Company: Alkira, San Jose, CA
Nomination Submitted by: ICR
Company Description: Alkira is the leader in Network Infrastructure on Demand. We unify any environments, sites, and users via an enterprise network built entirely in the cloud. The network is managed using the same controls, policies, and security systems network administrators know, is available as a service, and can instantly scale as needed. There is no new hardware to deploy, software to download, or architecture
Nomination Category: New Product & Service Categories - Technology Solutions
Nomination Sub Category: Cloud Infrastructure
 Nomination Title: Alkira's Network Infrastructure as a Service
- Which will you submit for your nomination in this category, a video of up to five (5) minutes in length about the nominated new or new-version product or service, OR written answers to the questions for this category? (Choose one):
Written answers to the questions
- If you are submitting a video of up to five (5) minutes in length, provide the URL of the nominated video here, OR attach it to your entry via the "Add Attachments, Videos, or Links to This Entry" link above, through which you may also upload a copy of your video.
- If you are providing written answers for your submission, you must provide an answer to this first question: If this is a brand-new product, state the date on which it was released. If this is a new version of an existing product, state the date on which the update was released:
Alkira was founded in 2018 by Amir and Atif Khan, the visionary computer networking team that created the multi-billion-dollar SD-WAN market with the founding of Viptela. After Viptela was acquired by Cisco in 2017, it was time to look for another significant customer problem to solve. Storage and compute had evolved to be cloud-friendly and cloud-like, but the network had not, and so the idea of Cloud Networking as a Service was born.
Today, Alkira is the leader in network infrastructure as a service. Alkira unifies multiple clouds, sites, and users via an enterprise network built entirely in the cloud. The network is managed using the same controls, policies, and security network admins know, can instantly scale as needed, and is available as a service. There is no new hardware to deploy, no software to download, and no cloud architecture to learn. Alkira's solution is trusted by Fortune 100 enterprises, leading system integrators, and global managed service providers.
- If you are providing written answers for your submission, you must provide an answer to this second question: Describe the features, functions, and benefits of the nominated product or service (up to 350 words):
Total 229 words used.
Alkira's innovation lies in its pioneering approach to network infrastructure on demand, revolutionizing connectivity for enterprises. Unlike traditional networking solutions, Alkira unifies multiple clouds, sites, and users via an entirely cloud-based enterprise network, drastically reducing connection times from months to minutes. The range of use cases Alkira supports, as well as the swift and efficient deployment, are unparalleled in the industry.
What truly sets Alkira apart is its agentless approach, eliminating the need for cumbersome agent deployment or management for network operations. This streamlines processes, reduces complexity, and enhances overall efficiency. Additionally, Alkira prioritizes user-friendliness, offering an intuitive interface that simplifies network design, deployment, and management. This ensures that IT professionals can navigate the platform with ease, minimizing the need for extensive training or certifications.
Alkira addresses network security, offering comprehensive visibility across multiple clouds for robust threat protection. Its extensive partner ecosystem enhances versatility, ensuring seamless integration with major providers like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud.
Alkira's commitment to innovation is reflected in its holistic as-a-service approach, consolidating multiple solutions into a single platform for simplified network management and end-to-end visibility. Alkira's innovative approach to on-demand networking infrastructure, combined with its agentless operation, user-friendliness, robust security measures, and comprehensive partner ecosystem, makes it a standout solution in the industry. Its ability to streamline processes, enhance efficiency, and adapt to customer demands positions Alkira as a leader in networking.
- If you are providing written answers for your submission, you must provide an answer to this third question: Outline the market performance, critical reception, and customer satisfaction with the product or service to date. State monetary or unit sales figures to date, if possible, and how they compare to expectations or past performance. Provide links to laudatory product or service reviews. Include some customer testimonials, if applicable (up to 350 words):
Total 339 words used.
Alkira has demonstrated strong market performance, particularly among mid to large enterprises, managed service providers, and system integrators seeking to simplify cloud networking. Customers report significant operational improvements, including a 93% reduction in the time needed to connect new data centers to hybrid clouds and a 47% decrease in staff hours for managing cloud networks, according to a Nemertes Real Economic Value (REV) report. The platform also helps customers achieve up to 99% faster onboarding of new partners.
Alkira has received a positive reception, with businesses praising its agility and scalability. Notable customers such as Warner Music Group, Koch Industries, S&P Global, Chart Industries, and Tekion have shared success stories, highlighting how Alkira reduces network setup times and lowers costs.
Customer satisfaction is reflected in tangible business benefits, such as faster cloud setup, reduced network management hours, and enhanced security. Alkira’s ability to simplify complex networking challenges allows businesses to focus on strategic growth rather than managing intricate network configurations.
Ralph Munsen, EVP & CIO at Warner Music Group:
"Alkira's cloud networking as a service really simplified the management of our network infrastructure and enabled us to focus on the growth of our business."
Guruprasad Ramamoorthy, VP Global Head of Network Architecture at S&P Global:
"With Alkira, our security teams precisely knew which knob to turn to essentially summon and distribute the network. That's the power Alkira brought to the table."
Suscan Tlacil, Network Architect at Chart Industries:
"Partnering with Alkira was a very good decision for us. We saved a lot of money and were also able to deploy our networks quickly."
Jamie Fox, Sr. Manager of Implementation Technology at Tekion:
"One of the biggest things for me is provisioning time. We’re talking about going from days to minutes. This has a huge advantage for us."
Matt Hoag, CTO at Koch Global Business Solutions:
"We had gone from a massive complexity and months of work to a dashboard that allowed us to simply draw our network and deploy it in a few hours."
- You have the option to answer this final question: Reference any attachments of supporting materials throughout this nomination and how they provide evidence of the claims you have made in this nomination (up to 250 words):
Total 35 words used.
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