How To choose SD-WAN Services
Since the internet exists, corporate IT teams have tried different network management techniques in search of a way to optimize the use of network bandwidth and data traffic routing. A truly effective dynamic technique has never emerged, but now the latest generation of WAN technology, namely SD-WAN , which as the name implies is based on software , introduces for the Wide Area Network a revolution comparable to that of virtualization for the servers.
The strong growth in the adoption of SD-WANs is favored by the convergence of different trends, such as the need for digital transformation of the business, the explosion of data traffic between applications and the cloud , the need to have homogeneous network performance in all corporate offices. The benefits of this new technology in terms of agility, efficiency and performance are undeniable, but we know that a new technological layer increases the complexity of management, requiring new skills from the specialists involved in managing corporate networks.
Take for example the security of data flows and direct access to cloud services by geographically remote sites, which requires changes to network architectures and data flow sorting policies. The decision to adopt SD-WAN involves a rethinking of the security strategies that must be implemented at every level (deployment, cloud access, virtual instances, container services, etc.).
The strong growth in the adoption of SD-WANs is favored by the convergence of different trends, such as the need for digital transformation of the business, the explosion of data traffic between applications and the cloud , the need to have homogeneous network performance in all corporate offices. The benefits of this new technology in terms of agility, efficiency and performance are undeniable, but we know that a new technological layer increases the complexity of management, requiring new skills from the specialists involved in managing corporate networks.
Take for example the security of data flows and direct access to cloud services by geographically remote sites, which requires changes to network architectures and data flow sorting policies. The decision to adopt SD-WAN involves a rethinking of the security strategies that must be implemented at every level (deployment, cloud access, virtual instances, container services, etc.).
Moreover, with network virtualization, network monitoring also becomes more complex, because it requires the IT team to go beyond physical infrastructures and connections, and also analyze applications and network topologies on different layers.
For all these reasons, more and more corporate IT teams exclude the do-it-yourself approach and rely on outsourcing SD-WAN service providers. According to Frost & Sullivan, 80% of the companies that adopt SD-WAN do so through managed services, ie in outsourcing, while the remaining 20% manage the new technology "at home".
Different actors for different approaches :There are different types of actors that offer SD-WAN services, with different approaches. We can identify four general categories:
Pure Players - The SD-WAN solution and the cloud-based management infrastructure are provided by the specialized SD-WAN provider, while the network sourcing and other boundary services remain under the responsibility of the user company or other suppliers.
Network Operators - The SD-WAN service, its management, the networking infrastructure and additional services are all provided by the network service provider in a single package.
Integrators - These operators deal on behalf of the user company with implementing the SD-WAN service provided by a pure player, typically integrating it with other networking and security services provided by other operators.
In-House Solutions - An internal IT team implements the SD-WAN solution, integrating it with complementary networking and security services.
Each approach meets different needs, which depend among other things on the level of competence of the internal IT team.
Pure Players - The SD-WAN solution and the cloud-based management infrastructure are provided by the specialized SD-WAN provider, while the network sourcing and other boundary services remain under the responsibility of the user company or other suppliers.
Network Operators - The SD-WAN service, its management, the networking infrastructure and additional services are all provided by the network service provider in a single package.
Integrators - These operators deal on behalf of the user company with implementing the SD-WAN service provided by a pure player, typically integrating it with other networking and security services provided by other operators.
In-House Solutions - An internal IT team implements the SD-WAN solution, integrating it with complementary networking and security services.
Each approach meets different needs, which depend among other things on the level of competence of the internal IT team.
