In the wake of widespread digital transformation taking place among domestic and international enterprises, increased bandwidth capacity is critical to maintaining fast and reliable connectivity to mission-critical applications and data hosted in the cloud. In order to achieve this level of connectivity, companies are becoming increasingly reliant upon private, secure and direct connectivity to their cloud-based resources. In fact, according to a study done by Equinix, total bandwidth on the private links utilized by enterprises for network interconnection is growing faster than that of the public internet, expected to outpace it by double in the next three years.

In a conference panel at Capacity North America earlier this month, Gina Nomellini, GTT Communication’s Chief Marketing Officer, offered a perspective on the growing importance of the network to the enterprise in driving digital transformation and connecting to the cloud.

“There has been an evolution in terms of the type of connectivity requested by enterprise customers,” explained Ms. Nomellini when discussing the topic of enterprise cloud connectivity trends. “Many of our clients have graduated from individual, dedicated Layer 2 VLAN architecture to complex interconnectivity between applications at Layer 3. In addition, we are seeing a growing number of enterprises opting for hybrid-WAN and SD-WAN solutions for more cost-effective and secure internet connectivity options.”

According to Ms. Nomellini, when it comes to the most disruptive trends throughout the industry, data security remains top-of-mind for many enterprises, particularly for those that utilize the public internet to access cloud resources. To mitigate this concern, GTT layers on additional services to ensure enhanced security and performance of their interconnections.

In addition, the trend toward increased network flexibility has become a critical element of an effective connectivity strategy, as today’s enterprises demand access to high-capacity connectivity without wasting valuable financial resources on unused bandwidth.

“For enterprises that experience a high level of variation in bandwidth consumption, dynamic network capacity is necessary to deliver superior flexibility,” Ms. Nomellini said. “The promise of SD-WAN helps meet that need in allowing companies to optimize their bandwidth efficiency and providing added advantages in high-cost markets where bandwidth is scarce.”

“In the end, your cloud is only as good as your network,” she added. “By combining automation and simplicity with cutting-edge services and solutions, GTT is committed to providing clients with private, secure and reliable interconnectivity to the cloud-based applications and resources that are integral to their businesses success.”

For more information about GTT and its cloud connectivity services, visit www.gtt.net.