Procurement: Unsung Heroes of Digital Transformation

 How finance and procurement teams can help facilitate the modernization of networks as well as lower expenses in an inflationary and cost-conscious budget time

In our last post Convergence is the answer We talked about the dangers that are imminent to global economics, as well as the impact it could have on IT teams when they reach budgeting time. In this article we offer practical ideas for how security and networking teams can harness the capabilities of departments such as procurement to meet the same goals, to "tighten belts" however modernize the business.

It doesn't require an SASE expert to grasp the vast effort to modernize the network and the integration of networks and security. The theory is sound. The end result is perfect. However, motivations and intentions do not always match the financial, contractual, or operational realities.

In reality, many companies are tied to outdated MPLS and are dependent on contracts with long-term terms which are not in the modernization process. It is difficult to enhance operational flexibility and reduce expenses and ensure that users are protected and that workloads are increasingly dispersed.

" The reality is that businesses already are investing in hardware that aren't fully amortized, nor are they software contracts that are still in effect," Gartner states in its 2021 Strategic Roadmap for SASE Convergence. "Hardware refresh cycles for branches usually last between five and seven years. The relationship between staff members and the vendors present on the market is an additional aspect. The problem in SASE adoption is that the vast majority of companies have separate security networks as well as operational departments."

The method by the process of creating the network and the financial obligations that are associated with its operation might prevent the company from experiencing real transformation. There's a good thing about an organization which is focused on contractual obligations that can help.

While they can't influence the operational alignment of procurement teams, they are often the least utilized agents for modernization of networks as well as cost reduction. They are the only ones able to affect and improve refresh cycles for hardware , along with vendor relationships as well as service agreements.

According to Gartner [1Gartner ] 1 companies interested in the direction of accelerating digital transformation and cutting costs, must:

• Equipment to manage inventory and contracts enable a gradual phase-out over a period of time of the perimeter and branch equipment to make way for the cloud for SASE delivery. SASE capabilities.
• Consolidate the vendors to lower contract costs, as they renew to Secure Web Gateways (SWGs) and the cloud-based Access Security Brokers (CASBs) in conjunction with VPN. Profit from the market that is growing through this combination of security-edge solutions.
• Join initiatives that encourage the transformation of branch offices and MPLS offload, to integrate cloud-based security edge technology into the planning process for projects.
• Stop using MPLS and transition to internet-only access for the majority of branches. Also, look into new hyperscale services that link branches with WAN should it be determined they prove to be an option to replace WAN services.

The procurement teams can help with the execution for manyof this suggestions. They can help by tracking refresh cycles as well as the end of life of hardware. They can also assist with plan the consolidation process of vendor, or cloud migration. They can assist in reassessing MPLS obligations and requirements, and determine ways to cut out circuits or eliminate existing contracts. They also can assist in identifying services and suppliers that offer greater flexibility and effectiveness in cost , without sacrificing the reliability, performance, or security.

"Midsize companies should consider the possibility of consolidating security edge solutions into one supplier," Gartner recommends. 2.

We couldn't be more thrilled. You can count on the support of the procurement team throughout this procurement process ... This is the type of partnership that can pay off in a major way in the years to come.

But, it will need a thorough examination of existing procedures and contracts. It will require more collaboration between CIO and procurement departments. This requires companies to provide complete, fully-managed SD-WAN solutions across the globe.

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