21 Feb
Business needs and
enterprise reach are driving monumental shifts in the architecture of networks.
Naturally, the SD-WAN vendor market has responded aggressively, knowing that by
2020 the space willbe worth more than six billion dollars, according to IDC.
Choices are vast and include offerings from tried and true large networking
vendors, focused WAN specialists and venture-funded startups.
We know SD-WAN technology is an effective and economical solution that
addresses goals for agility, speed, security. Understanding your enterprise
needs will help lead you to the optimal vendor. As
important as unique case scenarios is the assurance that a vendor partner will
not disrupt the current WAN scenario as SD-WAN installation is in process and
building an SD-WAN that can securely carry cloud demands.
The three main vendor types
are:
1. Controller-based solutions
2. Appliance based overlay solutions that create a virtual IP network between
vendors hardware across any network
3. Advanced automation and change control solutions using existing hardware
One reputable player cited in a Packet Pushers blog post written by Ethan Banks expounds on NetScaler (Citrix’s skin in the game), which features, “…treating multiple WAN circuits as a unified pool of bandwidth, centralized reporting, and integrated WAN optimization. The product “appears to be the real deal,” he said. NetScaler was also cited in Network Computing’s 12 Sizzling SD-WAN Vendors. Network World offers four considerations to help prepare you as you explore SD-WAN solution that is right for your business.
1. Automated management
– The impact of automation on deployment and management costs =training and
staffing. IT organizations should ask vendors how they minimize the cost and
effort of
“Day 2” operations management such as policy changes, adding new applications,
security and image updates
2. Route control – Without proper route control, business critical
applications running on the WAN may not get the bandwidth, priority and load
balancing needed for the best user experience.
Ideally, application traffic utilizes all available WAN circuits and bandwidth
to make best use of and IT department’s existing WAN infrastructure, by load
balancing across WAN circuits and utilizing
backup edge routers
3. Proactive – consider a solution’s ability to detect problems and
respond to network outages so that critical applications don’t experience loss
of service. Looking at the management tools of a
solution can provide insight into IT management
4. Support for hybrid deployments – Can the solution support hybrid
deployments by combining multiple WAN transports such as MPLS, Internet,
cellular or satellite links? Each has different
capabilities in areas such as bandwidth, SLA classes of service, security
postures, and pricing
We know your choices are
plentiful. After you’ve reviewed and prioritized against the needs of your
business, next consider a checklist of vendor fundamentals where technological
prowess, customer
service and agility in implementation are all of equal value.
