Modern businesses need networks that are as agile and dynamic as their ambitions, but multicloud environments are introducing new levels of complexity. In a recent Lumen webinar, Agile multicloud and site connectivity: launching on-demand networking with Lumen NaaS, experts explore how organizations are addressing these challenges with on-demand networking.
Here’s a preview of key insights, including how Network-as-a-Service (NaaS)—also known as on-demand networking—can help you simplify connectivity, boost performance and give you greater control across clouds, data centers and business locations. In the webinar, Lumen experts break down how these challenges show up in real-world environments and how organizations are responding.
Why NaaS? The shift toward on-demand networking
Traditional network management is often too slow and rigid to keep up with the demands of hybrid cloud, AI, and edge and IoT deployments. Now, on-demand networking is emerging as the foundation for multicloud agility—giving businesses the speed and flexibility to adapt as their environments evolve.
In 2025, over half of enterprises had already deployed NaaS—and the market is set to grow exponentially.¹ This isn’t just a passing trend. It signals a broader shift in what businesses need from their networks. On-demand services deliver speed, security, scalability and control that modern enterprises require, far beyond what legacy connectivity can offer.
NaaS for multicloud, data center and site connectivity
On-demand services bring the cloudification of networking services to life, making it easy to connect clouds, data centers and sites in minutes instead of weeks or months. This is essential as network environments become more tangled and unwieldy in the multicloud era.
That complexity often shows up as fragmented connectivity across clouds, data centers and enterprise sites. On-demand networking helps simplify it with connectivity that’s easier to provision, scale and control.
With scalable, private and secure connections, businesses can access high-performance, low-latency networking that’s billed by usage, just like cloud compute or storage. This flexible model empowers organizations to scale bandwidth on demand and manage their networks with full digital control.
What your enterprise can do with NaaS
From cloud mobility to centralized oversight, Lumen® NaaS can help your enterprise connect environments, adapt quickly and manage networking more efficiently.
- Move and scale workloads across clouds with speed and control: Connect to AWS, Google, Azure, Oracle and Equinix data centers with speeds up to 100 Gbps. Manage everything through APIs and a unified portal for real-time provisioning and flexible interfaces.
- Support secure, adaptable connectivity across environments: Create private Layer 2 or Layer 3 connections, set up your own virtual WAN and enjoy built-in security powered by Black Lotus Labs® intelligence.
- Simplify operations and gain visibility: Activate services, scale bandwidth and monitor performance, all in a few clicks. The Lumen Connect℠ portal provides comprehensive dashboards, alerts and usage insights for complete visibility and control.
- Centralize and optimize routing: As multicloud environments continue to evolve, solutions such as Lumen® Multi-Cloud Gateway are expanding what’s possible, helping simplify and centralize connectivity across multiple cloud providers. Together with NaaS, this approach enables more seamless multicloud networking with greater control and flexibility.
Want to see these capabilities in action? Watch the webinar to explore real-world examples and expert insights.
Real-world use cases for on-demand networking
On-demand networking services are designed to solve real business challenges, including:
- SaaS migration: Seamlessly extend your network to the cloud for secure, high-performance access to Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications without overhauling your existing infrastructure.
- Cloud migration: Instantly provision high-speed, low-latency connections for fast, secure cloud migration, paying only for the bandwidth you use.
- Departmental cloud requirements: Rapidly establish private connectivity to multiple cloud providers, supporting operational efficiency and user productivity.
- Acquisition and inorganic growth: Spin up private connections to new cloud service providers in minutes, minimizing downtime and maximizing agility during mergers and acquisitions.
However, getting the full value of on-demand networking depends on the strength of the platform behind it.
Why Lumen is built for on-demand multicloud connectivity
Powered by a global edge-to-cloud infrastructure with over 340,000 fiber route miles, Lumen on-demand services offer fast provisioning, built-in security and seamless workload mobility across sites, clouds and data centers. They’re optimized for multicloud, on-prem and distributed environments, giving you the flexibility to adapt your network as your business evolves.
Lumen also has the distinct advantage of owning both the North American network and the software orchestration to help drive network agility. This foundation also supports innovations like Multi-Cloud Gateway, designed to further streamline and simplify multicloud connectivity.
Take control of your network
As multicloud environments continue to evolve, many organizations are turning to on-demand networking to simplify connectivity and gain more control. Solutions like Lumen NaaS are built to support this shift, helping teams adapt as their needs change.
See how organizations are simplifying multicloud connectivity with NaaS. Watch the full webinar for a live demo, real-world use cases and expert insights.
¹OMDIA, Enterprise network services insights survey – 2025 buyer satisfaction, February 2025.
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