigating Budget Planning Season: How an IT Advisor Can Be Your Financial Compass

The saying “The future belongs to those who plan for it today” has gained profound relevance, particularly during the final months of each year.   Get ready because budget season has arrived, and one of the most challenging responsibilities is finding ways to cut costs!  In this era of constant change, partnering with seasoned IT advisors isn’t just an option; it’s a necessity not only to survive but to thrive in the year ahead.

Technology Navigation’s role is to assist in tackling various scenarios for our clients.   Centering on where costs can be minimized and understanding the corresponding impacts, all aimed at achieving or exceeding objectives.  We significantly decrease the time and effort required for budget planning.

Drawing from over two centuries of combined industry expertise and an extensive portfolio of 800+ suppliers, we offer our clients realistic market cost assessments for current, competitive, and future solutions.

This is done by providing:

  • Market Research: Presenting current market research, supplier/technology trends and analysist reports for solutions. This aids in understanding the direction of each technology vertical and associated trajectory.
  • Supplier Quotes: Acquiring quotes from suppliers across our eight technology-focused sectors (see below). These quotes play a pivotal role in generating precise cost estimates. We collaborate with both your existing and rival suppliers to provide “real world” figures.
  • Project Scope Definition:  Assisting in defining a rational scope for each project requiring budget allocation.  Documenting the objectives, positive outcomes, and conditions of each undertaking.
  • Labor Costs:  Identifying the labor expenditures tied to the project and associated deployment. Factor in the time commitments of IT personnel, contractors, or consultants who will be engaged in the process.

In summary, remove uncertainty during your budget season without needing direct communication with suppliers.  We are here to help identify your cost-reduction opportunities and formulate solutions and strategies. Here are all the technology verticals in which we are experts:

CCaaS

Internet Services

Compute & Cloud

UCaaS & Collaboration

Data Connectivity

Wireless & Mobility

VOIP & POTS

SaaS & PaaS

IT Security Services

Colocation

Let Technology Navigation help your organization in its budget planning for 2024. Contact us here.

How to leverage MS Teams and integrate it with your UCaaS

technavadmin UCaaS , , , ,
How to leverage MS Teams and integrate it with your UCaaS
By John Witcher
Director of Client Engagement

In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, effective communication and collaboration are paramount for the success of any organization. Many businesses have already embraced Microsoft Teams (MS Teams) as their go-to platform for team collaboration and want to integrate MS Teams with their UCaaS or use it as their UCaaS platform in totality.

The integration of Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) with MS Teams is a powerful solution that can enhance your team’s communication and productivity, reduce complexity and lower costs. In this blog, we aim to shed light on this untapped potential, providing you with the necessary steps, recommendations, and insights to seamless UCaaS integration with Microsoft Teams.

Understanding UCaaS and MS Teams

UCaaS is a cloud-based communication solution that has various tools like voice calling, video conferencing, instant messaging, SMS text, WhatsApp, AI, transcription, and presence management in one place.

Microsoft Teams (MS Teams), on the other hand, is included with every type of MS License and is the prevalent collaboration platform known for its robust features, including internal and external communication, file sharing, and project management. 

Integrating UCaaS with MS Teams consolidates communication channels, allowing users to access MS Teams voice/video calls, instant messaging, and collaborative workspaces within a single application as well as leveraging their UCaaS advanced technologies that MS Teams does not provide:

  • Enhanced IVR/PBX, associated management, and reporting
  • SMS text
  • AI and associated technology
  • WhatsApp
  • Contact Center and Workforce Management
  • Transcription

This saves time and simplifies workflows by eliminating the need for switching between multiple tools and enhances productivity by facilitating efficient collaboration, as well as increases the communication mediums, technologies, and management capabilities of MS Teams.

Benefits of UCaaS and MS Teams Integration

UCaaS integration with MS Teams offers a range of benefits that significantly enhance communication and collaboration within organizations.

Cost Savings

By consolidating various communication channels into a single platform, businesses can reduce the expenses associated with managing multiple tools with MS Teams integration.

Improved Efficiency

UCaaS integration improves efficiency and productivity for teams. With UCaaS and MS Teams working seamlessly together, employees can communicate, collaborate, access information more efficiently, use additional enhanced technologies, leading to faster decision-making and smoother workflows.

More Flexibility

Employees to communicate and collaborate from any location or device either from MS Teams or the UCaaS platform. Whether they are in the office, working remotely, or on the go, the integrated UCaaS and MS Teams solution ensures that teams stay connected and productive.

The final takeaway

In conclusion, integrating UCaaS with MS Teams can unlock a world of benefits for organizations. By consolidating communication channels, businesses can save costs and improve efficiency. Moreover, the enhanced collaboration features and flexibility enable seamless teamwork.

If you are considering UCaaS and Microsoft Teams integration for your organization, Technology Navigation is here to make your transition as seamless as possible. Connect with us.

Thinking of security and SD-WAN? 4 SASE Trends you need to keep an eye on!

technavadmin IT Security, SD-WAN , , ,
Thinking of security and SD-WAN? 4 SASE Trends you need to keep an eye on!

By Chis Newell
Founder & President

Studies have shown that SASE framework will account for 25+ percent of SD-WAN and cloud security services by the end of 2027. As we progress into 2023 let’s take a closer look at 4 emerging trends of SASE that could impact the year ahead.

SASE is a framework, not just another security mechanism. As we progress into this structure, the payoffs, little nuances, and big strategies have become much clearer.

1. Consolidation of SD-WAN following SASE framework adoption

Undeniably, as SASE adoption gains traction, there will be a good number of SD-WAN and security consolidations. It was difficult to discuss security options with SD-WAN, the intervention of SASE framework certainly converges the conversation. SASE key product sets are combining:

  • Software-Define Wide Area Network (SD-WAN)
  • Secure Web Gateway (SWG)
  • Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB)
  • Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
  • Firewall as a Service (FWaaS)
  • Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)
  • Centralized Management

Ever since businesses have embraced the remote office/users, IoT and home users, things have taken a solemn turn in a secure network edge. Simply, converging the conversation with a SASE framework, improves and secures networks.

2. Securing IoT devices

As employees continue to use a range of IoT devices, all mission-critical IoT will be looking to embrace SD-WAN with a SASE architecture. IoTs vital role is also its weakness. Because of IoTs mobility in business environments, security is an afterthought instead of a secure, faster, and reliable connection. It is important to note that all such IoT devices in the residential tech stack bleeding into the corporate environment pose a high risk.

Therefore, generating a holistic SD-WAN SASE awareness of all such devices (residential and business) will gain significance. Most SASE-based issues from IoT come from how invisible they are on the network.

3. SaaS Cloud Native Platforms & SASE

When looking to fuel digital transformations, SaaS makes it easier than not to move to the cloud.However, such benefits don’t come with a warning label. SASE’s security protects the most common bad actors facing SaaS applications.     

Phishing, malware, and account takeover are just some of the attacks SASE can stop or limit your organization’s exposure. 

While SaaS is an attractive way to transform to the digital age, protecting your journey is paramount.

4. SASE is redefining security for remote and home office networking

Since COVID disrupted the way of working, bad actors have been on a spree. According to Andrew Ossipov, CTO at Cisco, social engineering aimed at extracting credentials of corporates is fast becoming a daily occurrence because of a more significant number of remote workers. All thanks to feebly protected solutions connected to home and remote office networks with limited visibility.

With SASE on the scene, enterprises seek powerful ZTNA and SDP connections for various hybrid applications. More so, with increasing human-readable security policies for private, cloud, and SaaS network enforcement points.

Things will eventually boil down to a secure, end-to-end connectivity reinforcing a positive user experience across the length and breadth of applications.  

Wrap Up

Undoubtedly, as SASE solutions grow mature, integration capabilities will expand. 

The need for the hour is an optimal secure network and user experience, which the SASE framework provides. 

For customers looking to embrace the best-in-class solutions, you should team up with a supplier that has extended SASE capabilities and allows you to consume these capabilities as required.

Technology Navigation can help you find the SASE provider. Connect with us to learn more.