Network Coverage delivers secure operations by utilizing Amazon End User Computing services

Founded in 1996, Network Coverage offers an architecture that meets the demands of a distributed workforce that cannot afford unplanned downtime or connectivity issues. Network Coverage offers an in-house 24x7x365 Network Operations Center (NOC) and Security Operations Center (SOC). The Network Coverage cloud team is able to meet the design, implementation, and migration needs for several key customers. They also manage the growth and sustainability of the environments over the long term.

Network Coverage is focused on introducing customers to cloud-based technologies and architectures. They have launched a suite of technology solutions. Solutions including fully managed services, cloud computing, cybersecurity, business continuity, business intelligence, and custom development tools. This suite allows customers to harness the power of Amazon Web Services (AWS).

As Network Coverage shifted focus to providing customers with cloud solutions, they began their own journey to the cloud. After an exhaustive analysis phase including multiple proof of concept (POC) experiments, they selected AWS as their preferred cloud service provider. The depth and breadth of AWS service offerings, as well as the unmatched level of customer and partner support, led them to this strategic decision.

Network Coverage began implementing AWS End User Computing (EUC) solutions in-house while developing a partnership with AWS for customer engagements. Network Coverage quickly realized that AWS EUC solutions – including Amazon WorkSpaces and Amazon AppStream 2.0 – fit their own needs. In addition, it met the needs of their customers in numerous vertical segments, including construction, finance, healthcare, manufacturing, and retail.

Within a few months, Network Coverage technical staff was working in an entirely cloud-based AWS environment. In tandem with their own journey, many of their customers successfully completed POCs and deployed AWS EUC solutions in production. Customers using Amazon WorkSpaces noted performance and availability improvements compared with prior solutions. A main contributor of this is Network Coverage designed a fault-tolerant, geographically redundant environment with a focus on cost optimization.

Primary Amazon WorkSpaces use cases for Network Coverage focus on engineering and accounting roles. A broad selection of machine types gave users on-demand, pay-as-you-go access to high-performance instances capable of running compute-intensive modeling software that had taxed their on-premises workstations. Applications such as AutoDesk, Solidworks and Sage CRE/ERP is now be accessed by groups of workers. Access can be from any device, without having to purchase an expensive high-performance, dedicated workstation or connect via traditional self-managed VPN. In one customer environment, Network Coverage was able to achieve a 205% performance improvement, while shifting costs from CapEx to OpEx. This allowed the customer to mitigate $150K+ in hardware refresh costs.

Amazon WorkSpaces helped to enhance the Network Coverage customer experience. Simplified provisioning, application management, image management, and desktop support improved their ability to support customers without adding additional IT resources. An example customer in the construction industry was able to provide reliable, performant compute to their onsite management team via Amazon WorkSpaces. This eliminated the significant financial and operational overhead of procuring and staging expensive CAD workstations and power supplies. WorkSpaces also eliminates the challenge of unstable networking conditions and bandwidth constraints at remote sites. With Network Coverage’s Amazon WorkSpaces offering, this customer was able to provide workers with low-cost, lightweight laptops that outperformed expensive onsite workstations. The perfroamnce increase was directly related to the applications running on WorkSpaces. With Amazon WorkSpaces, a minimal amount of data is sent to the endpoint from the AWS cloud, using 256-bit encryption over the public internet. Additionally, by deploying Amazon WorkSpaces in multiple geographic regions, Network Coverage provided the customer with application resiliency, availability, and business continuity.

“Moving forward, we’re looking at deploying AWS services internally, and for our customers, at a much larger scale. Amazon WorkSpaces has helped us as an organization to provide customers with end-to-end solutions powered by AWS that enable their end users to be as high performing and productive as possible. The AWS pace of innovation never seems to slow down. I’m excited to the see next chapter with End User Computing services from AWS.” – Eric Tomah, Chief Information Officer, Network Coverage

In addition to expanding their WorkSpaces deployments, Network Coverage has recently added Amazon AppStream 2.0 to their offering of preferred customer solutions. AppStream 2.0 provides simple, secure, browser-based access to virtualized applications and selective-persistent desktops with the same low bandwidth utilization as Amazon WorkSpaces. Network Coverage is successfully deploying AppStream 2.0 Elastic Fleets to expansive teams of contract workers. This allowed for implementing a bring-your-own-device strategy that aligns with compliance requirements.

Network Coverage has grown their deployment to 150+ internal users and 10,000+ customer endpoints. Going forward, Network Coverage will expand their Amazon WorkSpaces and Amazon AppStream 2.0 offerings. This promotes business continuity, cybersecurity, and digital transformation solutions across its customer base.

Asriel Agronin is a Senior End User Computing Partner Solutions Architect. He works with partners and customers designing and architecting EUC solutions on AWS. He has been with AWS since 2017. In his free time you can find Asriel scuba diving, traveling, or playing chess.