How a billion-dollar financial services firm accelerated their cloud-first transformation with Alkira’s network-as-a-service platform while reducing costs and complexity

Company Profile

Industry	Financial Services
Size	250-2,500 Employees
Revenue	$1B-$10B Annual
Scope	Global Operations
Culture	Moderate/Conservative
Challenge	Cloud-First Transformation

The Challenge

This financial services company was transitioning to a cloud-first model for applications and data, but their existing on-premises-oriented network infrastructure was too complex and unsustainable for long-term cloud transformation.

Cloud Migration Barriers:

• Legacy Complexity: Premises-centric network paradigm couldn’t scale with cloud growth
• Slow App Deployments: Days and weeks needed to configure network visibility for new services
• Partner Connectivity Overhead: Complex VPN tunnel management for each partner relationship
• Limited Developer Enablement: Network complexity created barriers to application development
• High Telco Costs: Expensive MPLS and traditional connectivity solutions
• Fragmented Policies: Decentralized network policy management across environments

The Alkira Solution

Alkira’s network-as-a-service model provided the foundation for a truly cloud-centric approach, enabling the company to leverage the “super-Internet” connectivity between hyperscalers.

Alkira’s Cloud-Centric Approach:

• Network-as-a-Service Model: Shared responsibility approach with provider accountability
• Hyperscaler Connectivity: Leveraged high-capacity, resilient links between major cloud providers
• Central Policy Management: Globally applied policies with uniform cloud network management
• Developer Enablement: Low-overhead approach supporting rapid application deployment
• Simplified Partner Integration: Dramatic reduction in VPN tunnel complexity
• Superior Visibility: Enhanced traffic flow monitoring and routing control

Measurable Results

The transformation delivered significant operational improvements and cost savings while enabling faster cloud adoption across the organization.

Business Impact:

• 50% Reduction: Both staff time and calendar time to migrate applications to cloud
• 88% Fewer VPN Tunnels: Simplified partner connectivity management
• Millions in Savings: Eliminated telco costs through cloud-centric approach
• Faster Deployments: New applications deploy faster with less network staff burden
• Improved Reliability: Moved from public Internet to resilient hyperscaler backbone
• Global Network Spine: Alkira became the foundation of worldwide multi-cloud operations

The Strategic Transformation

From MPLS to “Super-Internet”: The company successfully shifted core traffic from expensive MPLS and public Internet connections to the high-capacity, resilient links between hyperscalers. This “super-Internet” approach improved both reliability and cost-effectiveness while being facilitated entirely through Alkira’s platform.

Developer Enablement: The simplified network approach directly supported the company’s goal of enabling developers with minimal overhead, allowing them to focus on application innovation rather than network complexity.

Customer Quote

“Where have we been able to save money? Telco. Got rid of some DCs, shifted to cloud, reduced spend with [our old telcos] and we’re reinvesting a couple million dollars in savings into cloud.”

– Network Architect

Key Differentiator

Shared Responsibility with Accountability: Unlike conventional providers that have “no skin in the game” once you’ve deployed their virtual appliance, Alkira’s network-as-a-service model ensures ongoing responsibility for network performance and reliability.

FAQ

Ready to Overcome Your Network Limitations? See how Alkira can cut your application migration time by 50% while saving millions in traditional networking costs. For more information or to speak with a network specialist, contact us.