Ready for an Enterprise Networking Solution?

If you’re in the market for an enterprise networking solution, however, then you should make sure that it’s even what your business means, and is ready for. In this post, we’ll take a look at what an enterprise network actually is, how today’s enterprises are networking, and what factors to keep in mind as you consider taking on an enterprise networking solution for your organization.

Key Takeaways

• A scalable business network solution is needed by any company with burgeoning team sizes, an increasing number of offices, or enhanced reliance on cloud technology.
• In today’s distributed, remote-first universe, traditional centralized networks are obsolete.
• Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) provides an alternative way of building a network that is flexible, scalable, and yet more cost-effective compared to traditional hardware infrastructure.
• Security in today’s enterprise networks is about Zero Trust, identity-based access, and cloud-native defenses.
• Link US Online assists companies in acquiring networking equipment and provides customized solutions based on industry experience.
• The right time to move beyond home networking hinges on your growth, security needs, and infrastructure’s complexity.

What Is an Enterprise Network?

A network is nothing more than several computers or devices linked together. An enterprise network is a perfect example, developed for the needs of big companies. Such networks generally include Local Area Networks (LANs) interfacing with Wide Area Networks (WANs), and accessing cloud resources.

Every company-provisioned device — in head offices, branch offices, data centres, or the cloud — needs reliable network access. The establishment’s network facilitates the sharing of data, traffic analysis, operations, and enterprise applications. In contrast to the public Internet, access on enterprise networks is limited to authorized users, devices, and locations, with encryption frequently in place through VPNs (Virtual Private Network) or TLS (Transport Layer Security).

What sets enterprise networking apart from small‑scale deployments is the scale and complexity. A household LAN may link a user’s devices (e.g., computers, phones, and tablets) to the Internet through a service provider. An enterprise’s network can have thousands of endpoints and connected internal systems, IoT devices, and cloud services. Larger companies might even have their own ASN (Autonomous System Number) to control routing between networks.

How Does an Enterprise Network Work?

Traditionally, enterprise networks were centralized. Everything and every connected device, anywhere, would be backhauled to a core (data center). Offices were connected by WAN links (frequently MPLS), and hardware appliances provided routing, security, and access control.

Key components included:

• Routers: Direct traffic between networks and to the Internet.
• Switches: Devices that interconnect on a LAN.
• Gateways: They bridge dissimilar protocols or like protocols in networks.
• Firewalls: Dictate and block weirdo traffic.
• Load Balancers: Route service traffic between servers to prevent overloading.
• VPN Servers: Allow secure remote users on the Internet to access your internal network.

In a remote connection scenario, the usual thing is for the user to connect momentarily to their company network via VPN encryption. The user has access to internal LAN resources after he/she is authenticated.

What Is Modern Enterprise Networking?

These are transformed days for enterprise networking. These security architectures of old are even less efficient and more bottlenecked by the shift toward cloud services, remote work, and distributed applications.

Now:

• Resources are available to users both in and outside of the office.
• Applications and data may reside in the cloud, on‑premises, or in hybrid environments.
• Your central datacenter-bound model – where you back-haul all traffic to a main data center can create latency, congestion, and complexity.

More contemporary enterprise solutions tend to prefer distributed architectures, software-defined overlays, and tools that can route traffic more intelligently.

What Is Enterprise Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) and How Does It Work?

Network as a Service (NaaS) is a cloud-based service model in which networking capabilities are consumed by an individual or an organization on a subscription basis rather than purchasing the hardware they use. In the case of SD-WAN via NaaS, enterprises can substitute outdated infrastructure and expensive MPLS links in favor of virtualized, scalable networking services.

Under NaaS:

• Routing, switching, and connecting come to you as a service from the cloud.
• Configuration, updates, and monitoring are centralized with APIs frequently used.
• It also makes scaling simpler — you can add capacity or new sites without installing physical gear.
• It provides more flexible options for hybrid (on‑premises + cloud) use cases and remote users.

For most enterprises, ordering an enterprise networking solution based on NaaS means less capital outlay, simplified operations, and more flexibility.

What Is Enterprise Network Security Today?

Establish a secure perimeter, and everything inside is trustworthy; everything outside is suspect. But cloud adoption and remote work have blurred the traditional perimeter.

Modern enterprise network security includes:

• Identity and Access Management (IAM): Allows only authenticated users and devices to use resources.
• Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA): Because no one is automatically trusted, the requester must be re-verified.
• Data Loss Prevention (DLP): Management that watches over and protects sensitive data as it flows across the network.
• Microsegmentation: Establishes isolated pockets within the network to inhibit the lateral movement of an intrusion.
• Logging and Analytics: Monitors flows, anomalies, and user activity for threat finding.

Instead of just having strong perimeter defenses, organizations build security into every connection and layer across their enterprise.

Why Link US Online Should Be Your Partner

When it is time for your business to take on an enterprise networking solution, you will need a partner that knows the ins and outs of hardware, as well as modern networking paradigms. Link US Online has been serving businesses across the nation since 2011. We are experts at sourcing and supplying the top Networking equipment from leading vendors (Cisco, Meraki, HPE, Ubiquiti, and more). Whether you’re looking to do a switch/firewall upgrade or need an entirely new network, we are able to save time and money by getting the right hardware for your project in many cases.

When Is a Business Ready for an Enterprise Networking Solution?

You may be wondering: “When do I transition from just a basic IT setup to a fully managed, enterprise-grade network?”

Consider these signals:

• Explosive Growth or Expansion: Too many offices, users, or devices for a small network to handle smoothly.
• Performance Problems: Slowdowns, lag, or outages in remote or cloud connectivity.
• Security Requirements: Strong regulatory/compliance requirements or threats that overwhelm current defenses.
• Cloud-first Strategy: If a significant portion of your workloads is cloud-based, you will need a network that roams effectively.
• Operating Overhead: If handling routers, switches, firewalls, and updates has become a time sink for the IT organization, it’s time to offload that burden onto someone else using a managed services offering or NaaS provider.

If two or more of these resonates are hitting your company, you’re a good candidate for an enterprise networking solution.

Conclusion

A corporate network solution is now a mandatory requirement for those businesses that rely on cloud services, remote access, and always-on connectivity. Although existing infrastructure might suffice when scaled down, today’s enterprises demand sharper, more flexible networks. If your organization is experiencing pressures around growth, performance, or security, now is the time to transition.

Let Link US Online help bridge that transition. We will assist you with sourcing the right networking equipment, designing your network Architecture, and pointing you in the direction of a scalable and secure solution to meet your business needs for years to come. Give us a call today at (919) 825‑0900 to begin.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an enterprise networking solution?
It’s an end-to-end package — hardware, software, policies, and services that connect a company’s offices, data centers, cloud resources, and employees in a scalable, managed, and secure network.

How does enterprise networking differ from small business networking?
Enterprise networks work at scales where they deal with thousands more in terms of traffic, have much larger layers of security and routing, and often tie into cloud-based or hybrid systems.

What is SD‑WAN, and how does it relate?
A Software‑Defined Wide Area Network (SD‑WAN) is a virtual WAN architecture to enable enterprises to route traffic over multiple connection types and services such as MPLS, broadband, and LTE. It is more often a piece of the modern enterprise networking solution.

Do I need NaaS for enterprise networking?
Not all the time—however, NaaS offers an attractive alternative for staving off hardware capital expenditures upfront and continued operating expenses to then make sense of. It may be fitting for businesses that want to be agile and do not require the overhead.

What is Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA)?
ZTNA is a security model that authenticates each device and user at every access request rather than relying on devices being trusted simply because they are inside a network perimeter. It prevents lateral movement after the breach.

How do I get started transitioning to an enterprise solution?
Begin by evaluating the downfalls of your existing network (speed, security, expandability). Articulate what, specifically, you want to achieve (cloud integration, remote access, compliance). Then find a partner who understands both the modern and legacy architectures — say, Link US Online — and plan for a phased migration.