Transforming Network Management
Transforming Network Management
Shasta Cloud:
Centralized Network Control for Enterprises
Shasta Cloud:
Centralized Network Control for Enterprises
Transforming Network Management: The Shasta Cloud Story
Transforming Network Management: The Shasta Cloud Story
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION
In May 2022, I found myself at the start of an exciting yet daunting challenge—Shasta Cloud was moving from concept to reality, and I had the opportunity to help shape it. The goal was clear: create a seamless networking ecosystem that allowed users to efficiently manage their networks and deploy access points with ease. But getting there? That was going to take a lot of brainstorming, iterations, and teamwork. As a UX designer, my role went beyond just creating interfaces.
In May 2022, I found myself at the start of an exciting yet daunting challenge—Shasta Cloud was moving from concept to reality, and I had the opportunity to help shape it.
The goal was clear: create a seamless networking ecosystem that allowed users to efficiently manage their networks and deploy access points with ease. But getting there? That was going to take a lot of brainstorming, iterations, and teamwork. As a UX designer, my role went beyond just creating interfaces
MY ROLE
I was deeply involved in research, conceptualization, user testing, and ensuring a smooth developer handoff.
I was deeply involved in research, conceptualization, user testing, and ensuring a smooth developer handoff.
THE TEAM
1 designer, 3 product managers, and 20+ engineers.
1 designer, 3 product managers, and 20+ engineers.
TIMELINE
May 2022 — Oct 2023
May 2022 — Oct 2023
Understanding the Struggles of MSPs
Understanding the Struggles of MSPs
PROBLEM STATEMENT
PROBLEM STATEMENT
Before diving into design, I needed to understand the real pain points faced by Managed Service Providers (MSPs). These teams are responsible for managing IT infrastructure for multiple businesses, but they were stuck using vendor-locked network systems that were inefficient, expensive, and difficult to maintain.
(Who are MSPs ? —- Managed Service Providers (MSPs) are third-party companies that remotely manage IT infrastructure and networks for businesses. They provide services like network monitoring, cybersecurity, cloud management, and IT support to help organizations operate efficiently without maintaining in-house IT teams. )
What really struck me was the sheer complexity MSPs dealt with:
- Nearly 75% of MSPs manage networks with four or more different vendors.
- Some even oversee up to 20 different systems, leading to massive inefficiencies.
- The tools available to them were bloated with unnecessary features, while the crucial ones were buried under layers of poor UX.
Before diving into design, I needed to understand the real pain points faced by Managed Service Providers (MSPs). These teams are responsible for managing IT infrastructure for multiple businesses, but they were stuck using vendor-locked network systems that were inefficient, expensive, and difficult to maintain.
(Who are MSPs ? —- Managed Service Providers (MSPs) are third-party companies that remotely manage IT infrastructure and networks for businesses. They provide services like network monitoring, cybersecurity, cloud management, and IT support to help organizations operate efficiently without maintaining in-house IT teams. )
What really struck me was the sheer complexity MSPs dealt with:
- Nearly 75% of MSPs manage networks with four or more different vendors.
- Some even oversee up to 20 different systems, leading to massive inefficiencies.
- The tools available to them were bloated with unnecessary features, while the crucial ones were buried under layers of poor UX.
I remember sitting with our team, discussing how frustrating it must be for these professionals—dealing with fragmented systems, spending hours troubleshooting, and feeling powerless against vendor lock-in. We had a mission: to build a unified, vendor-neutral solution that would simplify network setup, monitoring, and troubleshooting, cutting through the noise to deliver what truly mattered.
I remember sitting with our team, discussing how frustrating it must be for these professionals—dealing with fragmented systems, spending hours troubleshooting, and feeling powerless against vendor lock-in. We had a mission: to build a unified, vendor-neutral solution that would simplify network setup, monitoring, and troubleshooting, cutting through the noise to deliver what truly mattered.
Designing the Solution: Asking the Right Questions
Designing the Solution: Asking the Right Questions
Once we knew the problems, we had to ask ourselves:
- How can we simplify the experience for MSPs without stripping away essential functionality?
- How do we ensure that dashboards surface the most critical information, not just a clutter of metrics?
- How do we optimize the product for both web and mobile experiences?
Some key insights guided our approach:
- Only 40% of features in networking dashboards are actively used, proving that most existing designs were overcomplicated (Source: Cisco Report).
- 83% of IT managers agreed that a well-designed dashboard could improve troubleshooting efficiency by at least 50% (Source: SolarWinds Survey).
- 58% of IT teams wanted mobile-friendly dashboards to manage networks on the go (Source: TechTarget).
It became clear that simplicity, clarity, and accessibility were going to be the pillars of our design.
One of the first things I did was create an Information Architecture (IA) and user flow to guide our design decisions. MSPs had to juggle multiple personas and devices, meaning our solution needed to work seamlessly across web and mobile.
But then, we hit an exciting twist—one feature stood out as a potential game-changer: LiDAR-based
From Whiteboard to Wireframes: Bringing Ideas to Life
From Whiteboard to Wireframes: Bringing Ideas to Life
Laying the Foundation: IA & User Flow
One of the first things I did was create an Information Architecture IA) and user flow to guide our design decisions. MSPs had to juggle multiple personas and devices, meaning our solution needed to work seamlessly across web and mobile. But then, we hit an exciting twist—one feature stood out as a potential game-changer: LiDAR-based
One of the first things I did was create an Information Architecture (IA) and user flow to guide our design decisions. MSPs had to juggle multiple personas and devices, meaning our solution needed to work seamlessly across web and mobile.
But then, we hit an exciting twist—one feature stood out as a potential game-changer: LiDAR-based
The "Aha!" Moment: LiDAR Scanning for Smarter Network Mapping
The "Aha!" Moment: LiDAR Scanning for Smarter Network Mapping
We realized that MSPs often struggle with placing access points efficiently. So, we introduced a feature that leveraged LiDAR scanning on iOS devices—users could scan rooms, floors, and even entire buildings to create an accurate digital representation of their space.
This would allow them to strategically place network access points based on real-world conditions, even considering wall materials and interference factors.
Fun Fact : Walls significantly impact network performance! Different materials—brick, concrete, or glass—affect Wi-Fi signals in unique ways.
We realized that MSPs often struggle with placing access points efficiently. So, we introduced a feature that leveraged LiDAR scanning on iOS devices—users could scan rooms, floors, and even entire buildings to create an accurate digital representation of their space.
This would allow them to strategically place network access points based on real-world conditions, even considering wall materials and interference factors.
Fun Fact : Walls significantly impact network performance! Different materials—brick, concrete, or glass—affect Wi-Fi signals in unique ways.
Iteration & Growth: My Learning Experience
Iteration & Growth: My Learning Experience
With the foundation set, I jumped into wireframing the initial screens and presenting them to the team.
And then—reality check.
My first design got rejected.
I remember feeling disheartened, thinking, Did I completely miss the mark? But my seniors reassured me: rejection is part of the process. They helped me see the flaws and refine the design into something stronger. It was a humbling lesson that great UX isn’t built in a day—it’s a constant process of iteration and learning.
With the foundation set, I jumped into wireframing the initial screens and presenting them to the team.
And then—reality check.
My first design got rejected. I remember feeling disheartened, thinking,
Did I completely miss the mark?
But my seniors reassured me: rejection is part of the process. They helped me see the flaws and refine the design into something stronger. It was a humbling lesson that great UX isn’t built in a day—it’s a constant process of iteration and learning.
The Final Product: What We Built
The Final Product: What We Built
Key Features
1. Network Overview Dashboard – A clean, intuitive view of all network components, making monitoring effortless.
2. Access Point Management – A simplified way to deploy and control access points across multiple locations.
3. LiDAR-Based Mapping – A smart tool for network planning based on real-world spatial data.
4. Real-Time Alerts & Notifications – Ensuring proactive issue resolution before problems escalate.
Key Screens & Features
1. Network Overview Dashboard – A clean, intuitive view of all network components, making monitoring effortless.
2. Access Point Management – A simplified way to deploy and control access points across multiple locations.
3. LiDAR-Based Mapping – A smart tool for network planning based on real-world spatial data.
4. Real-Time Alerts & Notifications – Ensuring proactive issue resolution before problems escalate.
Add the layout of your office / rooms.
Add the layout of your office / rooms.
Add access points
Add access points
Navigate and monitor your venues.
Navigate and monitor your venues.
What We Achieved as a Team
What We Achieved as a Team
Shasta Cloud went from an idea to a real, impactful product:
- 7+ global clients have adopted it as their go-to network management solution.
- Organizations cut their costs by 50% after switching from expensive vendor-locked hardware.
- Deployment time per access point dropped from 30 minutes to just 10 minutes —a huge win for efficiency.
Shasta Cloud went from an idea to a real, impactful product:
- 7+ global clients have adopted it as their go-to network management solution.
- Organizations cut their costs by 50% after switching from expensive vendor-locked hardware.
- Deployment time per access point dropped from 30 minutes to just 10 minutes —a huge win for efficiency.
Real People, Real Impact
Real People, Real Impact
Shasta Cloud went from an idea to a real, impactful product:
Hearing feedback from clients was the most rewarding part of this journey:
🚀 "We replaced our high-priced vendor hardware with Shasta Cloud and cut our costs by 50% while maintaining enterprise-grade performance."
— James Smith, CTO of TechCore MSP
📈 "What used to take our team 30 minutes per access point now takes just 10 minutes. That’s real efficiency you can measure."
— Sarah Johnson, Operations Director at NetworkPro
💡 "Finally, a solution that lets us focus on growing our business instead of managing vendor relationships. Our margins have never been better."
— Michael Chen, CEO of CloudNet
Shasta Cloud went from an idea to a real, impactful product:
Hearing feedback from clients was the most rewarding part of this journey:
🚀 "We replaced our high-priced vendor hardware with Shasta Cloud and cut our costs by 50% while maintaining enterprise-grade performance."
— James Smith, CTO of TechCore MSP
📈 "What used to take our team 30 minutes per access point now takes just 10 minutes. That’s real efficiency you can measure."
— Sarah Johnson, Operations Director at NetworkPro
💡 "Finally, a solution that lets us focus on growing our business instead of managing vendor relationships. Our margins have never been better."
— Michael Chen, CEO of CloudNet
Reflections: What This Experience Taught Me
Reflections: What This Experience Taught Me
Shasta Cloud wasn’t just another project for me—it was a defining moment in my career.
It reinforced the importance of:
- Deep user research — Truly understanding pain points before designing a solution.
- Iterative design — Embracing feedback and constantly refining my work.
- Cross-functional collaboration — Working alongside devs and product managers to bring ideas to life.
This journey taught me that great UX isn’t just about pretty interfaces—it’s about solving real problems and making a tangible impact.
And in the end, that’s exactly what we are doing.
Shasta Cloud wasn’t just another project for me—it was a defining moment in my career.
It reinforced the importance of:
- Deep user research — Truly understanding pain points before designing a solution.
- Iterative design — Embracing feedback and constantly refining my work.
- Cross-functional collaboration — Working alongside devs and product managers to bring ideas to life.
This journey taught me that great UX isn’t just about pretty interfaces—it’s about solving real problems and making a tangible impact.
And in the end, that’s exactly what we are doing.
Shasta Cloud wasn’t just another project for me—it was a defining moment in my career.
It reinforced the importance of:
- Deep user research — Truly understanding pain points before designing a solution.
- Iterative design — Embracing feedback and constantly refining my work.
- Cross-functional collaboration — Working alongside devs and product managers to bring ideas to life.
This journey taught me that great UX isn’t just about pretty interfaces—it’s about solving real problems and making a tangible impact.
And in the end, that’s exactly what we are doing