We discuss the importance of adopting a readiness life cycle when dealing with cloud and Internet adoption, especially for SD-WAN deployments, because the goal of SD-WAN is to substantially increase or replace enterprise network infrastructure by using Internet access and connectivity In order to achieve better cloud application performance and save costs.
Adopting more Internet means that you expose your corporate network to a highly unpredictable environment. The only way to ensure success is to have a data-driven process. For many Fortune 500 and Global 2000 companies, SD-WAN visibility is at the center of this process, and they rely on multiple layers of insight to ensure successful SD-WAN deployments.
In a nutshell, the network connection in the WAN means that branch offices are connected to centralized data centers through MPLS circuits, which are also used as centralized hubs for public Internet outbreaks and accompanying network security infrastructure (firewalls, etc.). MPLS comes with an edge-to-edge SLA.
Of course, the problem with this model is that as organizations move applications to public cloud providers, or stop building their own applications and start using SaaS, it doesn’t make much sense to transfer backhaul traffic to a central hub because the cloud and SaaS provide Merchants have established their own points of presence (PoPs) to reach many points on the Internet with low latency. Therefore, backhaul tends to reduce user experience and at the same time pay more expensive MPLS transmission fees.
Migrating from branch offices to direct Internet access (DIA) is an appropriate response and is a central principle of SD-WAN architecture for most organizations. However, at this time network design is where you start to need data.
What performance data should you collect?
First, you should evaluate the user experience of all end-user use cases, including the highest priority internal applications, the most important applications running in AWS, Azure, GCP, etc., and key SaaS applications such as Office
365, Salesforce. Don't forget VoIP and collaboration tools such as Webex and Zoom.
First measure the performance of these applications and services on the current MPLS network as a benchmark. To explain the data collection on most applications, start running layered page loading, HTTP, end-to-end network and BGP route visibility monitoring.
For mission-critical use cases, run a comprehensive Internet-aware transaction monitoring test. Master MPLS transaction performance, response time, availability, network delay, packet loss and jitter statistics.
Don't put SD-WAN deployment at risk.
SD-WAN is one of the most important network architecture changes you will make. Don't have data-driven processes to reduce performance risks. Visibility lays the foundation for a complete preparation life cycle. And remember, there is no stable state in the cloud. Once this change is done, more changes will be coming, so use the same data-driven ready lifecycle model to ensure the success of every cloud, SaaS, Internet, and WAN you do.
The above is an introduction to the visibility of SD-WAN deployment best practices.
VeCloud is a technological innovation enterprise that provides cloud exchange network services for enterprises as its core business. It has 30 data center nodes around the world, more than 200 POP nodes, and serves more than 300 major customers, involving finance, Internet, games, AI, Education, manufacturing, multinational companies and other industries. http://www.vecloud.com