Escalating carrier costs, inflexible configuration, slow deployment, security risks and network management headaches. Sounds familiar? You’re not alone.
Software-defined wide-area networking (SD-WAN) represents a simplified, flexible and cost-effective alternative to traditional WAN solutions, improving the performance of business applications both in the cloud and on-premises. Not all solutions are created equal, the more value drivers your SD-WAN vendor can address the quicker you will realize the return on your SD-WAN investment.
As SD-WAN solutions rapidly mature, innovative service providers continue to evolve their offering to provide optimised solutions that can deliver a truly competitive advantage to enterprises in terms of reduced CapEx, lower operating costs, improved network performance and game-changing analytics.
What business challenges does SD-WAN address?
| Business Challenge | SD-WAN Capabilities | Business Value |
|---|---|---|
| Manage ROI | › Augment or replace your existing MPLS network with
lower-cost Internet links
› Flexible, rapid low-touch deployment (using physical appliance or Network Functions Virtualization (VNF) › Remove requirement for Virtual Private Network (VPN) and security hardware › Simplify ongoing operations, enabling business transformation, with the cloud orchestrator | Reduce cost of network ownership |
| Accelerate Access to Cloud Apps | › Improves cloud application performance by intelligently breaking out
Internet traffic at the edge. Backhauling Internet traffic from the branch
to the data centre doesn’t make sense in a cloud-first world
› Enable a multi-cloud strategy using Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, Softlayer and more | Improve productivity |
| Maximise Availability, Performance and Optimize Bandwidth | › SD-WAN dynamically load balances across multiple links to deliver high
availability and flexible capacity - issues that cripple traditional Telco
MPLS networks
› Delivering application-level SLAs over any transport using link
optimisation and dynamic steering
› Error correct to achieve MPLS-style performance using a mix of transport
types including consumer broadband
› Deliver resiliency by aggregating multiple links, and use all available bandwidth › Overcome the effects of high latency with fully integrated, optional on-demand WAN optimisation › Enabled devices automatically route network packets along the most appropriate links and improve application performance › SD-WAN overcomes the complexity of traditional MPLS environments - resulting in additional latency and poor user experiences - by automatically routing traffic directly through the most appropriate path and handling security closer to the edge | Enhance user experience |
| Improve Network Resilience | › Twin edge appliances deliver resilient High Availability (HA) cluster architecture › Establish virtual tunnels across multiple links with sub-second failover in case of degrading link quality › Provide the highest level of resiliency while ensuring design simplicity via an intelligent software stack | Increase business uptime |
| Deliver reliable, contemporary security measures | › Segment apps based on simple policies
› Employ a zero-trust security model based on an app-whitelist approach › Secure cloud-driven provisioning › Orchestrate security policies with service chaining e.g. Check Point, Fortinet, Palo Alto Networks, Zscaler › SD-WAN provides a secure overlay independent of your connectivity. Vendors continually invest in developing and deploying the most reliable and contemporary security measures possible › Turn Internet connections into secure VPNs using SD-WAN encryption tools. › Native zone-based firewalls and access controls to identify and block suspicious behaviour complement this capability › Dynamic path selection delivers better resilience and is programmed smarter delivering a more secure environment | Accelerate problem resolution |
| Provide Powerful Visibility and Control | › Quickly address outages and their causes with deep,
real-time visibility into application and network performance
(including packet loss, latency and jitter)
› Run reports to analyze bandwidth usage statistics and WAN metrics › Investigate cloud application usage, traffic patterns and link loading | Accelerate problem resolution |
| Simplify Architecture and Deploy Quickly | › Eliminate routers as the SD-WAN edge device combines routing
and firewall
› Permits easy security service chaining › Manage configuration edge to edge – without branch IT staff - using the Cloud Orchestrator › Extremely simple provisioning › Rapid deployment is now a reality. SD-WAN is deployed in days, not months – and without the need for IT involvement on site. › Benefit from greater agility and faster application delivery | Accelerate problem resolution |
| Improve Automation | › Create central business intent policies to define how application
traffic is routed between sites
› Simply orchestrate and automate the deployment of consolidated network functions such as firewall › Manage, configure, report and maintain branch office network services with a single pane-of-glass orchestrator | Accelerate problem resolution |
| Integrate Seamlessly with Existing WAN | › Integrate with existing routers ‘in line’ and slowly remove them
given time to minimise disruption
› Overlay and consolidate existing MPLS and Internet access networks under contract › Use Internet services securely with encrypted tunnels and service chaining to cloud security services | Accelerate problem resolution |
| Gain visibility of the WAN | › Central orchestration provides deep insight into granular path performance, application usage and network traffic | Accelerate problem resolution |