4 Network Solutions that Help Keep your Connectivity Secure

Network security remains one of the most pressing demands from digitally transforming organizations across healthcare, finance, government, education, and beyond. As connectivity becomes the basis for all types of mission-critical business operations and communications, keeping the data and information that flows across those connections is becoming more crucial than ever. When you think about the kind of valuable insights that cross the network, it’s no surprise that business leaders are becoming increasingly fearful of cybersecurity issues and data breaches. Especially when you consider articles and statistics like these.

Ultimately, while the network is expanding to incorporate even more tools and platforms, partners and business locations (not to mention extending network access to suit work-from-home and hybrid models), businesses must avert security vulnerabilities. Luckily, there are a few network necessities to consider that can help keep connectivity secure, even as the business framework and demands evolve.

Dark Fiber

When it comes to keeping business communications and data sets private, dark fiber and private-line Ethernet are two solutions that excel. Dark fiber (previously laid, excess fiber optic cables that remain unused, or unlit, beside the lit network) has gained popularity as a secure networking solution due to its added control and nearly unlimited scalability. This solution does offer a host of advantages for IT protection due to the exclusive, totally private nature of the connectivity it offers. Since they are physically private, there aren’t many attack vectors to be exploited, making it a great option for security-focused verticals.

However, the barrier to adoption here is that dark fiber can be cost prohibitive. Once the fiber is leased, the customer must maintain and manage the equipment that keeps the fiber functional. While the benefits of this network solution are clear, some organizations simply can’t handle the associated need for expert, trained staff or the additional costs that come with it. This is where private-line Ethernet comes in handy.

Private-Line Ethernet

The expense of deploying private-line Ethernet is reduced due to the fact that it’s simpler to operate for customers and doesn’t require much more than a port to make the service work. Still, this solution offers robust security and reliability, along with multiple options for deployment configurations.

When compared to wireless options, Ethernet can present a bit of a leg up in the security realm. This is because tapping into the network would prove difficult — after all, any bad actors looking to disrupt or access the connectivity would have to physically access the cable. At the end of the day, the private, closed nature of this network strategy means that no data crosses the public internet, and with its cost efficiencies, it remains a preferred strategy for keeping information and communications private.

Dedicated Internet Access

It’s important to note that — while private-line Ethernet has its advantages — not every organization can commit to maintaining physical connections across their entire footprint. The truth is that business communications and networking are reliant on more and more agility every day, and that means that wireless connectivity can be practically mandatory. This is especially important for organizations that have to keep on-the-go or distance teams connected and collaborating easily.

Dedicated Internet Access (DIA) is a leading solution for organizations that need reliable and fast speeds without fear of interference from outside connectivity users. As opposed to shared connections, DIA enables organizations to free themselves from the usage patterns and related congestion that can occur when multiple users are employing the same bandwidth. Being separated from other users also has its security benefits, offering private connections that keep data safe from prying eyes and insulate the network against outside influence.

SD-WAN

Software-Defined Wide Area Networking (SD-WAN) is gaining momentum as a versatile, innovative approach to agile, simplified networking for complex demands. These benefits extend to security as well.

SD-WAN’s innovation comes from its virtualized, centralized nature, which creates ease of management alongside greater flexibility and mobility for networks that reach over large distances. When it comes to cybersecurity, SD-WAN’s single ‘pane of glass’ management method makes it easy to extend and apply security policies across the entire footprint, closing vulnerabilities and patching weaknesses easily and quickly. This solution also enables the use of strong encryption and firewall services to further increase protection across the network.

With Glo Fiber Business, all the security advantages of SD-WAN come with the ease of a managed as-a-service provisioning style. Now, organizations can bring down cost and complexity barriers to this solution, averting standard deployment methods that require training or hiring expert teams or costly capital expenses for orchestration and management.

To learn more about Glo Fiber Business’s SD-WAN offering, click here.