No matter the sector or industry, digital transformation is a must
For 32% of housing associations, digital transformation is one of their top priorities. These organisations are under pressure to meet rising tenant expectations and stay competitive whilst facing increasing budget pressures. It’s a heck of a challenge, but through the right technology choices, it doesn’t have to be such a burden.
72% of C-suite executives have noted how legacy technology is holding them back. As housing associations look toward cloud-based solutions and other cutting-edge services, they need that robust, reliable network in place.
Adopting an SD-WAN solution can make an incredible difference for housing associations and their digital ambitions. With a simplified network built to be cost-efficient and secure, housing associations can look towards a future fuelled by further innovations. When working with a reliable managed services provider (MSP), there’s certainly a bright future ahead.
Establishing foundations is critical – housing associations don’t need to be told twice about that.
Simplified network management
Managing an ever-expanding WAN network needs to be as simple and streamlined as possible. By using software-defined principles, WAN connectivity performance can be taken much further.
That’s how we get to software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN). Using such a networking solution can give housing associations and their IT teams a single dashboard to manage that multi-location network. That holistic approach reduces the complexity of having to manage each location separately.
Centralised control makes it easier for administrators to create rules and policies based around routing traffic. Real-time insights also help finding the most optimal path regardless of the transport media, whether it’s through 5G, broadband or multiprotocol label switching (MPLS). Critical applications, such as tenant portals or remote maintenance systems, can also get priority bandwidth to guarantee a high-performing service.
Cloud-native SD-WAN can also be rapidly deployed to new sites without causing additional strain on IT departments. With almost 200,000 new social homes to be built over the next 30 years, housing associations will need to expand operations to accommodate that expansion. Through zero-touch provisioning, a network can be deployed to a new site without needing an on-premise IT team there to support it.
A centralised platform that contains real-time monitoring and analytics is extremely beneficial for troubleshooting issues. Network issues can quickly be diagnosed and resolved before they do real damage. That added network visibility can be a great help when looking to improve network security.
Security and compliance
Housing associations are a common target for cyber criminals. In July 2022, a G15 housing association was the victim of one such attack, putting 350,000 residents at risk. Looking after as many tenants as that means network security must be rigid and reliable.
Any chinks in the armour will be a weakness that any cybercriminal would happily exploit.
SD-WAN comes with in-built security features, such as next-generation firewalls and data encryption, that keeps tenant data safe. Losing sensitive information is one thing, but that breach in trust can have long-lasting effects. 80% of consumers would defect from a business if their personal information was compromised.
A multi-site organisation like a housing association will need to make sure staff and contractors can access the network from anywhere. Through secure remote access, a remote workforce can access applications and services from outside the traditional corporate network. The threat from a growing attack surface can be nullified, and remote workers don’t have to sacrifice their operational efficiency.
A more sophisticated network security system helps housing associations stay compliant with GDPR and in the good graces of the ICO. Avoiding breaches means avoiding hefty regulatory fines that cost both tenant trust and actual capital. It’s why choosing a reputable MSP can make such a difference.
Cost savings
The average cost of maintaining a single housing unit exceeded £5000 in November 2024. Housing associations are looking to find ways to cut costs without having to sacrifice their own operational objectives. A cost-efficient network is a great way to start easing the pressure on those budgetary restrictions.
SD-WAN architecture allows an efficient connectivity between branches and devices regardless of the transport technology, eliminating the need of investing in expensive on-premises infrastructure like MPLS for most business scenarios. SD-WAN may not be the ‘cloud silver bullet’, but housing associations can lower operating costs by utilising numerous connections. These costs can be cut by 50% or more, allowing these organisations to dedicate their budgets to other critical areas.
Those costs are cut further by optimising bandwidth usage. Intelligent traffic routing limits unnecessary data usage, lowering service provider costs. Real-time network conditions and performance, including latency and jitter, influences this traffic routing and makes sure bandwidth is always used at its optimum levels.
Remote management functionalities reduce the need for on-site IT support. Technicians don’t need to travel to various sites if the network can be managed from a remote location. Again, operational expenses are reduced, and IT teams can have peace of mind when keeping downtime at a minimum.
Direct cloud access via an SD-WAN solution also offers a more cost-effective alternative to backhauling traffic through data centres. Maintaining these centres is expensive enough, meaning businesses can cut infrastructure expenses by routing data through the cloud. Once organisations start using cloud computing, their overall cost efficiency increases by 30%.
The full scope of these cost-saving measures, of course, can be best achieved by working with a reliable MSP.
Taking the network further
Housing associations need a reliable, robust network infrastructure in order to future-proof their operations. It must be flexible enough to help remote workers stay efficient, and scalable enough to meet long-term ambitions. SD-WAN is exactly what these kinds of organisations need.
A streamlined, secure and cost-efficient network can support further technological innovations in the housing sector. Whether it’s smart housing initiatives or even just an overhaul in the overall tenant experience, it all stems from the underlying network.
Gamma’s proactive approach and dedicated support makes us a smart choice for when it comes to choosing an SD-WAN solution. Housing associations are assured of networking excellence when working alongside Gamma.
Remember, those foundations are important. Start breaking ground with Gamma.