Scaling for success: Flexential Fabric and the modern IT leader

Modern IT leaders grapple with extraordinary challenges driven by the mounting expectations of end-users and the ceaseless pace of technological innovation. Their responsibilities have expanded beyond those of traditional IT support and management, putting them in positions of considerable influence over corporate strategy and innovation. As the IT landscape evolves further, IT leaders must embrace their expanded responsibilities to ensure their organizations remain competitive and agile.

Amid this rapidly advancing digital transformation, clients are calling for more personalized and seamless interactions across a wide range of devices and communication channels. They expect timely and dependable service, prompt responses, and minimal interruptions. Heightened concerns regarding data privacy and security underscore the importance of safeguarding customers' personal information, and there is an unequivocal demand for transparency and accountability in the utilization of customer data and analytics. Modern IT leaders must handle their expanding roles considering these changing demands.

At Flexential, we understand that today's IT leaders need more than just an understanding of their challenges; they require actionable solutions. And that's why we're excited to announce Flexential Fabric, a revolutionary solution designed to empower IT leaders and organizations to thrive in this demanding environment. Flexential Fabric isn't just another product; it represents a single-port solution that automates virtual connections across the entire Flexential ecosystem. This innovative technology simplifies the complex realm of IT connectivity, and in an era where network connectivity is mission-critical, Flexential Fabric provides the competitive edge that modern IT leaders require.

In this article, we will explore the evolving role of IT leaders, dig deep into the specific issues they face, and present the numerous ways Flexential Fabric can empower IT leaders and their organizations to overcome these challenges.

The evolving role of IT leaders

According to a survey conducted by IDG Research, a staggering 60% of IT leaders find themselves more deeply entrenched in business strategy decisions than they were just two years ago. This indicates a significant departure from the traditional role of IT leaders, who were primarily responsible for managing IT infrastructure and support. Today, they have ascended to positions where they actively contribute to shaping the strategic direction of their organizations.

Furthermore, a report by McKinsey & Company underscores the pivotal role of IT teams in driving digital initiatives. A remarkable 76% of executives surveyed emphasize the "very" or "extremely" important nature of these initiatives to their organizations' strategies. This heightened importance places immense pressure on IT teams to deliver innovative solutions.

A study from Deloitte further reaffirms the evolving role of IT leaders. A substantial 69% of surveyed business leaders express the belief that IT should be a key partner in shaping the strategic direction of their organizations. This implies that IT leaders are expected to possess a profound understanding of the business and its overarching goals, transcending the confines of traditional IT knowledge.

The contemporary business landscape is marked by a growing need for digital collaboration with various technology platforms, service providers, and enterprises. This necessitates the establishment of interconnected ecosystems, which have become a focal point in technology strategy agendas. IT leaders find themselves at the forefront of architecting, creating, and consuming these ecosystems, but the challenges they encounter are multifaceted and complex.

First and foremost, businesses are tasked with integrating, upgrading, and transitioning applications to keep pace with digital transformation. This includes not only traditional applications but also the adoption of private cloud and Software as a Service (SaaS) applications, such as Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. IT leaders must grapple with the integration of these diverse elements into a cohesive, efficient, and secure ecosystem.

One significant hurdle lies in the fragmentation of infrastructures, encompassing distributed computers, storage, databases, and applications. The presence of Public Cloud, Private Cloud, and SaaS providers that are not interconnected and do not communicate with one another presents a considerable challenge. These fragmented infrastructures hinder scalability, rendering them unsuitable for sustaining business growth.

Join us for our in-depth webinar, where we will explore the future of connectivity and give insight into how to reshape your digital infrastructure. We talk with Flexential COO Ryan Mallory about Flexential Fabric as a game-changing addition to the Flexential Interconnection portfolio.

Another challenge stems from the geographical dispersion of the workforce, which necessitates a centrally located data center for applications and network services. While this model may offer some advantages, it brings with it a host of challenges. Latency issues can arise due to the distance between the workforce and the centralized data center, resulting in suboptimal performance. Increased bandwidth costs can strain budgets, and the unpredictability in performance can lead to a subpar user experience.

The need for IT leaders to come up with innovative solutions that can streamline their IT operations, enhance security, and boost efficiency has never been more critical, and organizations that fail to adapt to emerging technologies and market trends risk falling behind their competitors.

Introducing Flexential Fabric: Transforming interconnection

 One game-changing solution that is revolutionizing the way organizations approach interconnection services is Flexential Fabric.

Flexential Fabric is not your ordinary interconnection solution; it's a powerful and agile platform designed to address the evolving needs of modern businesses. With Flexential Fabric, you can say goodbye to the hassles of manual processes and long wait times traditionally associated with provisioning interconnection services.

Key features for seamless interconnection

Flexential Fabric offers a range of key features that make it a must-have for businesses looking to optimize their network connectivity:

Self-service portal: Flexential Fabric provides a self-service portal that empowers users to establish secure and private virtual connections tailored to their specific business needs. This user-friendly web interface within the Flexential Xperience Portal (FXP) puts you in complete control, allowing for easy monitoring and management of utilization.

Rapid provisioning: Are you tired of waiting for hours or even days to provision network services? Flexential Fabric changes the game by enabling you to order and provision multiple network services in just minutes. This rapid provisioning ensures that your business remains agile and responsive to changing demands.

Seamless integration: Flexential Fabric seamlessly integrates with the comprehensive capabilities of the FlexAnywhere Platform. This integration opens a world of possibilities, providing access to a suite of services, including colocation, cloud, connectivity, data protection, and managed services.

See what goes into Flexential Fabric and why it's a game-changer, offering seamless connectivity and unparalleled interconnection services.

Unleash the power of Flexential Fabric

With Flexential Fabric, you gain access to high bandwidth with consistent throughput and low-latency connectivity to the internet, other data centers, and leading cloud service providers—all accessible through a single port. Real-time virtual circuit provisioning allows you to expand your reach beyond local metros and data centers, effortlessly connecting to destinations worldwide.

Cost efficiency and flexibility

Cost efficiency and flexibility are paramount for staying competitive and responsive to evolving market demands. Fortunately, Flexential Fabric offers a solution that not only optimizes costs but also provides unparalleled flexibility through its software-defined interconnection capabilities.

Optimizing costs through virtual connections

Cost optimization is a top priority for businesses as they navigate new technologies and manage increasingly complex workloads. With Flexential Fabric, you can achieve substantial cost savings by leveraging multiple virtual connections through a single physical port. This innovative approach allows you to streamline your ecosystem while significantly lowering capital costs.

Traditionally, scaling network and connectivity infrastructure would come with hefty price tags, but Flexential Fabric changes the game. It enables businesses to scale without breaking the bank, providing the agility needed to adapt to changing circumstances while maintaining financial prudence.

Flexibility with software-defined interconnection

Flexential Fabric offers a level of flexibility that was once only dreamed of in the realm of interconnection services. Here's how it empowers your organization:

Cloud-like agility and scale: Flexential Fabric brings cloud-like agility and scale to your network infrastructure. With low-latency layer 2 connections, you gain secure, private, and predictable connectivity without the need for complex cabling. This ensures that your network can evolve as quickly as your business demands.

Flexible control: You're in the driver's seat with Flexential Fabric. Monitor and manage utilization, control all connections, and adjust your infrastructure on the fly. Self-service capabilities allow you to add, change, or remove services as needed without the constraints of physical infrastructure.

By enabling software-defined interconnection, Flexential Fabric offers a multitude of advantages. It brings software, application, and content providers into the Flexential ecosystem, expands destinations on Flexential Interconnection, and supports complex use cases. It enables enterprises to consume connectivity just as they consume cloud services, providing the ultimate flexibility in network management.

With Flexential Fabric, you have the freedom to build your platforms to run your business, all while enjoying cost-efficient and flexible network connectivity. This next-gen solution redefines the user experience, delivering an innovative approach to interconnection services.

Integration with FlexAnywhere Platform

Flexential Fabric is the powerful, agile, and reliable network infrastructure that supercharges the FlexAnywhere Platform, unlocking the full potential of your business with seamless connectivity and unparalleled interconnection services. This integration extends far beyond a simple add-on; it's a powerful collaboration that brings a world of possibilities to IT leaders and organizations seeking to optimize their network infrastructure.

With Flexential Fabric, you gain access to a comprehensive suite of services available within the FlexAnywhere ecosystem. These services span various critical aspects of IT infrastructure, ensuring that your organization's needs are not just met but exceeded. Here's what this integration entails and the value it brings to IT leaders:

Colocation services: Flexential offers state-of-the-art colocation facilities designed to meet the highest industry standards. By utilizing Flexential Fabric, IT leaders can ensure secure, reliable, and highly available connectivity to their colocated equipment. This means reduced latency, improved performance, and the peace of mind that comes with a world-class colocation solution.

Cloud solutions: The FlexAnywhere Platform includes a range of cloud offerings, including public, private, and hybrid cloud solutions. With the self-service capabilities of Flexential Fabric, you can achieve lightning-fast, secure, and private connectivity to your chosen cloud environment. This ensures that your cloud-based applications and services perform optimally, supporting your organization's digital transformation efforts.

Connectivity: Beyond interconnection, Flexential offers a spectrum of connectivity solutions to meet diverse business needs. Whether you require high-speed internet access, point-to-point connections, or direct links to leading cloud service providers, Flexential Fabric delivers these connectivity options over a single port. IT leaders can take advantage of low-latency, high-bandwidth connections to ensure optimal data transfer and user experiences.

Data protection: Data security and protection are crucial in today's digital landscape. Flexential Fabric integrates with data protection services to ensure that your critical data remains safeguarded. Whether you need backup, disaster recovery, or other data protection solutions, the seamless connectivity provided by Flexential Fabric ensures that your data is secure and recoverable.

Managed services: Flexential offers a range of professional IT services to offload routine tasks and free up your IT team's resources for strategic initiatives. The integration of Flexential Fabric with managed services means that you can enjoy simplified management, monitoring, and maintenance of your network infrastructure, allowing your IT leaders to focus on innovation and driving business growth

The value of this integration cannot be overstated. IT leaders gain a holistic view of their IT ecosystem, with the flexibility to scale and adapt to changing business requirements. Flexential Fabric empowers IT leaders to harness the full potential of the FlexAnywhere Platform.

Conclusion

Modern IT leaders play a pivotal role in shaping business strategies and meeting customers' rising demands. To excel in this environment, innovative solutions are needed.

That’s where Flexential Fabric comes into play. A revolutionary, one-stop solution simplifying connectivity across the entire Flexential ecosystem. It offers a user-friendly portal for secure and rapid virtual connections, allows scalable network expansion on-demand, and seamless integration with the FlexAnywhere Platform, all while reducing costs.

Flexential Fabric is more than just a technological solution; it's a partnership. Our experienced professionals work closely with you to develop a strategic and future-proof IT program, ensuring that your infrastructure is optimized to meet your unique needs.

Visit our product page to explore Flexential Fabric in more detail and discover how it can transform your business, or reach out today for a consultation.