SD-WAN in a day

SD-WAN in a day blog Wanscale

Need fast and reliable network connectivity? Discover how our SD-WAN solution delivers business-grade connectivity within just 1 business day. With pre-configured equipment in stock, a powerful software platform, and a streamlined delivery process, we help companies stay connected, productive, and scalable—no delays, no downtime. Perfect for startups, enterprises, and any organization in urgent need of a reliable network.

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Expanding your WAN has never been easier before

Expanding WAN

Effortless WAN expansion with Wanscale. Scaling your network doesn’t have to be complex. With Wanscale, adding new locations to your Wide Area Network is fast, automated, and secure. Simply place a Service Edge device, and the platform takes care of the rest—automatic configuration, seamless integration, and centralized management. Ideal for businesses that need reliable connectivity and scalable infrastructure without the IT hassle.

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Not all SD-WAN solutions are the same

Not all the same

With a growing number of SD-WAN vendors offering diverse features, architectures, and security models, choosing the right solution can be challenging. This article highlights key differences between major providers like Cisco, VMware, Fortinet, and others—helping you make an informed decision based on performance, security, cost, and scalability.

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Do you need an SD-WAN solution?

Solution

In the rapidly evolving world of corporate networks, SD-WAN (Software-Defined Wide Area Networking) has become a widely discussed technology. SD-WAN promises improved network performance, cost efficiency, and simplified management. However, the question remains: is it the right choice for your organization?

In this article, I discuss in simple terms which organizations can benefit from SD-WAN and when it might not be necessary.

For which organizations is SD-WAN beneficial?

Companies with multiple branches

SD-WAN is particularly beneficial for organizations with multiple locations, such as retail chains or businesses with multiple branches. It enables them to manage and optimize networks easily and cost-effectively using SD-WAN technology.

Organizations that rely on cloud applications

Businesses heavily reliant on cloud-based applications like Microsoft Teams, Salesforce, Slack, or Zoom can achieve significant benefits from using SD-WAN. It enhances performance for cloud applications by routing traffic directly to the nearest endpoint, reducing latency and improving user experience.

Companies that require high availability and reliability

For organizations in healthcare, financial services, or manufacturing facilities where downtime directly impacts operations, SD-WAN offers advanced failover capabilities. This ensures that the network automatically switches to a secondary connection if the primary connection fails, guaranteeing continuous and uninterrupted service.

Organizations looking to save on network management

Businesses with limited IT resources seeking cost savings in network management can also benefit from the advantages of SD-WAN. By centralizing and simplifying network management, SD-WAN can help reduce network management costs.

When is SD-WAN not a necessary solution?

Small businesses with a single location

For small businesses with only one office location, SD-WAN may not provide significant advantages over traditional network solutions. The complexity and costs of implementation could outweigh the benefits.

Organizations with stable and low bandwidth needs

If your organization does not have intensive bandwidth requirements and your current network performance is satisfactory, investing in SD-WAN may be unnecessary. Companies that primarily use basic internet services without heavy data or application demands can function well without an SD-WAN solution.

Companies with a limited IT budget

While SD-WAN can be cost-effective in the long term, the initial implementation requires an investment. Companies with a very limited IT budget should carefully consider whether the initial costs justify the expected benefits.

Organizations that already have a highly reliable and efficient MPLS solution

If your organization already uses a well-functioning IP-VPN solution and you are satisfied with its performance and costs, transitioning to SD-WAN may be unnecessary. MPLS generally continues to offer excellent reliability and performance for many businesses.

Conclusion

SD-WAN offers numerous benefits for organizations needing improved network performance, reliability, and cost-efficiency, especially those with multiple locations or heavy reliance on cloud applications. However, for smaller businesses or organizations with limited IT needs and budgets, SD-WAN may be an unnecessary and costly solution.

Are you curious whether SD-WAN is the right solution for your organization? Feel free to reach out to me or one of our specialists at Wanscale for a no-obligation consultation.

 

Jos Beckers

Network management is no longer a complex puzzle

WAN uitbreiding

Does your organization manage multiple networks with different locations, each having its own LAN, multiple internet services, and various segments for cloud, data centers, or applications? Managing all these networks efficiently can be challenging, especially when hybrid work is involved, spanning from home, office, and on the go.

For IT managers, managing these networks can indeed be a complex puzzle. At Wanscale, we strongly advocate for fragmented networks from a security standpoint, without making it overwhelming. We offer you the capability to connect, manage, and monitor all network segments and components through a single central platform based on SD-WAN and SASE technology.

Why stop using the traditional approach?

Many organizations use partial solutions where various applications and networks form a cohesive whole but still require separate management. This leads to gray areas and unclear demarcations of responsibilities, resulting in longer resolution times, limited flexibility, and little oversight.

The IT department has to perform many additional tasks. Adjustments become much more complex than necessary and take up a lot of time. This inefficiency is costly.

Network management is no longer a headache

Wanscale makes it easy for IT managers and IT directors to manage all external networks effortlessly. Network adjustments or expansions are within reach with just a few clicks. We provide you with an SD-WAN technology-based platform that allows you to easily set up a Virtual Network (VNET).

Extensions

If you wish to connect a new network or location in the future, it’s straightforward. With just a few clicks, you can add a location to the VNET, and then easily implement the organization’s security policies.

100% uptime

Nearly every organization aims for 100% uptime and a stable network. Our platform features built-in intelligence that can determine the optimal connection for each application.

Network advice

Through the Wanscale portal, IT departments have access to tools that advise and support them in managing their networks. By analyzing network traffic and configurations within our platform, we use this data to provide users with advice. For instance, we can alert about a deviation in security policy configurations. We proactively notify about poorly performing connections, links, or connected services, tasks traditionally handled manually, now executed through our platform.

Why Wanscale?

Wanscale offers a cloud-based connectivity platform based on proprietary SD-WAN and SASE technology. The platform enables you to establish secure connections between different locations, the internet, the cloud, and SaaS providers.

User-friendly platform

The platform, including the accompanying user-friendly portal, makes it easy for IT managers to manage external networks and simultaneously modify settings for multiple networks.

Independence from providers

A major advantage of our solution is that you can maintain and combine existing connections or providers. You can keep all current contracts or relationships with connectivity providers intact.

Multi-Tenant Environment

Multi-tenancy enables the ability to serve multiple independent tenants within our platform.

End-to-End encryption

All data between the Service Edges on-site and the platform is end-to-end encrypted.

Centralized Policy Management

Unified Policies ensure a single set of policies that are automatically deployed across all active network components by the smart orchestration function of the platform.

Multi-Cloud support

Thanks to multi-cloud routing, all locations, clouds, and data centers are seamlessly interconnected.

Conclusion

With the help of our connectivity platform, network management is no longer a challenge. That not only saves money, but also brings ease and peace of mind.

 

Jos Beckers

Highest possible availability

Uptime

We are very spoiled in the Netherlands. Access to the Internet is almost always and everywhere available, and we take that for granted.

We use our computers, tablets, and smartphones daily and surf the World Wide Web effortlessly. We stream videos, send emails, and share all sorts of things on social media. Internet access is as taken for granted as water coming from the tap. But appearances can be deceiving. Behind the scenes, ingenious technologies, software, and systems work tirelessly to keep the digital highway running.

And precisely all those invisible elements are crucial for our modern society. We have various types of networks: fixed networks over fiber optics, coaxial cables, and copper, mobile networks over 4G or 5G, and recently, thanks largely to Starlink, satellite networks.

Behind all these networks are organizations and people who work tirelessly to keep everything up and running, aiming for an uptime approaching 100%. Despite all the good efforts, things occasionally go wrong, and outages sometimes occur. For most consumers, this is not a major issue; a bit of downtime is at most annoying or inconvenient, but rarely insurmountable.

In the business world, this is very different, as even a few minutes of downtime can be more than just inconvenient or annoying. Most companies that rely on internet access, their cloud applications, their payment providers, or perhaps their own data in the data center have taken necessary measures in the form of redundancy.

Often to prevent loss of revenue, avoid financial penalties, or suffer from damage to their reputation.

Impact

Depending on the size of the company or the impact of an outage on that company, measures are taken to minimize or completely eliminate the consequences of communication failures.

Often, multiple connections from different providers are obtained, possibly through geographically separated routes. To automate failovers, BGP and VRRP are commonly used. In some cases, a second connection via the mobile network using 4G or 5G is chosen, and increasingly via Starlink.

Simply because this approach also eliminates the consequences of digging damages.

Another factor that is sometimes overlooked is maintenance work on carriers’ or providers’ networks. In most cases, these activities occur during the nighttime hours, but even this can lead to problems because many businesses operate 24/7. Consider all the online shops and the entire logistics chain dependent on them.

Primary and secondary connection

In many cases, a failover solution consists of a primary and secondary connection. When the primary connection fails, BGP (Border Gateway Protocol) is used to switch over to the secondary connection.

To maintain the same IP address, it’s necessary for this solution to be provided by a single vendor. However, this remains a risk. An alternative solution involving two different providers also has disadvantages unless a very clever solution is used that always selects the best path.

Swiftly and while retaining IP addresses, ensuring that all sessions are unaffected. Even VPNs used by remote workers remain intact, and ATMs continue operating seamlessly.

Power outage

Electricity is becoming increasingly less reliable these days. A power outage in a neighborhood or on an industrial estate can cause both wired and mobile provider networks to be temporarily unavailable.

As an organization, you can take measures by equipping your own network equipment with a backup power supply based on a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) or emergency generator. This resilience extends further into the chain than initially considered. If you rely on a single business provider for both fiber optic and 4G services, you are still completely cut off in the event of a power outage.

Provider Points of Presence (POPs) or telecom masts are typically not equipped with backup power supplies like data centers are. Considering these scenarios often goes beyond initial thoughts and is necessary when high availability of connectivity is crucial for an organization.

Wanscale solution

The solution from Wanscale is provider-independent and is entirely based on the principles of SD-WAN and SASE.

By placing a Service Edge at your location, you can not only use a variety of suppliers and technologies but also aim for the highest possible availability.

Simply combine all the possibilities available at your location and integrate them into the best solution.

Add to that the capabilities of a self-healing network and standard end-to-end encryption for maximum data security, and you can sleep peacefully at night.

 

Jos Beckers

 

P.S. If you need to brainstorm about high availability, backup scenarios, or failovers, let me know.

Simplify the management of your Wide Area Network

Wanscale universe

In the complex world of network management, managing a Wide Area Network (WAN) has always been a challenging task that required specialized knowledge. With the advent of Wanscale, this dynamic will change permanently.

Wanscale offers a solution that simplifies WAN management to the extent that specialized network administrators are no longer necessary. This task can now be handled by system administrators.

What does this mean in concrete terms and what benefits does it provide?

Accessibility and Efficiency

One of the biggest advantages of Wanscale is accessibility. System administrators, who typically have broad knowledge of IT systems, can now perform WAN management tasks with minimal training. This eliminates the need for additional staff solely dedicated to network management.

Cost savings

Integrating WAN management into the role of system administrators can lead to significant cost savings. Companies save on the expenses of hiring specialized network administrators and can allocate these resources elsewhere, such as improving their services or products.

Flexibility and Speed

With Wanscale, system administrators can quickly respond to changes and needs within the network. This enables more flexible and dynamic network management, which is essential in an era where business environments are rapidly evolving.

Improved collaboration

Simplifying WAN management also enhances collaboration between various IT disciplines. System administrators and network professionals can combine their expertise to create a more integrated and cohesive IT infrastructure.

Conclusion

Wanscale’s innovative solution transforms WAN management by making it more accessible, cost-effective, and flexible. It empowers system administrators to take on the role of network managers, resulting in a more integrated and efficient IT environment.

This is a game-changer for companies aiming to optimize and modernize their network management.

Join the Wanscale universe!

Jos Beckers

SD-WAN and SASE

SASE Secure Access Service Edge

The world of network technology continues to evolve rapidly. Two of the key concepts receiving significant attention today are SD-WAN (Software-Defined Wide Area Network) and SASE (Secure Access Service Edge).

In this article, I aim to explain the latest insights from renowned research companies such as Gartner and others about these technologies and what they mean for modern businesses.

What is SD-WAN?

SD-WAN stands for Software-Defined Wide Area Network. It is a technology that enables businesses to dynamically manage and optimize their network traffic using software. Rather than relying on traditional network infrastructures, SD-WAN allows the combination of various connection types such as DSL, fiber, Starlink, 4G/5G, and MPLS to enhance performance and gain more insight into configurations.

Benefits of SD-WAN

Costs

By using cheaper internet connections alongside or instead of MPLS, you can often achieve significant cost savings.

Improved performance

Carefully evaluate the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) of your network, including initial implementation costs, licenses, maintenance, and operational expenses.

Flexibility

It is much easier to add new locations and scale network capacity up or down using SD-WAN.

Insights from Gartner about SD-WAN

According to Gartner, the adoption of SD-WAN continues to grow rapidly. They predict that by the end of 2024, more than 60% of businesses will have implemented SD-WAN. The primary drivers behind this trend include the desire to better support cloud applications and the need for more flexible network management.

What is SASE?

SASE, or Secure Access Service Edge, is a concept introduced by Gartner in 2019. SASE integrates network and security functions into a single, cloud-based platform. This means that both network connections and security are managed from the cloud, providing an integrated approach to network management and security.

Benefits of SASE

Integrated security

SASE offers a wide range of security features, including Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), Secure Web Gateways (SWG), and Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASB).

Simple management

Combining network and security services into one platform simplifies management.

Scalability

Businesses can easily scale up or down, depending on their needs, thanks to the cloud-based architecture.

Improved user experience

SASE optimizes network performance and provides secure, fast access to applications, regardless of the user’s location.

Insights from Gartner and other research firms about SASE

Gartner predicts that by 2025, at least 60% of enterprises will have an explicit SASE strategy, compared to only 10% in 2020. This rapid growth is driven by the increase in remote work and the shift towards cloud-based services. Other reputable research firms, such as Forrester and IDC, support these findings and emphasize that SASE will play a crucial role in the future of network and security management.

How do you benefit from SD-WAN and SASE?

Evaluation of the current infrastructure

Companies should start by evaluating their current network infrastructure and security solutions to understand where improvements can be made.

Determine the needs

Identify the specific needs of the business, such as cost savings, improved security, or better support for cloud applications.

Choose the right solution

It is crucial to choose vendors that offer robust and integrated SD-WAN and SASE solutions. Pay attention to factors such as flexibility, scalability, and security capabilities.

Plan and implement

Develop a detailed plan for implementing SD-WAN and SASE, including staff training and thorough testing to ensure the solutions work well within the existing infrastructure.

Conclusion

SD-WAN and SASE are revolutionary technologies that help businesses manage their networks more efficiently, securely, and cost-effectively. With the continuous growth of cloud applications and remote work, these solutions are becoming increasingly relevant. Insights from reputable research firms like Gartner, Forrester, and IDC underscore the importance and benefits of these technologies. By embracing these advancements, businesses can better position themselves for success in the future.

Arjan Kunstman

Network optimization based on real-time telemetry

Cost and Quality

In the dynamic world of networking and data transmission, efficiency is key to success. One of the most innovative approaches gaining traction is Telemetry Based Routing (TBR). In this article, I aim to explain what Telemetry Based Routing is and how it operates. Additionally, I will highlight the benefits it offers for modern networks as comprehensively as possible.

What is Telemetry Based Routing?

Telemetry Based Routing is an advanced method for optimizing network traffic. It utilizes real-time telemetry data to make decisions about routing data packets through a network. Instead of using static, pre-programmed routes, TBR dynamically adjusts based on current network conditions such as available bandwidth, latency, packet loss, and congestion.

How does it work?

Collect data

Network devices such as routers, firewalls, and switches continuously gather data about their performance and the state of the network. This includes measurements related to latency, jitter, bandwidth utilization, and associated error rates.

Data analysis

This data is then analyzed by a central system, typically referred to as a Network Controller. This controller utilizes advanced algorithms to recognize patterns in the network conditions.

Routing decisions

Based on the analyzed data, the controller makes decisions regarding the optimal routes for data packets. This may involve rerouting packets to avoid congestion or to ensure lower latency.

Action

The routing decisions are then communicated to the network devices, which adjust their routing tables accordingly to follow the new routes.

Benefits compared to traditional routing methods

Routing based on telemetry data offers a range of benefits that traditional routing methods do not have. Here are some of the most notable advantages:

Improved network performance

One of the biggest advantages of routing based on telemetry data is the significant improvement in network performance. By utilizing real-time data, the network can continuously optimize itself, reducing latency and increasing throughput. This is especially crucial for applications highly sensitive to delays, such as video streaming and VoIP.

Dynamic adjustments

Unlike traditional routing methods, which often rely on static routes or periodic updates, TBR can dynamically adjust to changing network conditions. This means the network can proactively prevent issues such as congestion or downtime by selecting alternative routes before problems arise.

Better performance

Telemetry Based Routing provides network administrators with unparalleled visibility into the state and performance of their network. The detailed telemetry data enables quick and accurate identification and resolution of issues. Furthermore, these insights can assist in planning and expanding network infrastructure through trend analysis and capacity planning.

Cost Efficiency

While the initial implementation of this technology may incur higher costs, the operational savings can be significant. Improved network performance and reduced downtime lead to higher productivity and lower maintenance costs. Additionally, the reduced need for expensive hardware upgrades can contribute to substantial long-term cost savings.

Security and compliance

TBR can also contribute to enhanced network security. Through continuous monitoring and analysis, the network can promptly respond to suspicious activities or potential security threats. Additionally, detailed logging and reporting can assist in meeting compliance requirements and conducting security audits.

Conclusion

Telemetry Based Routing is a powerful technology that fundamentally changes the way networks are optimized. By leveraging real-time data and advanced analytics, TBR ensures better network performance, dynamic adjustments, cost savings, and enhanced security. For organizations aiming for a robust and efficient network, embracing Telemetry Based Routing is a perfect step towards the future.

It is clear that TBR and SD-WAN are not just buzzwords but essential components of modern network infrastructures. By investing in these technologies now, businesses can address not only their current network challenges but also prepare for the future demands of the digital world.

 

Arjan Kunstman

Is connecting to the multi-cloud costly and complex?

Multi Cloud

While multi-cloud strategies offer flexibility and scalability, they also introduce complexity and cost. Wanscale’s Cloud Connect provides an integrated solution within their SD-WAN platform, enabling organizations to connect to multiple cloud providers easily, securely, and efficiently. This results in simplified management, improved performance, and cost optimization for multi-cloud environments.

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