How SD-WAN Benefits UCaaS

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Unified communications as a service (UCaaS) offers rich features, improves collaboration, and streamlines decision-making, but it also puts heavy demands on the network. Applications that offer videoconferencing or shared workspaces have high bandwidth demands and immediately deteriorate in quality when there’s congestion or dropped packets. Enterprises are solving these challenges with software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN).

Managing Quality of Service: When enterprises invest in UCaaS, they welcome the opportunity to upgrade communications options while turning over maintenance and management to a service provider. What often follows is frustration. Without the infrastructure support of a network built to handle high bandwidth demand and exceptional transmission speeds, some of the features that set UCaaS apart are unavailable. Videoconferencing and voice calls are immediately impacted, creating problems for everyone in the organization.

SD-WAN addresses these challenges because it virtualizes network management and offers access to a variety of pathways for connectivity. Rather than depending on fixed, physical links, SD-WAN allows enterprises to choose between multi-protocol label switching (MPLS), Wi-Fi, the public internet, and 4G LTE. Enterprises create business policy, designating pathways for different types of traffic so that applications dependent on real-time data access, including videoconferencing, are prioritized on the network.

Supporting UCaaS at the Branch Level: One of the key benefits to UCaaS is the consistent communications experience it offers to end users across a regional or global enterprise. Whether supporting branch locations or widely distributed remote and mobile employees, the user only requires a valid login and an internet connection to utilize the full range of resources that UCaaS offers.

SD-WAN offers similar flexibility in that a branch location or home office can be integrated into the network by simply shipping a device to that location and then plugging it in. The network will recognize the device and in a matter of minutes, that location is fully online.

Reducing Costs: When UCaaS or other applications experience performance problems, checking network pathways is one of the first troubleshooting items. If that problem is occurring at a branch location, SD-WAN eliminates the need for a technician to either walk an end user through troubleshooting over the phone or make a costly trip out to the location. Instead, centralized management and visibility through a single dashboard with granular inspection means the network can be refined to improve performance from headquarters.

In addition, the ability to relegate less-critical applications to the public internet or other low-cost links means that important traffic related to videoconferencing or other applications can be transmitted over MPLS. Enterprises prioritize their WAN costs according to application requirements, mitigating increasing costs related to bandwidth demand.

Before you implement UCaaS, let’s examine your network to test speed and performance requirements. You may benefit from an upgrade to SD-WAN, not only in terms of supporting UCaaS but also in reducing WAN costs to support a broad range of cloud applications. Contact us at Truth Comm to learn more about SD-WAN.

5 Benefits of SD-WAN

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You’ve implemented a few cloud solutions into your IT environment, but you can see that at the rate of demand for bandwidth and the performance requirements of cloud applications, your network is going to need an upgrade. Software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN) is being adopted to address these demands across small, mid-size, and global organizations, but you may wonder if the technology is right for your needs. Consider these five benefits you can expect with SD-WAN:

Cost Efficiency: Cost is often the first reason that organizations like yours begin to discuss the possibility of SD-WAN. The important thing to remember is that while you may experience some cost savings, you’re more likely to better manage the increasing WAN costs that go up by around 20% each year for many organizations. What SD-WAN does is allow you to prioritize mission-critical traffic for more expensive multi-protocol label switching (MPLS), while directing other traffic to less-costly links like broadband internet.

Automatic Failover: One of the benefits of utilizing a variety of links is that the SD-WAN solution is able to automatically identify a line that is likely to experience jitter or latency and reroute traffic to the next best pathway. The end user never knows that their videoconference has been redirected because the reliability and performance of the data transmission has been preserved. This is particularly critical in the event of a breach or natural disaster, but it is also helpful for everyday risks associated with dropped packets due to congestion or other issues.

Traffic Prioritization: SD-WAN allows network administrators to segment and prioritize traffic based on business policy. This means a voice call will always take precedence over a transmission that doesn’t require real-time connectivity, such as email.

Easy Deployment at Branches: The hardware appliance for SD-WAN can be shipped to the new branch location, plugged in for power and WAN connections, and then remotely configured by IT from headquarters. Compared to an MPLS-only link that may take weeks to bring a branch location online, the SD-WAN set-up is complete in minutes. Network administrators can also troubleshoot and monitor branch locations, removing the hassle and cost of traveling out to a branch location to remedy a connectivity issue.

Improved Security: In an era when threats to your network and data change by the day, SD-WAN provides end-to-end encryption and the ability to identify anomalies and isolate threats. Some solutions also offer end-point management and content filtering. Look for an SD-WAN solution that works with your existing security equipment and policies, such as your next-generation firewalls and third-party security providers.

It’s important to note that not all SD-WAN solutions are the same; the demand for network solutions to handle cloud bandwidth and performance demands means that the market has had a flood of providers.

To determine the right SD-WAN solution for your enterprise, trust the guidance of Truth Comm. We can help you filter out the solutions that won’t meet your needs or your budget and identify the best one for your organization. Contact us today for more information.

The Importance of Native SD-WAN Security

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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 Offerings and Functions Improve With Maturity

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As software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN) continues to be adopted by enterprises to address an increasingly complex network infrastructure, there are changes occurring in SD-WAN solutions themselves and in the SD-WAN market. Take a look at a few of the changes influencing how SD-WAN is used and marketed:

Thinning the pack: With enterprises investing in SD-WAN as an upgrade to network infrastructure to support security efforts, cloud solutions and Internet of Things (IoT), the need for an intuitive solution is pushing out those providers that tagged SD-WAN onto other offerings. A provider that simply offers basic SD-WAN will soon find that enterprises aren’t interested in SD-WAN without optimization capabilities or sophisticated segmentation available. Providers that specialize in SD-WAN as a way to drive business initiatives will eclipse those that offer it as a sideshow.

Security focus: Once security teams recognized the potential for segmentation in SD-WAN offerings, they began to expand how it was being applied to protect systems from a breach. For instance, if an IoT device is compromised, SD-WAN makes it easier to isolate network traffic by device or user to limit the exposure of the company to a threat. Many enterprises are creating new security frameworks around SD-WAN’s capability to segment traffic.

Previously, a broadly utilized WAN allowed every application to communicate with all others, introducing vulnerability when a threat was present. SD-WAN makes it much simpler to isolate a threat.

Business drive: One reason that enterprises are interested in implementing SD-WAN is its role in pushing business objectives forward. From optimizing network traffic to prioritizing a video conference call over employees browsing Facebook, the network technology makes it possible to reduce costs, improve the customer experience and equip real-time decision-making.

Consider a company that introduces a new Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) solution that offers shared workspaces. SD-WAN allows automated policies to be set up so that a virtual team sharing information in that shared workspace is prioritized over other types of non-critical transmissions. This empowers real-time decision-making that speeds up productivity and pushes the customer experience to new levels of satisfaction.

Early adopters: Those who implemented SD-WAN in its early stages may be contemplating an additional investment in a more mature solution. While these tools offered some improvement over traditional hub-and-spoke network infrastructure, they need more features to get the level of visibility and control that experienced WAN providers offer.

To learn more about changes occurring in SD-WAN offerings, contact us at Truth Comm. We can help you identify the main goals you need to address with an SD-WAN solution and guide you through the process of choosing the right option for your implementation.

SD-WAN’s Next Optimization Step Is User-Based Routing

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Network management is becoming more complex as it adjusts to increased traffic and demands from cloud technology. The ability of software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN) to offer centralized visibility and control on a virtualized plane, as well as the option to route traffic to new pathways when there are performance issues or congestion, make it possible for SD-WAN to solve many network challenges.

SD-WAN has the capability to be application aware, allowing network managers to designate certain applications to be prioritized over others. For instance, a video conference for the sales team can be designated as a priority over email transmissions, which do not require real-time connectivity.

While application awareness does improve the enterprise’s ability to optimize network pathways, a further step could be taken to optimize performance. Identity awareness is set up so that routing is based on the source and destination identity, and it abstracts the policies governing the network away from the physical network. In order to initiate identity awareness, the following steps are necessary:

  • Build an identity listing or use an existing source
  • Incorporate a policy engine that can use identity information
  • Packet flows must be labeled with identity details

Creating an identity repository can add complexity to deploying SD-WAN, but enterprises may be able to use an existing Active Directory to minimize the time and resources needed to develop identity awareness.

While in place as a security tool for years, the introduction of identity awareness to routing is quite different. It significantly changes how SD-WAN routes and prioritizes traffic, determines last-mile services and calculates what would be the optimum path for any given data transmission.

Identity awareness provides the following:

Prioritization of network traffic: Preferred access to the last mile can be granted to a high-priority voice call over low-priority calls, and a user-based identity awareness strategy automatically routes the call. In addition, in a setting where more than one person shares a computer, such as between employees entering orders at a restaurant, the network can differentiate between a floor manager and a server.

User awareness regardless of device or location: Identity awareness means that the CEO’s video conference call gets prioritized whether they’re managing the call from the desktop in their office, or they’re out of town and conducting the call on a tablet.

Better consumption information: By utilizing identity awareness, enterprises have a more detailed analysis of how network resources are being consumed. They can more easily determine if users are accessing the network inside the office versus on a mobile device, and whether they are using the cloud, the WAN or the internet.

To learn more about how identity awareness will transform networking, contact usat Truth Comm. We help you leverage the best network solutions to minimize downtime and optimize performance.

How SD-WAN Equips Enterprises for Growth

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The increasing flow of data into enterprises is staggering. Analytics provides detailed information about website visits. Social media feeds businesses data about the types of users that view, like and comment on posts. Cloud solutions pump data into the network about customer behaviors, inventory patterns and operational inefficiencies. While processing and mobilizing all of that data may be daunting, enterprises are making it happen by adopting software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN).

The greater volume of data coming into the enterprise causes congestion in the network. It also complicates security, takes up space in the data storage center, and requires a lot of computer for processing. Enterprises that manage to effectively use the data to equip their teams for better business processes, improved customer experiences, and informed forecasting are few and far between.

Those that are reaching a point of data-driven business practices are doing so with SD-WAN. SD-WAN applies virtual, cloud-based networking so that enterprises can leverage commodity broadband networks to lower costs, improve reliability and performance, and secure the data.

How SD-WAN Works

SD-WAN applies a virtual overlay to the physical network, creating a centralized hub for management, configuring, provisioning and troubleshooting. From that management dashboard, network engineers are able to set business policy to automatically route different types of network traffic. This means that important data transmissions such as a video conference are given a higher-priority pathway than transmissions that don’t require real-time connectivity, such as email.

How SD-WAN Makes Data Manageable for Business Growth

Security

This approach improves the security surrounding the data because if there’s a suspected threat of breach in any part of the network, it can be identified and segmented from the rest of the infrastructure. The high level of visibility with SD-WAN makes it possible to quickly locate the threat.

Performance

Because SD-WAN can automatically utilize multi-link routing to optimize network performance, there’s never any interruption in connectivity. This means that you can rely on the quality of the data being processed and analyzed, without any concern that downtime or degradation of a pathway is causing data to be incomplete. SD-WAN automatically reroutes data transmissions to the next best pathway if there’s congestion or any other reason for a delay or interruption.

Opportunity to Drive Growth

Utilizing data for business growth objectives is a truly disruptive business activity that will help you pull ahead of your competition. SD-WAN equips your enterprise with network optimization that makes data compilation, analysis and mobilization possible. Without the performance-enhancing features of an SD-WAN solution, most enterprises won’t be able to accommodate the levels of data flowing in from cloud solutions.

SD-WAN makes it possible to effectively and cost-efficiently receive massive data amounts coming in from mobile devices, branch offices, manufacturing centers, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, retail stores, and more. To learn more about SD-WAN and how its features might be applied in your own enterprise IT infrastructure, contact us at Truth Comm.

SD-WAN Offers Better Control While Reducing Costly MPLS Reliance

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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

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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.

Why SD-WAN Is The Ideal Network Solution for Mid-Size Companies

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When talking about software-defined wide area network (SD-WAN), there are many benefits that can be listed that apply in a general way to many organizations. They are easy to scale up or down, use a subscription-based payment model, allow for centralized visibility and troubleshooting on the network and permit prioritization of network traffic based on business policy.

SD-WAN also allows for the easy addition of new branch locations into the network, relieving companies of the need to send a technician out to the location to configure the router. New branches can be added to an existing SD-WAN setup in minutes.

With all of these benefits, you might assume that SD-WAN is a prepackaged dream that fits the needs of every organization. It’s because it is software-defined that makes it easily customizable to the needs of each organization. While bigger enterprises may all have similar needs, mid-size companies vary widely in their priorities for the networks, and it’s in these organizations that SD-WAN’s flexibility is often most able to shine.

A variety of priorities for mid-size companies: While one SD-WAN subscriber may require the ability to bring on new locations quickly in an explosive growth period, another subscriber may value the ability to prioritize Internet traffic. Their remote workforce requires the ability to conduct virtual meetings through video conferencing that can be prioritized over an employee on break watching Netflix.

Yet another mid-size company may be looking for ways to handle network traffic for a large set of Internet of Things (IoT) devices. SD-WAN allows them to segment the data flow for their IoT devices and also protect the rest of the network in case of a security breach on one of the devices.

Mid-size companies have a wide range of network needs, and SD-WAN can be configured to handle all of them.

Begin by documenting needs: Every mid-size company should begin by determining their current needs and future goals for their network solution. Increased customization is often the driver behind a company’s choice to leave behind a do-it-yourself network approach and move to managed services.

It’s important to work with a service provider that has in-depth knowledge of the industry and can walk the team through the considerations they need to include in their assessment before making any decision about a network solution.

To find out how your mid-size company might benefit from SD-WAN, talk to Truthcomm. Contact us for an appointment to begin your needs assessment and determine what kind of network solution is ideal for your current situation and your future plans.

Reasons to Give SD-WAN Serious Consideration

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Software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN) is being embraced by companies in a variety of industries, including banking, healthcare, retail, and manufacturing. Many enterprises that haven’t yet taken the step of implementing the technology are considering it because they’ve heard of its many benefits.

There are several reasons SD-WAN is included for consideration in digital transformation plans across countless enterprises:

  • SD-WAN makes it possible to prioritize internet traffic, sending less-critical data over broadband while multi-protocol label switching (MPLS) is reserved for critical, proprietary data transfers.
  • The technology offers a high level of visibility, with a central control hub for IT personnel to manage network settings.
  • SD-WAN provides businesses with the ability to get a new branch online and connected to company resources quickly.
  • It offers significant potential for cost reduction; like other cloud services, it is offered in a subscription pay model that can be categorized as operating expenses, versus a capital investment.

SD-WAN offers a lot of benefits, but enterprises considering it may still have some reservations. It’s wise to fully examine the providers being considered and ask a few key questions:

  • Are you a services provider, or a reseller of SD-WAN?
  • Can you provide examples of companies you’ve worked with that are similar in size and scope to our project?
  • What level of support can we expect after deployment is finished?
  • Where are you located? Will there be someone on-site to help us if we encounter a problem during deployment?

Even if these questions are answered satisfactorily, there may still be a few lingering reservations about implementing SD-WAN:

  • My existing hardware is still being depreciated, so am I still locked in? Your SD-WAN provider can likely integrate the technology with existing systems. SD-WAN can be used in tandem with your routers until depreciation is complete.
  • I’m receiving some discounts by bundling services, so what will that do to my costs? Bundling can save some money, but once you implement cloud services, you may find that you’re missing out on the flexibility to access the telecom resources you want in each location. You may be limited in reducing costs even further.
  • What if I’m leery of being locked in with one provider?

Check to see which providers your vendor works with on a regular basis, and verify that you have options to switch to a provider that works better for your business needs.

At Truth Comm, our approach to SD-WAN is to evaluate the challenges you are looking to remedy and help you find real-world examples of how you can overcome those with our various providers. Contact us today for an appointment.

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