As a cloud network infrastructure company, Lightstorm has been dedicated to expanding its fiber network capacity and cable landing stations across India and South Asia since its inception in 2020. The company has recently introduced Polarin, a network as a service platform (NaaS), that it claims will address critical gaps in network infrastructure.
In a conversation with CIO&Leader, Prasanna C, Global Head of Products at Lightstorm, talks about the future of network infrastructure, potential of its recently introduced NaaS platform, Polarin and its implications for enterprise networking. Prasanna provides his perspective on the importance of NaaS in addressing modern networking challenges and shaping India’s tech landscape. Below are excerpts from the conversation.
Global Head of Products at Lightstorm
CIO&Leader: What future trends do you foresee in the network infrastructure space, and how is Lightstorm preparing to address these trends?
Prasanna C: Trends in the network infrastructure space:
Edge Networking- Edge computing is gaining traction across the world. The factor driving this trend is Edge computing, which brings computation and data storage closer to the source of data generation, is becoming increasingly important. Edge computing utilizes the network edge for complex operations, enhancing performance and user experience. We have launched Polarin Network Edge (PNE) which brings together compute, internet, and private network resources at the Network edge, empowering businesses to use their preferred virtual network functions (from any vendor) and seamlessly connect to Polarin NaaS
Internet of Things (IoT)- From smart homes to industrial automation, IoT is reshaping various sectors. With an estimated 125 billion IoT devices expected to be in use by 2025, the scope of IoT’s impact is bound to be profound. Through seamless connectivity and data exchange, IoT is set to create a more interconnected and efficient world.
5G connectivity- Promising faster speeds, lower latency, and improved reliability, 5G will unlock new possibilities in communication, entertainment, and healthcare. As the global 5G market is projected to reach $620 billion by 2025, its widespread adoption will revolutionize industries and enable the realization of futuristic technologies like augmented reality, autonomous vehicles, and remote surgeries.
VR and AR- These immersive technologies are finding applications in diverse fields, such as education, healthcare, and even workplace training. The global AR/VR market is set to soar to $192 Billion by 2024, reflecting the increasing demand for enriched user experiences and novel interactions.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)- AI workloads require elastic networking capabilities to handle dynamic and intensive data processing. Lightstorm is enhancing its infrastructure to support AI by ensuring scalable, high-performance networking solutions that can adapt to the burstable, low-latency and high-volume requirements of AI applications.
Quantum computing- With immense computational power, quantum computers have the potential to solve complex problems that are beyond the capabilities of classical computers. As the global quantum computing market is expected to reach $64 Billion by 2030, it holds the key to unlocking new frontiers in scientific research, cryptography and optimization.
CIO&Leader: How does Lightstorm’s Polarin NaaS solution deploy software orchestration and hardware automation to optimize network performance, reduce manual efforts, and improve operational efficiency?
Prasanna C: Polarin enables enterprises to reduce manual effort and minimize the risk of human errors. Through intelligent automation, it can dynamically adjust network resources based on changing demands and conditions, ensuring optimal performance and resource utilization. This automation not only increases operational efficiency but also enhances agility and responsiveness, allowing enterprises to adapt quickly to evolving business needs and market demands.
Through its Polarin’s intuitive dashboard, network teams can have a centralized view of the real time network performance and essential metrics which enables them to monitor and manage the network environment, facilitating faster decision making and troubleshooting.
CIO&Leader: Can you elaborate on how Polarin facilitates integration with multi-cloud and hybrid cloud environments, and what specific benefits this brings to enterprises?
Prasanna C: In today’s dynamic digital landscape, the adoption of cloud services is essential for businesses striving to remain competitive. The Global Cloud Computing Market is expected to grow significantly, from $569.31 billion in 2022 to $2433.87 billion by 2030. Businesses are increasingly leveraging cloud services, including SaaS and cloud infrastructure, to enhance flexibility, scalability, and operational efficiency.
Polarin integrates private networking with multi-cloud and hybrid cloud environments. The platform enables businesses to manage interconnections with unmatched speed and agility, and is designed to be provisioned instantaneously, offering a first in South Asia. In addition, the fully functional dashboard provides complete network visibility, and the point-click-consume model of Polarin reduces the costs associated with traditional networking approaches and minimizes underutilization.
CIO&Leader: How does Polarin support enterprises in their digital transformation journeys, particularly in terms of enhancing network transparency and automation?
Prasanna C: Polarin’s advanced technologies provide enterprises with deep visibility and insights into their network infrastructure. This allows businesses to monitor network performance, track data flows, and identify potential bottlenecks or issues in real-time. With a clear view of their network operations, enterprises can make informed decisions to optimize network resources and improve overall efficiency.
Polarin DCI Wave (for high bandwidth optical networks), offered though Polarin platform, has transformed NaaS with its capability of instant provisioning, eliminating the need for manual setup. This automation is powered by robotic arms strategically deployed to automate optical network connectivity over 63 data centers in India.
This automation not only streamlines network management but also enhances the speed and accuracy of these processes, allowing IT teams to focus on more strategic initiatives.
CIO&Leader: How do you envision Polarin impacting the enterprise networking landscape in India and beyond in the next five years?
Prasanna C: Polarin is poised to significantly impact the enterprise networking landscape in India and beyond over the next five years. With India’s internet usage projected to reach 900 million users by 2025, Polarin will transform network management through agility and control, driving cost efficiency and scalability for Enterprises who are ultimately serving end users. Its advanced insights will empower informed decision-making, while automation enhances operational efficiency. By facilitating seamless cloud connectivity and supporting digital services with a utility-grade infrastructure, Polarin will enable businesses to meet the growing demand for digital transactions and e-commerce, ultimately bolstering India’s status as a digital powerhouse.
Let us take the examples of companies like Zepto, a quick commerce platform, and Phone Pe, a leading payment aggregator. In order to handle a surge in orders during peak hours, they need to instantly scale their network resources for seamless delivery of services. And in such scenarios NaaS (Network-as-a-Service) dynamically adjust their bandwidth according to demand fluctuation. This not only ensures high-speed, low-latency connection but also saves the businesses money and eliminates wastage of resources.
CIO&Leader: What are your expansion plans in India?
Prasanna C: Lightstorm has ambitious strategic plans for expanding its services, including Network-as-a-Service (NaaS), across India and other regions. Currently in India, Lightstorm has established a fiber network connecting over 60 data centers, 300 nodes, and spanning over 30,000 km, covering key cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Mundra, Nashik, Vijaywada, and Kolkata, with plans to add Lucknow and Nagpur soon. Lightstorm is focused on Southeast Asia, with existing network connections to Nepal and Bangladesh. The company also aims to connect within the Middle East, leveraging India’s robust data center traffic. With geopolitical issues making India a more attractive data peering destination for the Middle East, Lightstorm sees significant opportunity in this region and has established an office to explore these prospects further.
We have also entered our next phase of innovation and growth in Indonesia, and we will continue to further build a carrier-neutral fiber infrastructure across the nation, which is currently supported by a connected network of more than 15,000 kilometers of fiber and more than 1.5 million home passes across ten of Indonesia’s major cities including Jakarta, Surabaya and Bandung.
We have recently acquired three strategic sub-sea cable assets which we expect to be completed soon. In future, Lightstorm aims to continue expanding its geographic footprint to other Southeast Asian and Middle East countries and enriching its products and services to ultimately establish a leading next-generation cloud network infrastructure platform with assets across APAC and interconnecting them with the US West Coast.