Lightstorm, a player in the transport network services industry, believes that its newly launched Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) platform, Polarin, is well-equipped to tackle the various challenges faced by enterprises and establish a significant presence in the enterprise market. With Polarin, the company says, businesses can effortlessly manage their hybrid and multi-cloud infrastructure, internet exchanges, CDN service providers, and a wide range of SaaS applications like O365, all within a secure private network. This self-serve NaaS solution enables enterprises to streamline network management processes while ensuring cost-effectiveness and robust security.
Prasanna C, General Manager and Head of Business at Polarin by Lightstorm, explains, “By eliminating reliance on service providers, Polarin empowers enterprises to rapidly establish their networks in a matter of minutes. This cutting-edge platform offers unprecedented simplicity, flexibility, and control, enabling businesses to expand quickly and thrive.”
With the ongoing evolution of digital transformation strategies, increasing prominence of technologies such as AI, ML, and robotics, and talent shortage, businesses are increasingly inclined to avoid the complexities and expenses associated with owning and managing network infrastructures. Instead, they are turning to NaaS, a subscription-based platform that integrates network hardware, software, and resources into a unified solution. This shift in preference has resulted in the rapid expansion of the NaaS market, and Lightstorm is determined to secure a substantial market share within this burgeoning industry.
According to Astute Analytica, a global analytics and advisory company, the global network-as-a-Service market was valued at US$ 20.8 billion in 2022. It is projected to reach a staggering US$ 465.2 billion by 2031, exhibiting an impressive CAGR of 40.7% during the forecast period from 2023 to 2031. Lightstorm’s Polarin competes with other notable NaaS players such as Aryaka Networks, Ciena Corporation, Extreme Networks, Global Cloud Xchange, Juniper Networks, and NEC.
An easier alternative to legacy networks
Enterprises have traditionally faced obstacles with outdated MPLS-based networks that lack the agility and security required in today’s digital landscape. Legacy networking solutions are expensive, inflexible, and slow to scale, impeding growth and exposing businesses to cyber threats. The NaaS-based pay-as-you-go model allows enterprises to leverage the benefits of a robust, high-speed, and secure network without hefty upfront investments.
“Automation capabilities within Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) have revolutionized enterprise processes in numerous ways,” remarks Prasanna C. “From provisioning and configuration management to security and compliance, automation streamlines network operations, enhances efficiency, and enables faster, more flexible service provisioning. By leveraging Polarin’s automation capabilities, organizations can focus on core business objectives while benefiting from a resilient and agile network infrastructure,” Prasanna C adds.
NaaS based solutions facilitate enterprises in rapidly deploying multi-cloud, hybrid cloud, and DCI networks with the flexibility to adapt to changing requirements. This allows enterprises to easily scale their networks to meet their evolving needs.
Expanding global presence and partnerships
Lightstorm plans to expand its presence in several global markets worldwide. To achieve this, it aims to grow its partner ecosystem by collaborating with data center operators and utilizing their existing infrastructure to establish Polarin-enabled locations. “By rapidly deploying its interconnection fabric in new regions, we expand our global footprint and provide customers with access to a broader network ecosystem. Additionally, we will invest in research and development to enhance our software-defined networking platform, improve automation capabilities, and introduce new features and services to stay at the forefront of the interconnection industry,” states Prasanna C.
Lightstorm says that it has successfully implemented NaaS infrastructure for prominent financial service providers. This deployment offers a comprehensive network monitoring dashboard that provides real-time updates for deployed virtual connections. “With each new addition of devices, the monitoring system ensures continuous and up-to-date network performance monitoring. This robust NaaS infrastructure enhances the operational efficiency and reliability of financial institutions, enabling them to deliver seamless services to their clients.”
Apart from the self-service NaaS, Lightsorm is also building the first-of-its-kind utility-fiber-based network, SmartNet. It already connects seven key cities in the country with 30,000+ km of fiber network. After its success in India, we launched SmartNet in Indonesia last year and plan to take it to other countries in the South Asia and South East Asia region.
“Besides, we would be building a network of open CLSs on India’s eastern and western coast and are on track to bring TEAS submarine cable to India soon. We also signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Gujarat Government last year to build the state’s first Open Cable Landing Station (CLS),” Prasanna C shares.
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