SD-WAN: A network fit for business

Transcription

1 SD-WAN: A network fit for business

2 Executive summary Digital transformation is a top priority for many enterprises, who understand how technology is disrupting many industries. Employees are intrinsically aware of it too, as they demand access to mobile and cloud-based applications that reflect the experiences that they have in consumer computing and support new working practices. Companies will fail if they tackle these business challenges using inadequate legacy networks. Instead, they must reinvent their digital infrastructure to support the changes in their business. A new technology, Software-Defined Wide Area Networking (SD-WAN), promises to revolutionize networking to make it faster, more reliable and more manageable. Using it, companies can build a solid platform for future growth that will enable them to adapt to current and future business opportunities. SD-WAN gives administrators the ability to make network management more agile by controlling it with software. They can use software controls to make better use of bandwidth by aggregating network connections and optimizing traffic for different applications. SD-WAN provides administrators with a single view of the network, and a managed end-to-end solution that keeps it running smoothly and securely. Ultimately, SD-WAN enables global networks to adapt quickly to changing business conditions, while delivering applications quickly, reliably and securely. SD-WAN offers several advantages for businesses: Simplifies the management and delivery of corporate networks, increasing reliability and application performance, leading to more productive employees and smoother business processes. Makes networks more agile by letting administrators configure them from a central location. Enables companies to set universal rules for network security so that they can better protect themselves from attacks. Maximizes the return on networking investment, by allowing network teams to right-size their infrastructure, reducing reliance on expensive third-party network services and consolidating network connections. SD-WAN will help build the next generation of global network architecture. It puts control of the WAN back in the hands of network administrators, enabling them to configure the infrastructure in ways that were not possible before. By using SD-WAN technology and the consulting services of a trusted partner, business managers can squeeze more functionality from the network and make their infrastructure fit for digital transformation. 2

3 Evolving business and technology requirements Companies face several drivers for network transformation. One of the biggest is the overwhelming move toward cloud computing. As cloud-based services permeate consumer computing, employees are demanding the same kinds of services within the office. But it s not just employee-driven, companies are frequently adopting cloud-first or even cloud-only strategies for new applications, attracted by their increased flexibility and scalability. Cloud services are transforming networking Enterprises need to manage multi-regional cloud services that have different data sovereignty and application requirements, and create diverse network traffic types. Applications now frequently demand low latency packets, along with interactive elements such as messaging and automatic updates in browser and mobile applications. Today s teams can collaborate on Office documents in real time while speaking to each other on video, for example. Cloud services are also easy to sign up for and don t require the IT department s intervention. Employees especially millennial digital natives who have grown up with little else expect to source these applications on demand as the need arises. They want this access not just when it suits them, but also where. A largely mobile workforce demands secure access to cloud-based applications from wherever they are, on whatever device and on whichever network connection is available at the time. Cloud services demand a new generation network that is more agile and able to support a continually changing set of traffic types and performance requirements. Administrative staff must be able to configure virtual network services to support these applications quickly and from a central location. They must be able to allocate bandwidth, control application routing and prioritize different kinds of traffic to maintain application performance. 3

4 Evolving business and technology requirements Business Internet is driving bandwidth demand Business users increasing Internet use is placing more bandwidth requirements on modern networks. By the year 2020, Cisco predicts that global business IP WAN traffic will reach 4.3 Exabytes each month that equates to a million DVDs per hour, compared to 3.2 Exabytes each month in Traffic on business IP WANs grew 10% in 2015 alone and business mobile data traffic is expected to grow sevenfold between 2015 and Local connections are inconsistent and hard to manage Existing WANs are unable to cost-effectively cope with this dramatic increase in Internet bandwidth. The corporate MPLS network was designed to handle interoffice and data center traffic and is ill-equipped to meet the demand for Internet-based services. Therefore, to boost Internet connectivity, regional and branch offices have often procured their own Internet services from local providers. However, they can vary drastically in connection type, performance and price. The outcome is that even within a single country, connections to the Internet or other services may switch between 4G, DSL, MPLS and dedicated Internet, among others. This infrastructure is brittle and inflexible with technologies that are rarely, if ever, interoperable. CIOs have inherited network silos that cannot effectively support new business applications requiring new traffic types, such as Internet, video or mobile. This leads to a deadly combination of rising costs, poor network visibility, and inadequate performance and business users are noticing. 4

5 The Solution: SD-WAN SD-WAN solves these problems by creating an overlay atop an enterprise s existing network, making it more flexible without the expensive and time-consuming challenge of ripping and replacing existing connections. The solution takes a relatively recent innovation called Software Defined Networking (SDN) and applies it to a wide area network. SDN abstracts the control and configuration functions traditionally hardwired into network routers and switches, and redefines them in software. SDN enables network administrators to quickly and easily reconfigure the network using a software interface. For the first time, they can define policies to control network traffic based on business rules which, as we have seen, can change quickly as applications evolve. SD-WAN applies SDN across a company s entire global network infrastructure. All that is required is the installation of inexpensive routing devices at each enterprise location to manage routing functions based on policies defined in software by administrators. Working together, they create a secure overlay network that can be easily configured via an administrative portal. SD-WAN provides four technical benefits that transform the network: 1. Hybrid connectivity SD-WAN unifies multiple network connections into a single virtual connection. It can aggregate 4G, MPLS, DSL and other connections at a single location to provide more bandwidth for a demanding application, for example. This also makes the network more efficient by reducing or eliminating idle time on network links. 2. Intelligent path control SD-WAN routing devices automatically route network packets along the most appropriate links to reflect network policies. Traffic that needs low latency can be routed along faster links, while less critical traffic can take a slower route. Intelligent path control also allows businesses to route traffic quickly around network outages or congestion, switching between connection providers as appropriate to increase network reliability. 3. Application optimization Policies defined by SD-WAN administrators can optimize the network to support applications with specific needs. They can define rules to prioritize a low-latency video application, for example, or even dynamically adjust support for applications based on specific business conditions. An analytics application that must deliver its results before 6 a.m. could be given priority access in the early hours of the morning, for example. 4. Secure connectivity The SD-WAN overlay network is designed from the ground up to be secure, so that traffic traveling across different third-party providers network connections is safe from compromise. 5

6 How to deploy SD-WAN There are several solutions in the market that are labelled SD-WAN, but they can vary in their scope considerably. Some only provide the routing devices designed to be installed at each enterprise location, but they leave it up to the customer to connect those boxes and configure the overlay network. This work can be very complex and pose a great challenge to the enterprise IT department, which may not have the necessary skills in-house. It is better to look at SD-WAN deployment as an end-to-end solution, which incorporates the entire network fabric, ensuring a seamless operation and support process. Network service providers have this holistic view of the infrastructure and are perfectly placed to help enterprises transform their network. Getting the most out of SD-WAN requires a methodological approach. In fact, the first step in the transformation process should be a discovery consultation to understand the physical network infrastructure and local connectivity. This includes what applications run over the network and how they support the business. The information gathered is essential in designing a scalable, modular network that will meet a business s existing needs while allowing for future growth. This design may also include enhancements to the existing physical network such as rightsizing it to cut costs or improve performance. In many cases, locations may be using too complex and expensive an array of physical network connections for their needs, or may not have enough combined connectivity. The design phase of the project is the perfect opportunity to optimize these connections where necessary. Other opportunities here include WAN optimization and caching data locally at regional or branch locations to save data bandwidth. Cloud-based firewalls can also make the overlay infrastructure more secure and efficient. After designing and installing the overlay network, the service provider s engineers can help the enterprise network administrators to create policies that support application performance requirements. 6

7 The business advantages and benefits of SD-WAN A properly-implemented SD-WAN overlay can create several benefits for enterprises. One of the most important advantages of a truly flexible network is business agility. An agile business Optimizing MPLS network performance with quality of service (QoS) initiatives such as network classes, compression and other technologies is possible. But because the control logic for a WAN is tied to the physical hardware that routed the network packets, configuring QoS is an arduous manual process that frequently involves direct changes to individual router boxes across the network. With SD-WAN, this control can now be managed centrally. This makes it easier for administrators to change network policies on the fly, optimizing them for different applications as necessary. Beyond this, the network itself can optimize traffic dynamically by constantly monitoring its state. More security by controlling and securing internet use Network security is one of the biggest problems facing enterprises today. Traditional networks can be difficult to protect because security policies relating to specific applications are difficult to set and update. An SD-WAN overlay network is easier to control for security purposes, because administrators can set and update permissions for different applications centrally in accordance with defined policies. The beauty of a software-configurable system is that security policies can be changed to reflect best practices in the business. An enterprise in a heavily-regulated industry such as finance or healthcare may have stricter requirements for security and might limit access to many cloud-based applications. Conversely, a marketing company may actively encourage social media access. Administrators can configure policies on the network to grant or prohibit access to specific online resources in response to requirements from business departments including the compliance team. 7

8 The business advantages and benefits of SD-WAN Improved end-user performance leading to better productivity SD-WAN s application optimization and hybrid networking translates into a tangible business benefit: enhanced productivity. Employees that may have been hindered by high latency, slow database access and choppy video will find themselves able to achieve more each day as their computing experience improves. No more time spent asking contacts in voice or video conversations to repeat themselves. No more waiting around while server-based bookkeeping applications take precious seconds to refresh data. By aggregating local network connections and optimizing the traffic that runs through them in line with business-centric policies, organizations will improve application speed and get more from their employees, which translates to a more effective business. Making more effective use of networking investments CIOs face constant pressure to do more with less, and SD-WAN creates a robust platform that ensures IT budgets are spent more effectively. By rightsizing local and regional network connections, organizations can save money on networking contracts that are underused. Network teams can also decrease reliance on relatively expensive network services such as MPLS. They can supplement those networks with more cost-effective connections that can be made more reliable and faster through hybrid connectivity and intelligent path control. 8

9 Challenges to adoption SD-WAN may offer significant advantages and benefits to enterprises, but that doesn t make it a frictionless proposition. There are plenty of challenges awaiting companies that consider this relatively new technology. Cultural inertia One such challenge is traditional conservatism in enterprise networking. Corporate customers don t change their enterprise WAN partners very often, because it is a huge undertaking. They worry about disrupting a system with many moving parts that is critical to their business. When they do, it is a slow process with many questions to consider, and much inertia to overcome. SD-WAN helps enterprises take advantage of this new flexibility in networking without having to rip and replace all their existing network connections. It allows them to embark on their digital transformation with an infrastructure that can support the new agile business services they require. Market confusion Enterprises face a great deal of market confusion. Many market participants claim to offer SD-WAN capabilities, but miss key features that are critical in this space. A range of companies call their offerings SD-WAN technology, including telecommunications service providers, startups and network equipment vendors. Businesses must educate themselves to recognize the differences between each offering. Fear of obsolescence Enterprises may be wary of adopting a relatively new technology concept in a rapidly developing technology landscape. They may worry that if they make the wrong move, the implementation could quickly become obsolete and limit further options in the future. However, the rapid and ubiquitous adoption of cloud-based services has shown just how quickly enterprises can move when the drivers are right. Many are now happy to move their critical assets into a private, public or hybrid cloud service. Increasingly, companies are willing to embrace new technologies if they offer the right mixture of agility and efficiency. The move to a software-based network overlay will expand future technology options for CIOs rather than limit them. By enabling them to adjust network policies quickly, it can prepare them for new business challenges and the network challenges that they create as they arise. The skills gap The skills gap may be one of the most significant operational challenges for companies embarking on their SD-WAN journey. A network overlay creates opportunities to manage network policy in a highly granular and flexible way, but this back-office management requires skill and knowledge from networking employees. Those not used to these capabilities face a learning curve as they grapple with the new capabilities in their software-defined networking environment. This learning curve applies to both application optimization and security, and entails some collaboration between different disciplines. Network and security teams must interact closely together, understanding each other s practice as they collaborate to create a robust and watertight network infrastructure using agile software management tools. 9

10 The future of the network SD-WAN is the latest step in the long-term evolution of the corporate network, which consists of three main components: the network connections, the applications that run on them, and the people that use them. Computing is becoming more human-centric. Computers and network architectures are supposed to serve people, rather than the other way around. The historical figureheads of computing the likes of Doug Engelbart, Bill Gates and Steve Jobs were all in their own way working toward this goal by making computers more intuitive to their users and creating a symbiosis between them. The user experience is already a priority today, in ways that the early pioneers of computing could never have imagined. In the future, networks will become more intelligent and more attuned to this user experience. Expect to see service level agreements that cover not just network uptime, but application uptime, and not just application uptime, but application performance. One day, when service providers, equipment vendors, software developers and enterprises are all ready, we may even see enterprise applications that are network aware. In the future, applications may be able to talk directly to the network via APIs and configure services for themselves based on their own unique circumstances. In this way, networks will potentially be able to configure themselves as business needs change, enabling them to match the cadence of the company. These capabilities will improve as other technologies evolve. Artificial intelligence algorithms offer promise. Machine learning, a subset of AI that is gaining traction in many industries, relies heavily on large amounts of empirical data to help it find current and emerging trends. Networks generate mountains of structured data about performance, availability, and routing patterns. Matched with application performance data, this can support an AI engine that could then configure the network in real time based on anticipated need. For now, though, the industry is embracing intelligent SD-WAN, with its complete network visibility, link aggregation and automatic performance tuning. This is part of a broader trend in which service providers are abstracting physical network functions into software. We have seen this with network functions virtualization (NFV), which reinvents features such as firewalls and load balancers as virtualized software services. We have also seen it with SDN in the datacenter. Along with these developments, SD-WAN is another step in the journey towards an intelligent, transparent network infrastructure that will serve as a platform for future innovation. 10

11 Top 5 takeaways 1. Companies are 2. Companies need 3. embracing the cloud more agile networks Modern organizations have already embarked on a journey to the cloud, even if they haven t realized it yet. An increasingly discerning millennial user base is demanding cloud and mobile applications that mirror their experiences in consumer computing. This is creating a new set of demands on corporate computing environments which suddenly find themselves under pressure to handle more diverse types of digital traffic. Existing corporate networks are becoming increasingly inefficient at supporting these new demands. They cannot support the volume of traffic necessary to handle an increasingly varied and performance-sensitive application portfolio. A new, more agile networking environment is necessary, which can adapt to new demands as they arise. SD-WAN reinvents the corporate network SD-WAN takes emerging software defined networking (SDN) technology, initially designed for data centers and local area networks, and makes it available in a WAN environment. It uses a network overlay consisting of multiple routing devices, each at different network locations. These then aggregate existing network connections, optimizing the flow of traffic across them in accordance with a set of custom-designed network policies defined in software via a central administrative portal. 4. Multiple players are confusing the market SD-WAN is a new technology and many different organizations claim to offer it. Telecommunications providers jostle alongside networking startups and equipment vendors to offer software defined networking for WAN environments. Enterprises need to look at SD-WAN in the context of the broader business goals they hope to achieve. 5. Consulting is key SD-WAN is not a plug and play proposition and involves a detailed understanding of a company s existing infrastructure and application portfolio. It creates new network management opportunities that can be confusing to untrained administrators. Enterprises need to invest in consulting expertise when embarking on an SD-WAN strategy, and educate staff so that they can take advantage of this powerful new technology. 11

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