The Importance of Native SD-WAN Security

by

Digital transformation is about more than simply shifting workloads into the cloud or issuing Internet of Things (IoT) devices to your staff; it’s about disrupting business processes for innovation, better productivity, and elevated customer experiences. Enterprises should expect their traditional hub-and-spoke networking approach won’t support this new digital existence. Software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN) is offering the necessary network upgrades, and with this new technology comes a need to address SD-WAN security.

In many situations, the network team gets excited about the range of benefits they can expect with SD-WAN: the ability to segment network traffic according to the critical nature of the transmission, improved visibility, and control, scalability, agility, and flexibility. Some enterprises report lower WAN costs as they shift traffic from more costly multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) pathways to public internet for applications that don’t require real-time connectivity, such as email or social media messaging.

What’s often forgotten in the push to implement SD-WAN and gain these benefits is a close look at SD-WAN security. Once the solution is in the process of being deployed, gaps begin to become evident in the security side of the implementation. Part of the issue is that many of the providers supplying SD-WAN don’t offer adequate security for this level of networking. They may only support stateful security and internet protocol security virtual private networks (VPNs).

To address the limited SD-WAN security, enterprises are adding security tools post-deployment. Actions such as adding on an additional firewall or networking gear with IPS isn’t adequate for the level of security necessary across the network. For instance, SD-WAN is often limited to Layer 3 controls, while more advanced controls are not provided, such as Layer 4 and 7 for URL filtering and application inspection.

Enterprises may consider adding a security overlay, but this can be challenging because they may not have adequate resources to launch and fine-tune this type of technology, particularly if it needs to be added at a branch location. In addition, legacy security features may not have the ability to adapt to SD-WAN’s dynamic flexibility and elastic architecture.

The elements of native SD-WAN security: When evaluating SD-WAN solutions, there are a few items you need to ensure are included in the option you select.

  • Next-generation firewall functions, with intrusion prevention system (IPS) inspection, flexible VPN, web filtering, anti-malware and sandboxing.
  • A centralized method for collecting and analyzing threats.
  • An interconnected security deployment across systems.
  • Integration between security tools for advanced monitoring and detection.
  • Continuous assessment of threats.
  • Ability to leverage all security technology to address threats at digital speeds with a dynamic approach.

All SD-WAN solutions are not created equal, which becomes more evident as you examine SD-WAN security. Don’t make the mistake of being forced to patch together adequate security when you’re already well into deployment and implementation. Contact us at Truth Comm for more information about SD-WAN security.

SD-WAN Offers Better Control While Reducing Costly MPLS Reliance

by

Multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) has long been the reliability gold standard for network pathways, but as cloud technology and increased mobility drive up the pace of data flow into and out of the network, MPLS becomes more known for its cost than reliability. While it’s rare for an enterprise to completely replace MPLS, software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN) offers alternatives for optimizing network usage.

MPLS is still a valuable pathway for mission-critical transmissions, such as security video, video conferencing or voice calls. The challenge for many enterprises is handling the sheer volume of data transmissions that are medium-critical or non-critical, such as employees accessing social media on break or items that are important but don’t require real-time access, like sending an email.

SD-WAN offers the opportunity to optimize both network performance and cost with flexibility in the network. The technology allows administrators to set business policy so that traffic is prioritized to different pathways based on the policies stated. This means that scrolling through memes on Facebook never takes priority over a training video. SD-WAN allows the enterprise to balance the load so that users always experience a consistent network connection.

In addition, if your enterprise is on a growth trajectory and expects to open new branches regularly, SD-WAN answers a lot of challenges. Its centralized management design gives network administrators the ability to provision network settings for a new branch from headquarters, as well as troubleshoot when a problem arises. The high level of visibility available in the virtual overlay for the network saves travel time and costs. In addition, compared to a traditional MPLS pathway, network administrators can have a new branch connected in a fraction of the time.

Scalability is also a defining advantage for SD-WAN over traditional hub-and-spoke network configurations. It’s easy to scale up or down according to seasonality or other changes for the enterprise. For instance, if you have a retail company that operates kiosks in downtown areas during the holidays or inside shopping malls, you can pay for more users during that time period and then seamlessly scale back after the holidays.

Enterprises fighting the nearly-constant barrage of security threats will also appreciate the ability to segment network traffic with SD-WAN. If you have deployed a fleet of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, you may be particularly concerned about the additional endpoints that increase the vulnerability of the network. With SD-WAN, it’s possible to segment out all device traffic, so that if one is ever lost or stolen, the potential damage can be isolated and limited from exposing the rest of the network.

If you would like to learn more about the many benefits of SD-WAN for a business organization like yours, contact us at Truth Comm. Not every implementation looks the same, so let us describe for you how SD-WAN will function in your specific business situation and what benefits you’ll see both immediately and long-term.

Common Misconceptions About SD-WAN

by

As IT environments become more complex with cloud applications and enterprises expanding the number of their branch locations, the need for a better network solution becomes clear. Enterprises need better visibility and the ability to configure and troubleshoot from headquarters. The answer for many enterprises is software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN).

SD-WAN provides a number of solutions to the challenges of an overly complex network infrastructure. Centralized management, troubleshooting, and configuration, along with the ability to optimize pathways for different types of network traffic are just two of the benefits that come with SD-WAN.

Enterprises deploying SD-WAN anticipate these benefits, but the increasing use of the technology, as well as an explosion of vendors offering the solution, mean there are some common misconceptions that become intermingled with the true deliverables of the network. Take a look at a few of the most prevalent misconceptions:

Application performance is improved by forward error correction (FEC). FEC is a tool that makes data more reliable when it is encoded in a redundant method. While this does protect against dropped packets, it doesn’t improve performance. In fact, because FEC causes data traffic to increase, it can negatively impact performance. It’s important to note that performance and reliability are not interchangeable terms.

Quality of Service (QoS) and dynamic path selection are the same thing.Dynamic path selection is about choosing the right path for each type of network transmission. This is the decision to transmit video over multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) versus directing an email over broadband. QoS, by contrast, is about the reservation of bandwidth for better control over mission-critical transmissions. Dynamic path selection and QoS are related, but not the same.

SD-WAN always leads to cost reduction, specifically around MPLS. Reducing the cost of the network shouldn’t be the primary motivation for switching to SD-WAN, because the savings are often negligible. If an enterprise completely replaces MPLS, this might be possible, but in many cases, enterprises retain MPLS use for critical transmissions and add in more options for other types of traffic. The increased demand on the network due to data flowing from both cloud applications and Internet of Things (IoT) devices means that overall traffic increases. It may be better to measure savings in terms of the potential growth of the networking budget as it becomes more complex.

QoS isn’t necessary because it naturally happens with prioritization. Prioritizing network traffic isn’t the same as a focused strategy that prioritizes performance. It’s important for network plans to include objectives related to performance, reliability and availability, all executed within a QoS plan.

Learn more about the true benefits of SD-WAN and what it can do for organizations with an increasingly complex network environment. Contact us at Truth Comm for more information.

Which SD-WAN Architecture Is Right for Your Company?

by

Enterprises hearing of the advantages of software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN) are focused on increased visibility, better performance, and the ability to bring a new branch online quickly. These benefits can lead CIOs to introduce implementation as a priority in their digital transformation plan.

However, SD-WAN is not a one-size-fits-all solution. There are three basic ways to structure SD-WAN, and each has unique advantages and disadvantages that will significantly impact whether your company enjoys the cost savings, performance, and visibility you’re hoping to capture. Here are the three basic architectures:

On-premise only: In this architecture, the SD-WAN is provided via a “box” that is plugged in at the company’s headquarters, providing internet traffic management to each site. This on-site box is not connected to a cloud gateway. This option is best for companies that host all of their applications on-site. If your company doesn’t utilize cloud applications, the addition of a cloud gateway would unnecessarily increase costs.

The benefits of this option include its low cost, the ability to manage real-time internet traffic, multi-circuit load balancing, and improved disaster recovery.

Cloud-enabled: This SD-WAN option includes a box that’s on-site but also connected to a cloud gateway. The architecture offers some of the same benefits as on-premise SD-WAN, such as real-time traffic shaping and multi-circuit load balancing, and there’s also improved performance and the reliability of cloud software. This option works best for companies that use bigger public cloud environments. It’s common for enterprises to use SD-WAN for cloud applications and then run on-site applications through their multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) network.

The benefits of cloud-enabled SD-WAN are the same as those of the on-premise SD-WAN configuration, but it also improves the performance of cloud-based applications.

Cloud-enabled plus backbone: This takes cloud-enabled SD-WAN to a whole new level. In this architecture, an on-site SD-WAN box connects the enterprise to the SD-WAN provider’s nearest work point of presence, where the enterprise’s traffic goes on the provider’s fiber optic network backbone.

The private backbone allows WAN traffic to stay at low levels of latency, packet loss, and jitter. The performance of all network traffic is improved, especially items like video and voice. This option also improves the performance and reliability of major cloud applications because the backbone is connected to major cloud application providers.

It is the best fit for enterprises that want to eliminate MPLS entirely that also don’t want their internet traffic going over the public internet.

The right SD-WAN architecture often comes down to preferences, need, and budget. Contact us at Truth Comm about the best way to balance these considerations for your clients.

SD-WAN Use Expected to Significantly Increase by 2020

by

The move to cloud technology is fueling a second major advance in the form of solving problems associated with wide area network (WAN) coverage. The new alternative, software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN), promises improvements over cumbersome WAN management, and providers are rushing to obtain this technology.

Big Market for SD-WAN

While the market will need time to settle out, it’s clear that providers expect there to be major demand for SD-WAN — and they want to be the ones to supply it. In recent months, for instance, Comcast has joined an array of other providers announcing a merger to gain SD-WAN capabilities. Sprint, Vonage, Earthlink, and Verizon are just a few other providers that have obtained SD-WAN technology to offer customers.

Their purchases are likely to pay off in big ways. By 2020, the SD-WAN market is expected to reach $6 billion, according to market research firm IDC. In just two years, 75 percent of companies are expected to have implemented SD-WAN.

Enterprises prefer to obtain SD-WAN through a provider. Based on the results of a survey conducted by IDC earlier in the year, 42 percent of 722 enterprises said they plan to implement SD-WAN through a traditional communications service provider to leverage the value of working with proven experts.

SD-WAN Beats WAN

Many service providers see the opportunity to offer SD-WAN as a way to augment their traditional service options, such as multiprotocol label switching (MPLS). Doing so creates a seamless process as enterprises seek to upgrade to SD-WAN from their current providers.

There are several drawbacks to traditional WAN structures that are making SD-WAN look attractive to enterprises. They are cumbersome to manage and often have latency issues with their hub-and-spoke connection to the internet. SD-WAN offers improved agility, the ability to access hybrid networks through broadband and MPLS, and a high level of visibility for network and application monitoring. It also provides a fast turnaround for enterprises in a growth pattern, allowing them to get a new branch location up and running quickly.

It’s still early in the process for the acquisition of SD-WAN technology by providers. As the market quickly takes shape with the demand for SD-WAN and providers’ efforts to meet that demand, providers that are able to maximize the benefit of obtaining this technology will rise to the top.

Truth Comm has access to the technology you need to take your enterprise into the SD-WAN era. As your enterprise embraces cloud technology, your network needs will change. Talk with us to discuss your specific business needs and the options that will best support your network demand.

 

Contact

Phone: 844-274-7866
Fax: 773-326-0852
Address: 115 East First St. Suite 2E Hinsdale, IL 60521
Support: troubletracker@truthcomm.com
Email: contact@truthcomm.com

NEWSLETTER SIGN-UP

Stay up-to-date on our telecom news and latest discoveries.

Truthcomm BBB Business Review
↑ Top of Page