Tag Archives: hybrid wide area networks

08 Nov

SD-WAN is now SD-WAN TM

SD-WAN is evolving to SD-WAN TM

Many SD-WAN solutions promise adopters a software/hardware solution that will ultimately solve their traffic routing issues and improve network performance.   But research has shown that this is not the case.   Over 60% of SD-WAN installs are retooled or worse, uninstalled, simply because they just do not meet the needs of today’s modern wide area network.

Let’s be honest, SD-WAN has got a rap, not necessarily “bad” but perhaps has been touted, incorrectly, as a panacea to solve a multitude of issues faced by today’s WAN administrators.

So why the confusion and lack of understanding?   Perhaps it is marketing hype, where vendors in this market claim to have solutions that meet most customer’s needs, only to find far more is required than what is advertised.   Perhaps customers are too quick to jump on the bandwagon, with administrators installing “SD-WAN” simply to appease management that they now have the latest and greatest, or to try something and see if and how it works.

SD-WAN (Software-Defined WAN) is cool, and can be a very effective, cost saving solution for almost ANY WAN of any size or configuration.   After research with well over 100 SD-WAN users, both large and small, the clear differentiator in this discussion is undoubtedly, the “S”.  The Software.   It is well known that the hardware is no longer the focus for a successful, high speed WAN, it is how the software manages the traffic.    

It is all about network traffic management

Perhaps SD-WAN should be changed to SD-WAN-TM – WAN Traffic Management, because at the end of the day, it really is about traffic management, knowing what the traffic type is, where it originates, the destination and of course, how it gets there.

Modern WANs are becoming more and more complex, especially with the adoption of cloud and hybrid cloud services and solutions, better bandwidth offerings, faster cell networks (5G is blisteringly quick) and of course, the need to access information and data from anywhere at any time, using a multitude of devices.

Users are driving the change.   Instant access is imperative, demanded, and critical to the success of today’s fast paced on line business to consumer economy.     Businesses are adapting to this change requiring more connectivity to aligned organizations, such as healthcare institutions connecting to insurance companies, financial institutions connecting to regulatory bodies, mortgage and insurance companies, and large on line retailers managing inventory, deliveries, and billing.   We are becoming more and more connected, and with that brings the number 1 fear for any network administrator, the security of their data.

Security is undoubtedly the one issue keeping the WAN administrator awake at night.   With the massive increase in network traffic on multiple and different link types, especially broadband, from multiple devices, the question must now be, how do you manage this traffic effectively, efficiently and most importantly, easily?

In order to have a reliable, secure and effective WAN, it is imperative that administrators take control of traffic across the network.    Knowing how traffic is being routed and most importantly, being able to control it, is without question the most important factor affecting the modern WAN.  Managing this traffic across multiple links using multiple formats is key.   This is the promise of SD-WAN.

5 Necessities for a cost effective SD-WAN solution

To get the best “S” for your SD-WAN needs, there are a few easy steps any business should take.   Here are 5 key questions you MUST ask your SD-WAN vendor:

  1. Will your SD-WAN solution work with existing routers and network protocols?
  2. Will your SD-WAN solution work with multiple links in one device, even if those links are different types and speeds, including copper, fiber, 3G,4G,5G LTE, broadband and satellite?
  3. Will your Software-Defined WAN (SD-WAN) solution securely load balance and failover BOTH inbound and outbound traffic, even if this is VoIP or Video resulting in zero dropped calls?
  4. Does your SD-WAN solution allow setting of thresholds for any traffic type, including application specific, protocol specific, line specific, or interface specific?
  5. Will your SD-WAN solution be capable of managing traffic securely to and from any cloud or hybrid cloud application or service and can you do this all from a single screen view of the entire network?

If you answered yes to ALL of these questions, you have a very good SD-WAN solution, or even better, best of breed WAN traffic management.

Traffic management is already the most important factor affecting networks today.  It will become even more important and critical as more and more devices connect.    Multiple research predicts up to 50 Billion devices connected to the Internet by 2025.

To be sure you have the right “S” to manage your traffic, check to see how your network is designed, the links you have in place, the firewalls, routers, the current traffic management system, and ask yourself what is possible and what will be required to ensure reliability, security, redundancy, efficiency and, perhaps often overlooked, how simple will it be to configure and manage?

FatPipe Networks have been designing and developing best of breed SD-WAN solutions for over 17 years, are the holder of 12 seminal patents and are FIPS 140-2 certified.   With the capability of managing up to 16 different links, with multiple speeds, sub second failover, stateful firewall, inbound redundancy and security, best WAN Optimization options, and scalable up to 40Gb, FatPipe can meet all of the customer SD-WAN requirements.   FatPipe’s traffic management is second to none.   Offering both capex and managed service solutions, FatPipe is unique in the market.   Can you afford not to check out FatPipe’s WAN traffic management capabilities?

Call FatPipe today at 801-683-5656 x 1224.   www.fatpipeinc.com

 

29 Oct

SD-WAN Growing Use Cases for the Cloud

SD-WAN: Growing Use Cases for the Cloud

It’s remarkable how fast software-defined wide-area networking (SD-WAN) has gained momentum. Many people ask why. The answer is: SD-WAN is expanding the functionality of automating and management access to cloud applications.

The primary trigger for the growth and interest in SD-WAN is the shift, over the past decade, of a massive amount of applications to the cloud (both private and public). Networks in the client-server era were built to access applications that were housed either at an enterprise site or, more rarely, in a private data center. But the cloud shifted the game — creating the need for fast access to applications wherever they reside, including the cloud when accessed across the Internet.

Cloud Connection Challenges

From the CIO or CTO’s perspective, cloud has many benefits but also presents many challenges from the network and security point of view. Cloud applications can speed the velocity and agility of IT, enabling your workforce to connect and build on new applications on demand.

But the challenge is that you need to build a new infrastructure to support these cloud applications. There are several challenges to connecting your workforce to this new world of agile cloud applications. Here are a few:

Application Performance: Cloud means there are many routes for workers to connect – and generally they do so using the network, not always under control of the corporate network. They could be using Internet broadband to connect to a cloud application or they might be on a corporate WAN. SD-WAN technology can add network intelligence to the corporate WAN to recognize which applications are being accessed and connect them in the most efficient, cost effective way. It can provide Internet breakout to make sure that general Internet traffic is not routed through expensive private data-center connections (such as MPLS). And furthermore, SD-WAN technology can be used to connect directly to recognize the most common cloud applications (Microsoft Office 365, Salesforce), and connect to application-specific gateways that speed up applications access.

Security: With the increased use of the Internet and cloud technologies, it’s harder for IT staff to assure security when employees are using the network to connect to the cloud. SD-WAN can enable additional network visibility and security functions that assure that cloud applications are being accessed in a secure way. More importantly, by enabling network branches and endpoints with SD-WAN, IT staff can gain more insight into how the networks are being used and implement security policies.

Agility and Automation: In the hardware-based WAN world, networks were connected with complicated hardware configurations and leased lines, making changes to the network topology and architecture difficult. In order to connect to the cloud, a more responsive network is needed to gain control and visibility over cloud connections. With SD-WAN, networks can be more quickly orchestrated and changed using software, increasing the speed with which IT and networking staff can respond to changing business demand. In addition, SD-WAN deployments can often be set up using software-based automation tools such as templates.

End-User Attraction: Making Life Easier

What’s most powerful about SD-WAN is that it has the potential to solve several of these challenges at once, by providing an integrated, software-driven platform for automating network policy and applications.

Cloud applications mean that traffic flows within the network have drastically changed and become inefficient. The technology to handle these new traffic flows is embedded in many SD-WAN platforms.

SD-WAN emerged with a few use cases anchored to the need for fast cloud access, but those use cases are now expanding, according to Futuriom research.  That is because the WAN is a key enabler — and also possibly stumbling block — for cloud applications.

So how exactly does SD-WAN do that? The MEF, a global industry alliance comprised of more than 150 networking technology and service-provider organizations, is working to reduce the confusion surrounding SD-WAN technologies and solutions. As part of their work the MEF has identified the following as being fundamental capabilities of SD-WAN managed services:

  • Secure, IP-based virtual overlay network
  • Transport-independence of underlay network
  • Service assurance of each SD-WAN tunnel
  • Application-driven packet forwarding
  • High availability through multiple WAN links
  • Policy-based packet forwarding
  • Service automation via centralized management, control and orchestration
  • The MEF also identified some value-added services that are beyond the fundamental SD-WAN service offering. This includes WAN optimization and advanced security services.

These expanding capabilities of SD-WAN show why it’s growing so fast – it’s become the Swiss army knife of WAN automation and management. This is why IT and network managers have taken a liking to the approach is that streamlines the management of many of challenges posed to given users a better experience in connecting to the cloud.

FatPipe Networks has been developing and delivering traffic management solutions for over 17 years and was “SD-WAN before SD-WAN was cool”- Gartner.   With 12 seminal patents and a comprehensive suite that addresses any SD-WAN need, FatPipe Networks is a must for any WAN administrator considering or updating their WAN traffic management needs

31 Jan

Cloud-Hosted, Cloud Enabled Unified Communications WAN

Securely Evolving UC and CC with FatPipe SD-WAN for Success in the Cloud

At Avaya Engage, we featured our recently completed Avaya DevConnect test results. Successful UC and CC deployments must be architected on a network with reliable, redundant, load-balanced internet connectivity delivering ample bandwidth. Avaya Aura 8.0 and Avaya IP Office 11.0 combined with FatPipe SD-WAN has been DevConnect tested to complement and extend joint value from premised based and between the cloud or HQ and the branch. FatPipe’s policy engine manages QOS, jitter, latency, and WAN Optimization ensures good call quality and sub-second failover for NO dropped calls.

All About the Cloud

It’s was all about the cloud! FatPipe Networks Dynamic Path Selection of Multiple Active Hybrid wide area network (WAN) paths is an effective Next GEN SD-WAN transformation solution that provides a critical aspect of a diversified hybrid Cloud WAN infrastructure.

We reviewed investment areas in the cloud for next generation WANs and how FatPipe’s routing options for internet traffic flow deliver an optimal user experience for business cloud applications like Avaya.

25 Jan

Conduct your own investigation

SD-WAN is the new hot acronym in wide area networking that makes complex deployments very simple. With SD-WAN several companies are offering this technology with its components such as encryption, WAN path control, application performance routing, optimization and overlay networks to the customers leaving it difficult for them to choose on.  Their decisions might go wrong in choosing one that promises absolute success. But with little awareness and consideration of some important factors the consumers can select a solution that is appropriate for the product they wish for.

The primary thing that a customer needs to know about the vendor is how long have they been in SD-WAN market offering this solution and how do they support the business at times without leaving the network in peril. Even if the vendor claims that he has countless number of customers always check for the genuine ones and avoid pit falls. Be cautious while learning about the vendors patents and try to know whether they have the patents covering their technology? Or else they are violating someone else’s patents. At the same time make sure that your company is not exposed to intellectual property violation which may get you into trouble. So make sure that the product offered by the vendors is a good fit before you actually deploy it in your existing network.

According to analysts, FatPipe SD-WAN solutions bring together all the components under a single umbrella in a single easy to deploy solution.

 

11 Jan

FatPipe Security: FIPS 140-2 & Web Filtering

The Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) Publication 140-2, (FIPS PUB 140-2), is a U.S. and Canadian concerted effort to impart computer security standard helps impute cryptographic modules for hardware and software products, issued and published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) U.S. and has been embraced by the Canadian government’s Communication Security Establishment (CSE). FIPS is concurrently administered by NIST and CSE under the parasol of the Cryptographic Module Validation Program (CMVP).

FatPipe web filter can monitor and screen SSL/HTTPS web pages and enforces internet usage policy by blocking access to websites and internet application. The content can be blocked by site using URLS and specific file types. FatPipe encryption supports AES, 3DES, SHA1 and MD5. It provides standard encryption with IPSec and GRE encapsulation and can establish VPN/GRE tunnels with 3rd party security appliances while undergoing FIPS 140-2 certification. FatPipe cloud hosted security enhances cloud-based firewall and SWG deployments where the traffic is tunneled to cloud gateway using GRE or IPSec tunnels and trusted locations can be propagated to branches for more efficient routing. FatPipe products are FIPS 140-2 certification pending.