5 things you must know about SD-WAN
SD WAN Applications
SD WAN can be leveraged and used in multiple scenarios. Software Defined Networking (SDN) can be leveraged for the Wide Area Network and Cloud based applications. SD WAN can be used for a virtual Wide Area Networking platform that makes great sense for mult-site connectivity. SD-WAN can use multiple Internet connections, has application layer security and is cost effective. It is also easy to deploy, manage and configure, and great for IaaS, and SaaS applications.
Active/Active and Failover Configuration of your Internet Circuits
One of the most valuable capabilities of an SD WAN solution is its ability to aggregate commercial grade less expensive Internet connections and trunk them together or use them in a fail over mode. For instance, you have a site that requires 100% network up-time. You may consider ordering a fiber pipe from AT&T for the main network connection and a hi-speed Comcast Coax connection for backup. The SD WAN solution supports both network connections and they can be aggregated so you can leverage the bandwidth of both connections simultaneously and configure the SD WAN so if one of the connections goes down it will automatically fail-over to the other connection. So rather then have the coax as a passive backup it can be leveraged as an active circuit while simultaneously acting as a backup.
Application Performance and Control
SD WAN is an application aware technology. This means that you can get visibility into your network’s performance and applications in a much more granular manner then any other WAN transport technology out there. Most WAN transport technologies just look at bits and bytes, where SD-WAN sees the applications. SD-WAN allows you to prioritize applications based on its importance. For instance, you can throttle down video traffic and throttle up your business-critical application traffic via an interface across your entire deployment. You also can see the links at all the sites including traffic, speeds, throughput. The technology is also cloud enabled which means it is not necessary to backhaul all the data through a main site for SAAS and IAAS connectivity.
PCI Compliance and more Secure
The SD-WAN controllers are out of band and do not carry any un-encrypted card holder data. The SDWAN also includes Layer 7 application aware firewalls that restrict connections between un-trusted networks and systems in the protected environment. SD-WAN also meets requirements related to the systems hardening requirements as required by PCI. These and other security features meet PCI and DSS compliance standards. Also, SD-WAN offers cloud-based security bypassing the need for backhauling to a main site for filtering, scanning and other security services. SD-WAN’s decentralized security capabilities are great for IAAS and SAAS connectivity.
Less complicated Engineering support required
MPLS and other WAN protocols through the years have required high level engineers like CCIE’s to implement and manage. As costs of WAN engineers have soared and the cost of core networking is also high, SD-WAN provides a great path to have a reasonably price Managed Service for your Wide Area Networking needs. Traditional WAN deployments require manual box by box configurations, also QoS configurations and load balancing are done manually through router Command Line programming. And fail over configurations also are based on router manual configurations based on distance and availability. SD-WAN provides a user-friendly deployment strategy, the heavy technical lifting is done by the SD-WAN provider or SD-WAN Managed Services Provider, easing the burden of Installation, Configuration, Operations and Management.
Cloud Ready SD-WAN
Traditional WAN ties a customer to a private circuit that in most cases requires back-hauling to the centralized site. Whereas SD-WAN gives a direct to the Internet Secure link to the SAAS or IAAS provider. SD-WAN’s multi homing to multiple gateways enable direct access to cloud data centers eliminating back-haul penalties. Also, SD-WAN uses standard base encryption like AES which gives you a secure cloud network. Security and optimization services can be delivered based on application requirements. With SD-WAN’s decentralized architecture security services can be provided locally without the need to back-haul.
Contact Info
If you have further questions about SD WAN & ITRM and you would like further information email rbolda@itriskmgrs.com or call Rick Bolda at 630-918-7370