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SECURITY From a security standpoint, most organizations were caught off guard during the early days of the pan- demic. Almost overnight, companies went from using highly fortified and optimized networks to remote setups with mostly unknown com- ponents and architectures. Orga- nizations were forced to deal with unsecured Wi-Fi and limited visibility into remote apps and endpoints, creating a nightmare scenario for IT. Now that some time has passed, most companies are working to achieve the same level of network security and reliability at home that they have on-site. After all, it shouldn’t matter where employees work — the new experience should be the same. The new gold standard of excellence is to have network con- sistency across all locations. One company that can make this happen is New Horizon Commu- nications (NHC), a leading Massa- chusetts-based communications carrier that calls itself “THE Commu- nications Stack Provider.” During the last year, NHC has helped many or- ganizations streamline their remote networks with its unique solutions approach to the stack. Breaking Down NHC’s Stack There are three layers to NHC’s stack. “Layer one is all about the Network,” explained NHC CEO Doug Fabbrica- tore. “In today’s world, businesses are accessing a variety of networks throughout the day. These networks have evolved away from the legacy telco private or internet network, and instead comprise a truly dynamic and intertwined ‘everything’ network.” Users of these networks expect rapid deployment and scalability, along with hyper-fast performance, said Fabbricatore. “Their applications depend on these expectations.” NHC delivers these network con- nections both privately and pub- licly, and with great precision. “Our Network layer is fast, scal- able, and available anywhere in the country with a diverse range of delivery options,” added Fabbrica- tore. “Additionally, these networks are fully supported from presale to delivery and billing by NHC for a one-source connectivity solution.” Then you have layer two, which is the overlay. “Our Overlay is where the rub- ber meets the road,” Fabbricatore continued. “Here we provide cloud- native applications like VoIP, UCaaS, contact center, and collaboration, as well as advanced data services like SD-WAN, disaster recovery, and cybersecurity.” The third and final layer of the stack is the managed layer. “Our Managed Layer ties everything together, and this couldn’t be more im- portant within the current as-a-service world we’re in today,” said Fabbricatore. “This is most important for today’s cus- tomers. We manage all the elements we’re selling, whether it’s Network, an Overlay, or both. The customer needs someone to manage these compo- nents effectively, with transparency and with their best interests in mind. NHC does this. Every day.” According to Fabbricatore, NHC’s services are designed for the distributed workforce, providing unmatched connectivity, visibility, and collaboration. “We ultimately enable customers to unify remote work for workforces, anywhere and on any device,” Fab- bricatore added. Not a Passing Trend Looking forward, it’s clear that re- mote work is here to stay — and NHC plans to continue monitoring remote work trends and offering innovative products to help companies achieve secure and reliable communication. “I’ve heard frommany business leaders that their go-forward plan will account for roughly 40 percent to 60 per- cent full-time remote workers,” Fabbricatore continued. “In most cases, in-office days will be limited to two- three days per week. I can easily see the new workplace being work from home, with the option to come in during the middle of the week. I think that’s going to be the standard approach for many indus- tries and many of our customers.” Look for NHC to roll out new remote workstations in 2021 with embedded secure unified communications. The company also plans on unveiling a Microsoft Teams product, which pairs it with NHC’s voice platform. “We’re gearing up to introduce a whole new suite of security products, so make sure to check in for up- dates,” Fabbricatore said. “We’re go- ing beyond edge-based branch and edge-based cloud and looking into some really advanced remote work security products in the near future. So, we’re excited about the year ahead and ready to help businesses secure their remote networks.” Follow the company on social: @stackNHC. J Secure Remote Work Depends on ‘the Stack’ By Gerald Baldino EHT Communications STACK Provider ™ NHC CEO Doug Fabbricatore 42 REMOTE WORK SOLUTIONS rwsmagazine.com