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Is STaaS Right for You?

Archive Storage

For companies that increasingly view storage as a vital utility, rather than as a capability that they want to cultivate and staff, Storage-as-a-Service (STaaS ) is becoming an increasingly attractive option. With the advent of cloud computing, IT departments started getting comfortable with software-as-a-service, infrastructure-as-a-service, and platform-as-a-service. With Amazon S3, storage-as-a-service entered the mainstream. STaaS is essentially a cloud-like storage resource, implemented as an on-premises service providing immediacy, scalability, and pay-per-use flexibility, minus the security and performance variability issues that keep enterprise users up at night.

STaaS offers some compelling benefits . End users turning
to STaaS are drawn by the ability to reduce operational and administrative
costs, eliminate unplanned capital expenditures and major upgrades, improve
control and security with on-prem infrastructure, and achieve greater
performance with less downtime.

IT departments making their first steps into the realm of
StaaS often begin with a daunting list of questions to address as they begin to
sort through basic questions of what kind of storage they require.  How much do they value security, service, and
support? How do they manage and control their environments? What is the true
value of an SLA?

Surveying the Enterprise IT Community about STaaS

John Webster, senior analyst with Evaluator Group, decided
it was time to take the temperature of the end-user community considering STaaS.
Webster surveyed 249 enterprise IT end users and conducted extensive interviews
to understand the evolving attitudes toward STaaS.

The results are
revealing. Some of the interviewees spoke glowingly of the benefits they have
seen. One noted, “Switching over to STaaS has allowed us to lifecycle our aging
storage fleet without the large CAPEX layout that would be required if we were
to purchase the storage infrastructure. We will also be getting a significant
performance uplift from the new storage hardware.”

Not surprisingly, compatibility,
security, and support are all top concerns for end users as follows:

  • 73% of those surveyed required compatibility
    with their existing IT environment. Customers
    want a STaaS vendor to be the single, consolidated source for support and
    maintenance.
  • 65% of respondents
    indicated that they want the STaaS vender to be the single source of support
    and maintenance even if the infrastructure is sourced from different suppliers.

In the area of management and control of a STaaS
environment, just 22% of survey respondents want the vendor to manage every
aspect of their STaaS environment. 11% prefer to do it all themselves. Most
want something in between.

“What I could allow the vendor to
manage and control depends on what they own. There are a lot of moving pieces
in an IT environment,” the CIO of a manufacturing firm noted. “The storage
vendor could tweak something, which causes problems upstream and we’re left
trying to figure out what changed. One of the things I hate is when vendors say
it’s not their problem or they didn’t do that. They would have to be
accountable and we would have to know what they are doing.”

Download STaas eBook

Webster’s eBook, “Storage-as-a-Service Comes of Age – A Study of
Enterprise User Perceptions and Requirements,” is now available to download for
anyone eager to learn more.

To view our Partner blog, click here

6 binge-able series to make your hibernation bearable

CMMA Blog

By Dani Lyman

Spring may be just around the corner but we are not out of the (snow-covered) woods yet. Dangerous storms and record cold snaps are sweeping the nation—forcing people off the road, into their homes, and often to the comforting glow of their devices. If you’re not sure how you’re going to survive the long, boring winter nights that will eventually give way to Spring, these 6 streaming series filled with cold-hearted villains and heart-warming lovers are here to make your hibernation at least an entertaining one.

So grab a blanket and cuddle up with your favorite human (or animal) and stay warm bingeing these winter-worthy series.

YOU – NETFLIX

People cannot get enough of YOU. Women cannot get enough of YOU. The show itself, especially season two, is intriguing, murdery and sexy, but perhaps the real mystery here is the audience’s fascination with a serial killer who internally justifies his actions while stalking and slaying his prey. Outside of being a truly well-crafted and well-acted series, the show’s appeal lies in its complicated nature and the effect it has on its viewers. It is a fiery subject on social media—sparking dialogue on abusive relationships, boundaries, and violence. The lead actor, Penn Badgley, often interacts with his fans on Twitter  and has been open about his discomfort portraying such a dangerous character. This show has created an opportunity to discuss truly important issues while also entertaining the heck out of us.

KILLING EVE – HULU

This BBC America international spy thriller starring the very talented Sandra Oh and the intoxicating Jodie Comer is one of the smartest, most intriguing and fun shows on TV right now. With the second season recently released on Hulu, Killing Eve offers nearly 16 hours of edge of your seat suspense, twists, creative murders, dark witty humor, and a fabulous female-driven soundtrack. The love/hate relationship between the attention-seeking and dynamic assassin Villanelle (Jodie Comer) and the career-obsessed MI-6 agent Eve (Sandra Oh) turns into a complicated, sexy and dangerous game of cat and mouse. This is a must-watch.

MODERN FAMILY – ABC/ HULU

If murder and mayhem isn’t your style, then the classic sitcom Modern Family is a solid go-to this winter. On its final season  (spoiler alert), the Dunphy/Pritchett clan is up to their old shenanigans while learning how to navigate the complicated and hilarious waters of blended families. This season they are exploring their futures as they prepare to bid viewers farewell.

SCHITT’S CREEK – NETFLIX

From comedy legend Eugene Levy (American Pie, Best in Show) and his son, Dan Levy, comes this quirky, offbeat and surprisingly heart-warming comedy about a filthy rich family who loses everything and must restart their lives together. Schitt’s Creek is as subtle as it is outlandish and sure to hit you with the laughs as well as the feels. The endearing characters and awkward antics make this show addictive and easy to binge. You can catch-up on all five seasons on Netflix and then, when you’re thirsty for more, follow EW ON Set Podcast for more insider info.

THE MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL – PRIME

Playful, upbeat and relevant, this Prime Original series follows Midge Maisel on her journey to become a successful stand-up comic in…wait for it… the 1950’s. The ambitious and likable lead, portrayed by Rachel Brosnahan, is adored by critics and viewers alike. From the creator of Gilmore Girls, Amy Sherman-Palladino, this series is creative, witty and a positive reflection of women and their tenacity to reach outside the box and create the life of their dreams.

The post 6 binge-able series to make your hibernation bearable appeared first on PayReel .

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Network Knowledge is Power

CMMA Blog

“Video is the great equalizer for corporate network administrators. It really exposes flaws—even flaws you didn’t know you had—in your corporate network.” Steve Vonder Haar, Senior Analyst at Wainhouse Research

Picture This

Your
company just reported year-end 2019 results, and your CEO wants to host an all-hands
webcast. The CEO’s objectives of the meeting are simple. Celebrate the
company’s success, and set a clear strategy for the new year.

It’s the
most important webcast of the year—and everyone will want to watch.

As a
result, you and your colleagues are investing countless hours to produce a
flawless meeting. You’ve even tapped into a few new features on your streaming
video platform.

Rehearsals
went off without a hitch, the presentation is loaded, and everything is set. It’s
go time.

As you
monitor how many people are watching, you notice something isn’t quite right. You’ve
got 55,000 employees in eight offices around the globe, but the number of
attendees is fluctuating quite a bit. Sure, people always join late and leave
early, but you’re about 12 minutes in. Numbers should be strong.  

All of a
sudden, you get a flood of helpdesk tickets, emails and IMs. People are having
problems watching the video stream. Some are complaining about buffering and
jitter, while others say they can’t join the webcast at all.

You panic. What is going wrong? You and your colleagues did everything possible to make sure this webcast was perfect.

QoE is
King

Before we
dive into the possible root cause, let’s talk about quality of experience (QoE).

At one
time, a little latency or jitter didn’t bother anyone. Streaming video in the
workplace was a novelty. But that’s changed. We’re using video inside the
enterprise for everything from live webcasts and employee training, to
executive video messages and digital signage.

quality and times view 1 1024x722 1

“Good
enough” video is no longer good enough. Most of us are watching streaming video
multiple times a day outside of work without issue. As a result, we expect the
same high-quality experience at work.

What’s
even more interesting is the more people watch business-related videos at work,
they expect higher-quality videos. In fact, 71% of people reporting daily
viewership of online business video report that they place “significant
emphasis” on broadcast quality when evaluating the success of an organization’s
streaming video. Among those using online video at work less than monthly, only
32% say they place a “significant emphasis” on broadcast quality.1

It’s safe to assume people expect high-quality video all the time, especially if they use video a lot. As a result, you need to determine how to create the experience your viewers expect.  

The
Problem: Your Network

Let’s
jump to what might have happened when QoE became an issue and people dropped
from your webcast.  

Since it
takes about 2 Mbps* to transmit video, you’ll need at least 110 Gbps of
bandwidth to deliver video to your 55,000 employees. Without a doubt, 110 Gbps of
data will have a massive impact on your network. You need a ton of bandwidth!

And what
about the rest of your enterprise? You might see other types of helpdesk
tickets as well.

Here’s
why. When you try to squeeze as much as possible out of the Internet
connection, it’ll choke. Your business-critical applications could freeze or
fail. The result? People won’t be able to join the meeting, including your CFO
who’s watching from your Singapore office. Point of sale systems may stop
working. Accounting systems slow down. Work becomes frustrating for everyone.

If you
don’t figure this out, you might get one of those emails from the CEO. You
know, where he/she asks you why people couldn’t the join meeting and why
“business” came to a halt.   

No one
wants to have their perfectly planned webcast become an epic fail.

The
Solution: An eCDN

It’s
unrealistic to think your network is ready to handle the flood of data that
comes with streaming video. Here’s the good news. An enterprise content
delivery network (eCDN) can save your network from bandwidth-intensive video. (If
you’re already using an eCDN, bravo!)

An eCDN intelligently routes video traffic to optimize your network without sacrificing user experience. The most common eCDNs are multicast, video caching and peer-to-peer networking.

Comparison 1024x426 1

Not sure what approach will work for you? Get a high-level
overview about the different types of eCDNs in our blog titled Streaming
Video and Your Network . Then, take a deeper dive by accessing
these resources:

Bottom
line, an eCDN relieves the strain from the bandwidth choke points, like the
Internet connection. It helps you protect your business-critical applications,
operations and create a high-quality viewer experience.

Getting
Down to the Nitty Gritty Details

Another
benefit of an eCDN is it can give you clues into what’s happening on your
network.

Role in IT quality 1024x799 1

“Video is
the great equalizer for corporate network administrators. It really exposes
flaws—even flaws you didn’t know you had—in your corporate network,” said Steve
Vonder Haar, Senior Analyst at Wainhouse Research. “And so video network
monitoring becomes an important element of the whole streaming video toolbox.”

CIOs
agree. Fifty-seven percent of CIOs surveyed by Wainhouse Research in the third
quarter of 2019 describe the ability to “monitor video performance to
troubleshoot network problems” as a “very important” influence on the streaming
technology purchase decision.1

Most eCDN
solutions come equipped with some form of reporting and analytics capabilities.
Most will give you information you need to:

  • Troubleshoot network problems. See exactly what’s
    happening your network and how it’s impacting QoE. For example, if people in a
    certain location have problems accessing the video, you can drill down to see
    what’s contributing to poor performance. Is it the device? Is it a network
    connection?
  • Measure your success. Report and share data important to your
    internal customers and the IT team. Whether it’s knowing how many people
    watched a specific video, how long they watched it or where they’re located, you
    can make comparisons and assumptions about each video. Likewise, you can
    compare network performance metrics from one event or video to another.
  • Prove ROI. How you prove ROI is ultimately up to you.
    Whether you’re comparing the investment of your eCDN to what it would cost to
    add more bandwidth or comparing video delivery before and after your eCDN, you
    can demonstrate ROI if you have the right data.

In the
end, your videos have zero value if people can’t watch them. But with the right
video networking solution, you gain the insights you need to improve network
performance and QoE.

You have
the ultimate ability to turn weaknesses into strengths.

Ramp
Analytics

With Ramp,
you get a comprehensive view of your eCDN environment to see how video is
impacting network performance. You can monitor events in real-time or perform
post-event analysis to examine attendance, network performance, and measure
return on investment (ROI).

With robust
reporting and analytics capabilities, you gain insight into every aspect of
your streaming video environment. Ramp allows you to view your video network as
a whole or get specific, down to the minute, location or device.

  • Monitor: Get a minute-by-minute view of KPIs such as
    network impact, number/locations of viewers, and QoE.
  • Identify: Quickly assess the health of the network and
    identify areas of concern. Your dashboard allows you to quickly see changes in
    performance. Double click to analyze performance by location—all the way down
    to the individual device.
  • Analyze: View and analyze data for individual videos or
    as an aggregate over periods of time. You can also use the timeline to analyze
    statistics at specific moments in time.
Ramp 2019 01 Event Analytics Altimeter HistoryGraphB 1024x576 2

Network
knowledge is power. The more you know about what’s happening in your network,
the more you can address problems before you have them.

Strategies
for Streaming Success

With
streaming video on the rise in the enterprise, you need a solid strategy. Learn
about the five “Enterprise Video Truths” highlighted in this report. It’s a
basic roadmap of issues that can—and should—be addressed when evaluating your
video technology options.

Download Whitepaper

1 Building a Scalable Strategy for Enterprise Streaming

* The size of video data varies, but for this example, we are assuming one video stream is equal to 2 Mbps.

The post Network Knowledge
is Power appeared first on Ramp .

To view our Partner blog, click here

Creating Better Workplace Meetings With Crestron Flex

AV in Meeting Spaces

In a fast-paced, productivity-focused workplace, time is at a premium for everyone. Meetings have to start fast, run as expected, and support the way participants want to collaborate. Less time worrying about how to use technology means more time to maximize productivity and create new ideas that benefit the business. 

Because not every meeting has the same number of people or same general purpose, smart workplaces will feature a variety of spaces: huddle rooms, open areas, personal desks, executive boardrooms, and traditional conference rooms designed for small, medium, and large groups. 

These spaces are typically aligned with purposes suited to their size: the quick brainstorming huddle, the strategic presentation, the training session, the group presentation. Though different in size and purpose, most share similar technology systems. The types of collaboration technology in these spaces often include preferred UCC platforms (think Microsoft Teams Rooms), wireless connectivity from BYOD, ready-to-go video conferencing, and interactive displays. 

Regardless of your particular industry — whether it’s higher education or any number of corporate sectors like energy, finance, legal and transportation —  you can make use of the variety of collaboration spaces for quick huddles, training sessions, and strategic-minded presentations. Common to these organizations is their reliance on speed and agility. To reach business outcomes and outdo the competition, they must give their talent the tools they need to quickly come up with ideas and strategies that they take to market. By establishing technology standards for each of these spaces, you create a consistent, a high-quality experience that encourages collaboration and optimizes your workforce’s effectiveness. 

Crestron solutions set the standard for collaboration across industries and applications. In particular, Crestron Flex is a pace setter for key activities like quick-start meetings, video conferencing, collaboration, and content sharing. There’s a Crestron Flex solution for any size and type of conference space – including private and custom spaces and rooms designed for groups of various sizes. Wherever they gather, even from remote locations, meeting attendees have the same easy ability to work together. 

Users can connect their personal devices into their Crestron Flex device and start working with one another from their preferred UC platform. Crestron Flex natively supports whichever popular platform you choose, so once you connect your laptop via USB, you’re ready to collaborate. 

I encourage you to look at the Crestron Flex series of products so you can get an idea of how they’ll play in your workplace. For companies like yours, you’ll have a meeting-room solution that’s affordable and supports the way your teams produce the outcomes that drive your success in the marketplace. These solutions include:

  • Crestron Flex B-Series Smart Soundbar
  • Crestron Flex C-Series Integrator Kits
  • Crestron Flex M-Series Tabletop AV Conferencing
  • Crestron Flex P-Series Desktop Phone

You can learn more about each of these solutions at the Crestron Flex page .

Want a demo of Crestron Flex so you can see firsthand what it can do? Contact us at AVI-SPL and we’ll answer your questions and show you how Crestron Flex transforms your meeting experience so you get the business outcomes that spark success.

 

 

 

 

To view our Partner blog, click here