SD-WAN has been one of the important business technology developments. With benefits such as ease of use, large savings over MPLS, as well as flexible application performance around complex networks, usage rates seem to be on the rise. In fact, IDC research predicts that the SD-WAN market will grow at 40% growth annually to $ 4.5 billion by 2022. While it is true that this technology has ability to reduce the level of complexity and complexity. Given the cost of multi-network connectivity, it should take the time to conduct the necessary research and have a solid planning and operational plan before launching a new SD-WAN system.
Here are six basic steps that each NetOps team should follow to ensure a successful SD-WAN Deployment:
1) Approaching and analyzing each area as a unique IT area
The WAN connection in each domain may vary from broadband, satellite, internet, MPLS or any other available. Before installing SD-WAN, it is important to check these circuits locally to get a full understanding of the connection cost and your reliability. Consider local applications important for daily operations, their location and how WAN connections affect their performance. Are they based on the cloud or the company’s data center? Are they dependent on broadband/MPLS? Here, the goal is to understand how to meet the requirements of each company staff and, where possible, monitor current performance levels and reduce costs.
2) Review your application
There is no point in transferring SD-WAN if you cannot support your business application properly. When you plan to introduce a new SD-WAN, one of the most important things is to get an overview of the protocol and use of the application. What does this say about bandwidth and roaming in your business? With this process, you can create an SD-WAN solution that meets your unique needs. Also, take the time to customize the app from the beginning, taking into account additional references to the app as well as the final link. This allows the new SD-WAN transfer to perform application-based transformations from an available connection, depending on the policy you set.
3) Check the SD-WAN installation option
The next step is to decide whether to use SD-WAN or hardware-related SD-WAN applications that use virtual server software. For some companies, it is easy to reduce costs by upgrading existing hardware to support the next SDN service over SD-WAN. In places where virtual machines support, using a virtual SD-WAN application can be the most expensive solution.
4) Plan your trip
One of the most important aspects of looking for a new SD-WAN implementation is to provide a comprehensive perspective on decision making. Are you going to direct multiple routes to existing MPLS circuits and use broadband first? Is it wise to switch to multiple broadband WANs? What types of cloud services do you use today and how will they be used? Many of these decisions depend on the organization of traffic and specific bandwidth requirements for each specific application. Your travel decisions will affect the maximum impact that users achieve (if any) and the level of financial security developed by SD-WAN.
5) Know what your management needs and skills are
Like I said, the implementation of SD-WAN literally changes the network. Therefore, before logging in, you should make sure that your NetOps team can reset the current performance of your network, then you will find that the new rules work as recommended and optimize the performance of the Your SD-WAN. SD-WAN without visibility and limited control compromises ROI and promises they should create in the first place.
6) Perform a flight test
Can’t expect to “switch” at once and distribute SD-WAN across your organization. The purpose of pilot tests is to monitor and enter unexpected problems, determine if you are using the correct internet access, and to better understand how to predict the prediction for a controlled channel and application. Based on the results, you will know the steps you can take to improve your network as well as achieve your business goals effectively.
SD-WAN implementation depends on the tests, observations & upgrades made at the outset. There are many other ideas and decisions to make, but if you start with the tips above to plan better for the next phase of your internet transformation, your business will lay a solid foundation for success SD-WAN.