Is Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) the Next Big Thing in Cloud Infrastructure? (Guest blog from Cloud Gateway)

This blog was written by Justin Day, Chief Product Officer, Cloud Gateway

For over a decade, cloud has reshaped how organisations consume technology. Infrastructure-as-a-Service, Platform-as-a-Service, and Software-as-a-Service have become familiar staples. Now, Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) is emerging as the next evolution, promising to transform the way we design, deploy, and manage connectivity and security.

For years, organisations have been moving workloads to the cloud to gain flexibility, scalability, and cost efficiency. But the network - the foundation that underpins those workloads - has often remained static, tied to inflexible contracts, fixed capacity, and hardware-heavy delivery models. That’s changing.

NaaS takes the principles that made cloud computing transformative and applies them to networking: on-demand, scalable, pay-as-you-grow services that are abstracted from physical infrastructure. Instead of buying, owning, and maintaining hardware, organisations can consume networking as a utility, spinning up or scaling down services as needed.

Why NaaS Matters Now

Several market trends are converging to make NaaS a practical and attractive option:

Hybrid and multi-cloud adoption: Applications and workloads now span multiple environments, and traditional networking models struggle to keep up.
Distributed workforces: Users expect secure, reliable access from anywhere, without VPN bottlenecks or complicated user experiences.
Security at the edge: Threats are more sophisticated, and security needs to be applied closer to the user or workload.
OPEX over CAPEX: The move towards operational expenditure aligns perfectly with a subscription-based network model.

These forces have created the perfect conditions for NaaS adoption, especially when integrated with a SASE approach. Organisations need network architectures that are:

Agile – able to scale and adapt at the pace of business.
Secure – with integrated, always-up-to-date protections.
Observable – offering real-time visibility and control.

NaaS answers this challenge by moving network intelligence into the cloud, where it can be deployed, updated, and managed remotely - freeing IT teams to focus on outcomes rather than infrastructure.

Where SASE Fits In

NaaS is often discussed alongside Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) - a framework that combines network and security functions into a unified, cloud-delivered service. While NaaS defines how network capabilities are delivered, SASE defines what those capabilities include.

Under a SASE approach, services like SD-WAN, firewall-as-a-service, secure web gateways, and zero-trust access controls are integrated into a single, cloud-native architecture. Combined with NaaS delivery, these capabilities become more scalable, flexible, and aligned with modern business needs.

This gives organisations a future-ready foundation - whether they consume it as pure NaaS, a fully managed service, or a blend of both.

Beyond Hype: NaaS as a Business Enabler

While it’s tempting to view NaaS as “the next big thing” in purely technical terms, its real impact lies in business agility. It reduces time to market for new services, lowers operational risk, and allows networking strategies to keep pace with cloud adoption. For regulated industries like healthcare, government, and financial services, the ability to combine compliance-grade security with rapid deployment can be transformative.

NaaS isn’t just a trend - it’s the logical next step in cloud infrastructure’s maturity. As with any emerging model, success depends on choosing a provider who can deliver both the technology and the service expertise to make it work in real-world conditions.

The organisations that adopt it thoughtfully - aligning it with a SASE framework for holistic security and visibility, won’t just modernise their networks. They’ll gain a competitive edge in a market where speed, security, and scalability are now non-negotiable.