NAAS is the next big thing.  Referred to by some as "Cloud Computing", NAAS is our service offering in response to the way some small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) now want to buy and use ICT. 

Like software, many organisations with standard ICT needs see the benefits of acquiring modern server network functionality, but keeping setup costs, asset ownership and management overheads to a minimum. 

  Click to view the Network as a Service diagram

In this solution, server based network services and e-mail are delivered to the organisation's site(s) remotely over a secure internet connection from an AiM virtualised data centre.  On site an iBroker device manages resource and service requests from user thin clients/PCs/laptops to the data centre and local devices such as printers.  Data can be stored locally on the eBroker or on the data centre and backed up accordingly. Similarly software can be installed locally or remotely depending upon the organisation and how it is used.

The big win is that you need no longer have any responsibility for server hardware, operating system licensing, server disaster recovery, security or anti-virus - and could also transfer responsibility for data back-up and software management.  The service is SLA driven, which means you are clear of the minimum guaranteed level of availability of service from the AiM data centre.

Advantages of the solution for an organisation are:

• high availability and resilient services
• no on-site server hosting required
• set-up costs are minimal
• monthly tariffs are based on user numbers and charges made on a pay-as-used basis 
• user numbers can be scaled up and down quickly
• new sites can be set up from scratch quickly and with minimal disruption.