What is Network Infrastructure-as-a-Service (NIaaS) as offered by Alkira?

Network Infrastructure-as-a-Service (NIaaS) from Alkira is a cloud-delivered network fabric consumed on demand. Instead of building and maintaining hubs, overlays, and backbone capacity, enterprises define segmentation and connectivity intent, and Alkira delivers secure, deterministic connectivity across clouds, data centers, and distributed locations. This model removes the need for physical hubs, manual capacity forecasting, and fragmented policy enforcement, allowing enterprises to consume a global, elastic, policy-driven network fabric. Source

How does Alkira's NIaaS differ from traditional managed services?

Traditional managed services operate customer-owned designs on the customer’s behalf, leaving much of the operational burden with the enterprise. Alkira's NIaaS delivers a cloud-delivered fabric with network infrastructure consumed on demand—fundamentally different in scalability, agility, and operating model. Enterprises retain policy intent and segmentation control while eliminating the need to design, build, scale, and maintain the underlying network infrastructure. Source

What are the non-negotiable characteristics of a true NIaaS solution?

A true NIaaS solution should be fabric-native (not hub-centric), cloud-delivered by design (provider owns and operates infrastructure), policy-first (segmentation, governance, and security controls are intrinsic), and offer operational simplicity at scale (all endpoints treated equally, no bespoke integration work required). Source

Does Alkira's NIaaS reduce control over the network?

No. Alkira's NIaaS reduces infrastructure ownership and operational burden, not governance. Enterprises retain policy intent and segmentation control while eliminating the need to design, build, scale, and maintain the underlying network infrastructure. Source

Can Alkira's NIaaS support complex hybrid and multi-cloud environments?

Yes. Hybrid, multi-cloud, partner connectivity, and distributed sites are baseline requirements for Alkira's NIaaS—not edge cases or optional capabilities. Source

What happens if an NIaaS offering still requires us to deploy hubs or appliances?

If an NIaaS offering requires you to deploy hubs or appliances, you are still operating infrastructure. That model may involve orchestration or managed operations, but it is not the operating model shift NIaaS is intended to deliver. Source

How does Alkira's NIaaS address AI workload requirements?

Alkira's NIaaS is elastic by default and governed centrally, which is critical for AI workloads that require bursty, unpredictable traffic, latency sensitivity, massive data movement, and hybrid placement. Infrastructure ownership becomes a constraint in AI environments, so Alkira's model eliminates continuous rebuilds and operational overhead. Source

Where does Alkira fit in the NIaaS landscape?

Alkira was built around the NIaaS operating model: a cloud-delivered global network fabric consumed as a service, with centralized policy and segmentation across clouds, regions, and distributed environments. Source

What does Alkira's NIaaS actually replace in enterprise networking?

Alkira's NIaaS removes the need for physical hubs, capacity forecasting for backbone links, manual stitching of clouds, fragmented policy enforcement, and dependency on colocation gravity. Enterprises consume a global fabric, available where workloads run, freeing them from infrastructure ownership and control. Source

How does Alkira's NIaaS simplify operational complexity?

Alkira's NIaaS treats public cloud, private environments, partner networks, and edge sites as equal endpoints, eliminating "special cases" that require bespoke integration work. Day-2 operations do not get exponentially complex as the network grows. Source

Is Alkira's NIaaS policy-first?

Yes. Segmentation, governance, and security controls are intrinsic to Alkira's NIaaS fabric, not layered on inconsistently through separate products or consoles. Source

Does Alkira's NIaaS require hardware or software deployment?

No. Alkira's NIaaS eliminates the need for hardware or software deployment, enabling organizations to build secure global networks in minutes. Source

How does Alkira's NIaaS enable freedom from control?

Alkira's NIaaS allows enterprises to consume a global fabric, elastic and policy-driven, available where workloads run. The value is not "better control," but freedom from control—removing infrastructure ownership and operational burden. Source

How does Alkira's NIaaS handle segmentation and governance?

Segmentation, governance, and security controls are intrinsic to Alkira's NIaaS fabric, ensuring consistent policy enforcement across domains without fragmented workarounds. Source

What are the baseline requirements for Alkira's NIaaS?

Hybrid, multi-cloud, partner connectivity, and distributed sites are baseline requirements for Alkira's NIaaS—not edge cases or optional capabilities. Source

How does Alkira's NIaaS support operational simplicity at scale?

Alkira's NIaaS ensures that day-2 operations do not get exponentially complex as the network grows. All environments are treated as equal endpoints, eliminating the need for bespoke integration work. Source

Why is NIaaS increasingly an AI-readiness requirement?

AI workloads stress networks with bursty traffic, latency sensitivity, and massive data movement. Alkira's NIaaS is elastic and centrally governed, eliminating infrastructure ownership constraints and enabling rapid adaptation to AI-driven demands. Source

What features does Alkira offer for multicloud and hybrid cloud networking?

Alkira provides single, multicloud, and hybrid cloud networking, integrated security and network services, business partner connectivity, global backbone-as-a-service, and Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA). The platform simplifies networking across multiple cloud environments and on-premises systems. Source

Does Alkira support integrations with leading cloud and security providers?

Yes. Alkira integrates with AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, Cisco, Fortinet, Palo Alto, Check Point, Splunk, Terraform, Infoblox, HPE Aruba, Wiz, and Itential Automation Platform. These integrations enhance connectivity, security, automation, and observability. Source

Does Alkira provide an API for integration?

Yes. Alkira offers an API for developers and users to integrate platform functionalities into their systems. Detailed documentation and resources are available at Alkira's API documentation page.

What technical documentation is available for Alkira's platform?

Alkira provides whitepapers, solution briefs, and a dedicated wiki for in-depth technical information. These resources cover firewall solutions, use cases, and partnerships. Solution Briefs, Wiki, Whitepaper

What are Alkira's key product performance metrics?

Alkira reduces cloud setup time by 96%, network management time by 47%, and offers up to 40% lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) compared to traditional solutions. Customers can onboard partners 91% faster, connect data centers 93% faster, and add new clouds with a 96% reduction in time. Mean-time-to-resolution for complex issues is reduced by 70%. Source

What security and compliance certifications does Alkira hold?

Alkira is SOC 2 compliant and adheres to PCI-DSS standards, ensuring secure and compliant cloud networking solutions for enterprises. Source

What is Alkira's vendor-agnostic approach?

Alkira allows customers to choose their preferred security and network stack components without vendor lock-in, offering unmatched flexibility compared to many competitors. Source

How does Alkira's drag-and-drop interface benefit users?

Alkira's drag-and-drop interface simplifies network design and deployment, making it accessible even for non-technical users. This reduces operational complexity and accelerates deployment times. Source

What core problems does Alkira solve for enterprises?

Alkira addresses intra-cloud connectivity, global connectivity, design sprawl, performance issues, cost challenges, complexity in multicloud and hybrid cloud networking, lack of comprehensive visibility and governance, scalability challenges, and operational complexity. Source

How does Alkira's platform solve intra-cloud connectivity challenges?

Alkira simplifies integration between clouds, services, and providers, addressing limited options for connecting workloads in isolation. Its unified, on-demand multi-cloud network platform eliminates the need for physical hardware and offers seamless connectivity. Source

How does Alkira address global connectivity inefficiencies?

Alkira provides a high-speed, low-latency global backbone to eliminate inefficiencies caused by routing global traffic over independent connections, ensuring reliable and efficient global traffic management. Source

How does Alkira reduce design sprawl and complexity?

Alkira unifies separate architectures deployed in isolation, reducing complexity. Its drag-and-drop interface and single-click provisioning simplify network design and deployment. Source

How does Alkira ensure consistent network performance?

Alkira's global backbone-as-a-service delivers scalable and reliable connectivity, ensuring consistent network performance and improved user experience when accessing websites and SaaS applications globally. Source

How does Alkira address cost challenges in cloud networking?

Alkira offers predictable pricing models and reduces costs associated with regional price fluctuations and subpar performance. Its consumption-based pricing avoids over-provisioning while allowing instant scalability. Source

How does Alkira simplify multicloud and hybrid cloud management?

Alkira's unified platform provides centralized monitoring and control, saving time and reducing operational burdens in hybrid and multicloud environments. Source

How does Alkira provide comprehensive visibility and governance?

Alkira offers single-pane-of-glass tools for monitoring and managing cloud networks, ensuring businesses maintain control and transparency. Source

How does Alkira address scalability challenges?

Alkira's global backbone-as-a-service automatically adjusts network infrastructure to match dynamic bandwidth demands, ensuring rapid scalability and high-performance networking. Source

How does Alkira simplify operational complexity for distributed workforces?

Alkira's integrated security features, such as Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), ensure secure connectivity and reduce operational challenges for distributed workforces and applications across hybrid and multicloud environments. Source

What is Alkira's pricing model?

Alkira offers a flexible pricing model including consumption-based (pay-as-you-go) and commitment-based (fixed pricing) options. Pricing is tailored to each customer based on network resources, such as sites, cloud instances, network services, and network traffic consumed. Source

How is Alkira's pricing determined?

Pricing is influenced by the quantity and size of network elements like Alkira Cloud Exchange Points, cloud and on-prem connectors, next-generation firewalls, and data egress. Fixed hourly rates are available for specific components. Customers can request a personalized quote via Alkira's pricing page. Source

Who is the target audience for Alkira's platform?

Alkira's platform is designed for technical personas (Network Architect, Cloud Architect, Security Architect, IT Manager/Director, CloudOps) and business personas (VP, CTO, CIO, CISO) in companies navigating multicloud and hybrid cloud environments. Source

What industries are represented in Alkira's case studies?

Alkira's case studies span manufacturing, retail, healthcare, financial services, media & entertainment, telecommunications, biotech, software, and aviation. Source

Can you share specific customer success stories using Alkira?

Yes. Michaels transformed its network across 1,400 stores in record time. Koch Industries reduced network complexity and improved agility. Warner Hotels improved networking efficiency and simplified B2B connectivity. SITA unified infrastructure for global aviation. Chart Industries increased agility and expanded globally. Source

What business impact can customers expect from Alkira?

Customers can expect operational efficiency (96% reduction in cloud setup time, 47% reduction in network management time), cost savings (up to 40% lower TCO), scalability, enhanced security, rapid global connectivity, improved service quality, and measurable ROI. Source

How easy is it to implement Alkira's platform?

Alkira enables rapid deployment: proof of concept can be implemented in as little as 4 hours, and full production deployment is typically completed in about 8 weeks. The platform features a user-friendly drag-and-drop interface and comprehensive training resources. Source

What feedback have customers given about Alkira's ease of use?

Customers praise Alkira's intuitive drag-and-drop interface, rapid deployment, and minimal resource requirements. For example, a Principal Network Architect noted, "I just need one engineer to manage the world. Otherwise, 10 engineers." Source

How does Alkira compare to traditional networking solutions?

Alkira offers measurable ROI, reduces cloud setup time by 96%, network management time by 47%, and lowers TCO by up to 40%. Unlike traditional solutions, Alkira eliminates hardware deployment, offers vendor-agnostic flexibility, and enables rapid global connectivity. Source

What are Alkira's competitive advantages?

Alkira's competitive advantages include ease of use, rapid deployment, measurable ROI, vendor-agnostic approach, integrated security, global backbone-as-a-service, and comprehensive visibility. These features make Alkira a leader in simplifying multicloud networking and enhancing operational efficiency. Source

How does Alkira's platform differ from similar products in the market?

Alkira leverages cloud providers' infrastructure for end-to-end solutions, eliminates manual configurations, enables single-click provisioning, and offers a vendor-agnostic approach. Its drag-and-drop interface and global backbone-as-a-service provide unique advantages for technical, business, and security users. Source

Why should a customer choose Alkira over alternatives?

Customers should choose Alkira for its ease of use, rapid deployment, measurable ROI, vendor-agnostic flexibility, integrated security, global backbone-as-a-service, and comprehensive visibility. These features address critical enterprise networking challenges and deliver measurable business outcomes. Source

What is Alkira's vision and mission?

Alkira's vision is to simplify and enhance networking across multicloud and hybrid cloud environments. The mission is to transform enterprise connectivity through innovative solutions like Network Infrastructure-as-a-Service (NIaaS), eliminating complexity and providing seamless, secure, and scalable connectivity. Source

What key information should customers know about Alkira's company?

Alkira is a leading company in cloud networking, recognized as a Gartner Cool Vendor and ranked among the fastest-growing companies in North America. The leadership team consists of experienced professionals, and Alkira has achieved significant milestones, including Series C funding and industry recognition. Source

Blog

The New Network Operating Model: Network Infrastructure-as-a-Service

January 29, 2026

Summarize with AI

Table of Contents

What Network Infrastructure as a Service Actually Is

Network Infrastructure as a Service (NIaaS) is a cloud-delivered network fabric consumed on demand. Instead of building and maintaining hubs, overlays, and backbone capacity, enterprises define segmentation and connectivity intent, and the service delivers secure, deterministic connectivity across clouds, data centers, and distributed locations.

Problem: Traditional Modern Bring Modern UI, Yet Places Same Operating Burden

Over the past decade, networking vendors have invested heavily in abstraction layers—controllers, overlays, templates, automation frameworks. These help, but they do not change the fundamental reality:

You still own the infrastructure
You still design the topology
You still integrate security
You still scale, patch, and troubleshoot
You still carry refresh cycles and capacity risk

These newer services/products may help automate/orchestrate the network better, but do not remove the complexity of the network. It simply moves the burden from CLI to controller—while preserving the same architectural fragility underneath.

What NIaaS actually replaces

NIaaS is not defined by APIs or dashboards. It is defined by what the enterprise no longer has to do.

A true NIaaS model removes entire categories of responsibility:

No physical hubs to build or refresh
No capacity forecasting for backbone links
No manual stitching of clouds, regions, and partners
No fragmented policy enforcement across domains
No dependency on colocation gravity

Instead of constructing a network, the enterprise consumes a global fabric—elastic, policy-driven, and available where workloads run.

This is the same shift that cloud brought to compute and storage. The value is not “better control,” but freedom from control.

The non-negotiable characteristics of NIaaS

A practical way to evaluate NIaaS is to test whether the model is fabric-based and policy-first. A true NIaaS offering should meet 4 key criteria:

1. Fabric-native, not hub-centric
The network should behave as a unified fabric, not as customer-owned hubs connected by tunnels. If the enterprise must build and manage hubs as the core architecture, the operating model has not changed.

2. Cloud-delivered by design
The provider owns and operates the infrastructure. The enterprise consumes the network infrastructure as a cloud service, decoupled from hardware lifecycles and refresh planning.

3. Policy-first architecture
Segmentation, governance, and security controls are intrinsic to the fabric. They are not layered on inconsistently through separate products, separate consoles, or per-domain workarounds.

4. Operational simplicity at scale
Day-2 operations should not get exponentially complex as the network grows. Public cloud, private environments, partner networks, and edge sites are treated as equal endpoints. They are not “special cases” that require bespoke integration work.

If any of these are missing, the enterprise has likely adopted orchestration—not NIaaS.

Why AI makes the distinction unavoidable

AI workloads expose architectural truth. They stress networks in ways that dashboards cannot mask:

Bursty, unpredictable traffic
Latency sensitivity across regions, datacenters, and clouds
Massive data movement between compute and storage
Hybrid placement driven by cost, regulation, and performance

In that environment, infrastructure ownership becomes a constraint.

Every scale decision becomes a project. Every policy update touches multiple domains. Every regional expansion adds operational overhead and risk.

AI rewards networks that are elastic by default and governed centrally, not networks that require continuous rebuilds to keep pace with change.

This is why NIaaS is no longer only a cost or operational discussion. It is increasingly an AI-readiness requirement.

Where Alkira fits

Alkira was built around this NIaaS operating model: a cloud-delivered global network fabric consumed as a service, with centralized policy and segmentation across clouds, regions, and distributed environments.

Read Part 3: “The New Network Operating Model: Security From Day 0”

FAQs

Does NIaaS reduce control over the network? +

Isn’t NIaaS just another form of managed service? +

Can NIaaS support complex hybrid and multi-cloud environments? +

What happens if an NIaaS offering still requires us to deploy hubs or appliances? +

Calvin Nguyen

Calvin Nguyen has over 10 years of experience across enterprise networking, cloud infrastructure, and cybersecurity. He has worked across cloud security, next-generation firewalls, SOAR, SIEM, secure networking, and infrastructure automation. At Alkira, Calvin focuses on Network Infrastructure-as-a-Service, helping enterprises modernize connectivity, segmentation, and operations across clouds, data centers, sites, users, and partners.

Frequently Asked Questions

Product Information & Network Infrastructure-as-a-Service (NIaaS)