ChannelVision Magazine

VIRTUAL REALITY enhancement and learning. The posi - tive results we are experiencing are increased cross-functional collabora - tion and improved alignment between business and development teams. The result is greater transparency and predictable, high-quality, delivery of value to our users both internal and external. The most striking change for PCCW Global since adopting this framework is the clarity it has brought on how to focus the company on our strategic objectives. We can now see ways to achieve objectives that com - bine the skills and experience of so many colleagues around the world in ways we had not imagined possible and do so with clarity and clear co - ordination. Ideation, innovation and employee engagement are now the driving force of our future success. PCCW Global vice president, Digital Automated Innovation, Michael Glynn also provided some techni - cal insight about Console Connect. CV: Please describe how the platform works and why channel partner agents should propose PCCW Global’s solution, from a technical perspective. MG: Console Connect is an “Au - tomated, Self-Provisioning Platform” that sits directly on top of PCCW Global’s uncontended global IP and MPLS network. Thus far, we have enabled Console Connect in many countries worldwide with more than 80 interconnects to cloud partners such as AWS, Google, Azure, IBM, Alicloud, Naver and others, but also to SaaS, IX and IoT partners around the world. Enterprise customers order a port in any of our provisioned data centers using our simple, online centralized management portal, then instantly pro - vision services across the network in seconds and self-manage and monitor their network in real time. Enterprise customers are looking to partner with a software defined plat - form that can offer secure, low latency, uncontended circuits anywhere in the world. One of the big differentiators of Console Connect is the breadth of countries we cover, including those in South America, Africa and the Middle East. Another is that we own and oper - ate our own network globally. This is a rare combination. CV:What are some of the main business drivers that you are seeing pushing enterprises to SDI? MG: Enterprise customers are moving more data to the cloud/multi- cloud/between clouds or content around the world and need a secure low latency on-demand platform that offers service on a pay-as-you-go model to reduce operational costs and the ability to monitor and manage networks in real time. The Console Connect SDI Platform enables our customers to select class of service across the network for those cus - tomers who are running various ser - vice environments including video, voice or any latency, jitter-sensitive applications. Enterprises are now purchasing cloud storage and SaaS products on a consumption basis, and this will not change. Our platform enables customers to instantly spin up circuits for as little as one day to align commercial models. Enterprises during the last couple of years have come to understand that software defined platforms enable con - necting to cloud or to business part - ners on the same platform. We offer something additional by extending that same approach to the network which we own and operate. During the next couple of months, we will be launching additional features for our users that will allow them to fully manage their private transport needs either locally or internationally. Console Connect also offers enter - prises that have fully automated their internal networks the ability to integrate into our platform via API allowing them to instantly turn services on and off and manage their feature requirements in real time, whether for their own network or for their third-party interface. CV: How can channel partner agents effectively approach their enterprise customers about SDI? Any suggested qualifying questions they should ask? And are there any tips to keep in mind to maximize sales? MG: I think channel sales partners have a huge role to play in the SDI/ SDN world. Enterprise customers today are moving more data/content around the world, either direct to their cloud storage partners or across their multi-cloud environments. They may have two or 100 sites or business part - ners around the world that they need to easily and securely connect to on the platform. Gone are the days where you call your carrier to enable services on long contracts with slow installations and no management tools. With Console Connect, an agent’s customer can self- provision services anywhere across our platform and manage and monitor it in real time. Channel sales partners that are looking to partner with an SDI or SDN global platform need to look under the hood and see what the underlying network looks like and what the au- tomation software is actually driving. Importantly, the platform can give the agent increased visibility into underly - ing user activity so as to provide bet - ter understanding, in real time, as to user evolution and demand. And, the automation features allow for faster deployment, which means a clearer and quicker financial return. If agents’ customers are operating critical workloads in the cloud, oper - ating in a multi-cloud environment, looking for flexibility in their network to match their cloud flexibility, or are sim - ply looking for very high quality, cost- effective network across the globe, PCCW Global and Console Connect can be transformative for them. o PCCW Global VP Michael Glynn 26 CHANNEL VISION | March - April, 2020