SD-WAN/SASE

What is SD-WAN?

The Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) simplifies the wide-area network’s management, operations and resilience.

From communication providers to enterprises, SD-WAN aggregates transport services, MPLS, LTE, broadband internet services, i.e. virtually any type of WAN link. SD-WAN facilitates a secure connection among the application users.

How Does SD-WAN Work?

Using a centralized interface, SD-WAN ensures security and reliable connection across the WAN, typically the last-mile.

It offers application-aware and user-aware routing throughout the WAN, allowing applications to receive QoS and security policy enforcement accordingly. With SD-WAN, users can experience improved application performance.

It provides multiple security layers while maintaining excellent cloud performance on the local internet breakout of IaaS and SaaS application traffic. Ultimately, improving the user experience contributes to increasing productivity, scalability, eliminates challenges for IT.

SD-WAN vs MPLS

Essentially, the differences between SD-WAN and MPLS revolves around virtualization. SD-WAN virtualizes network functions on the network infrastructure allowing those functions to run as software on any commodity hardware whereas MPLS requires proprietary hardware.

This key difference in the way SD-WAN virtualizes network functions results in a less expensive, higher performance solution that also provides a higher level of security. MPLS comes with extremely high bandwidth costs which is simply not an issue for SD-WAN.

These crucial benefits are why IT infrastructure across industries continues to switch away from MPLS to SD-WAN.

2018 State of the Network Study, Network World

Gen 2 SD-WAN With Session Smart™ Routing

Teraquant partners with 128 technologies to bring you the most agile, cost efficient, & secure SD-WAN solutions on a wide array of hardware. Session Smart™ Routing from 128 Technology adapts automatically to the requirements of individual sessions and user segments, all on one unified management platform.

The Session Smart™ Difference

Software Defined Networks for the new dynamic workforce

SD-WAN transformed the WAN connectivity to foster progressive business operations, But traditional SD-WAN uses old IPsec & VPN technology that has remained unchanged for the last two decades. This traditional option can lead to 50% in added overhead for data and voice services during the last mile, where bandwidth is a premium.

128 Technology’s product allows users to implement SD-WAN with no in-session overhead. Their Session Smart Routing™ provides a layered & heirarchical technology that can run over any existing IP network without the need for modification, eradicating any performance bottlenecks.

Session Smart Routing™ delivers SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) and lets you make dynamic improvements according to the ever-changing requirements of individual sessions and user segments. 128 T’s SD-WAN allows you to increase your network capacity with little heavy lifting by your IT team & at a fraction of the cost, helping you prioritize on other important business goals.

Centralized Policy Management and Orchestration

Maximize the power of your platform with unified policy management and orchestration. SD-WAN handles everything from administration, provisioning, monitoring, and analytics.

Secure Access Service Edge (SASE)

A Holistic and Assured Approach to Enterprise Networking

In an increasingly segmented digital security landscape, there is a growing need for companies to streamline their cybersecurity solutions with a more holistic approach that doesn’t compromise

What is SASE?

SASE is a network architecture for the edge and access network which provides flexibility to route directly to the desired application based on criteria such as where the application is hosted and whether the user has permission to access that application. Today, remote locations typically route back to HQ to the installed corporate firewall and then trombone to the cloud for the required application. SASE optimizes this routing, layering on much needed security to inhibit cyber-attacks and combat ransomware attacks.

Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) is a network architecture that combines software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN) and security efforts into a single, cloud-centric simplified WAN deployment. This relatively new network security approach is revolutionizing how enterprise businesses store and secure data, users, and resources.

SASE operates on the “edge”, meaning that SaaS security and network resources are as close to the end user as possible. This makes it an opportune choice for enterprises with remote teams. SASE Managed Service Providers help businesses by keeping resources in data centers closest to their employees. This improves employee productivity by reducing latency, increasing throughput, and making services more responsive. In addition, some SASE solutions have encryption and zero trust security built-in, therefore avoiding cumbersome VPN tunnels and bottlenecks at the corporate firewall.

Why SASE?

SASE is easily scalable.

Because of its cloud servicing, SASE can be billed based on how much a company uses. Companies can pay for what they use, and there’s room for more or less depending on needs.

Enterprises deal with fewer vendors.

SASE streamlines the complexities and costs associated with network infrastructures. There’s less hardware needed in offices or other remote locations.

Simplifies authentication while increasing security.

IT and telecoms leadership can set policies through the cloud-based platforms and have those policies enforced at the end user. End users won’t have any interruption in access experience, regardless of if they’re remote or in-office. Security gets a boost because policies are enforced equally, no matter a user’s location. Cloud service providers constantly look for security protocols — no new hardware required from an enterprise company.

Security at Network Edge

Does SASE mark the end of the network as we know It?

Yes, but we will still have IP packets and routing. These are seen more as sessions that reflect business functions for which we use a network, whether they be voice calls or HTTPS sessions.

If so, in what way(s)?

In as much as SASE will mean the firewall function will be distributed throughout the access and edge network. The network architecture and topology will change. Instead of all traffic going via HQ or a specific rented corporate data centers, sessions will go directly to where they processed or can derive services. This will mean better response time, lower latency, and better throughput because of reduced tromboning and load on those fixed central points of congestion.

What are SASE’s key benefits?

Security: Zero Trust Networking (ZTN). Precise control of who is permitted to join the network, with what type of device, to access which server, and for which part of what application.

Efficiency: Some SASE solutions are session based by nature. This means fine granularity and control of which users can reach which services, e.g., some users may access corporate web services but will not be permitted to go to databases containing confidential information.

User Experience: Traffic will be routed directly to the data center supporting the service required . Everything benefits from moving intelligence out to the edge. For example, if the user needs to access Microsoft Office365,  publicly hosted collaboration services, or Microsoft Teams voice services, their traffic will go directly to those public clouds. If they need to access an internal corporate database or application, that traffic will go directly to the corporate data center if authorized. This will greatly benefit work from home, field-based employees, and branch office workers.

Two Vital Takeways

Session Smart Routing™ for Enterprise

In a cloud-dependent, digitally-saturated world, poor-performing infrastructure can wreak havoc on enterprise businesses. It is integral to support the growing demands for a fast, flexible, secure, and scalable network.

Enterprises have been capitalizing on the benefits of SD-WAN for the last decade. The new dynamic workforce requires better. Enter Gen 2 SD-WAN with Session Smart Routing™.

Session Smart Routing™ Provides Cost-Effective Solutions for Your Enterprise IT Infrastructure

Teraquant’s Gen 2 SD-WAN is a critical component in modern business network infrastructure. Gen 2 SD-WAN streamlines WAN services by reducing backhaul penalties and the bottlenecks of hardware-based architectures.

To improve the overall user experience, Session Smart Routing™ offers perfectly efficient and with usage and greater confidentiality across networks. They solved the primary security issue from other providers surrounding cloud adoption. Nonetheless, SD-WAN is especially crucial for businesses that want to improve their network capacity and eliminate constant cyber threats.

Gen 2 SD-WAN provides a scalable and flexible solution. It can deploy as fast as the speed of light to facilitate anticipated demand. You can never encounter problems when you want to make modifications during significant events like mergers or acquisitions and at peak times.

On top of that, our second gen SD-WAN handles network efficiency management. It points out arising issues such as surplus capacity. When IT is informed ahead of time, they can make more informed decisions concerning their acquiring capacity.

As previously mentioned, Gen 2 SD-WAN offers cost-effective solutions for all. They can provide a consumer-based billing model for small and medium-sized enterprises. This option can also be ideal for businesses that have fluctuating experiences in demand. Through peaks and troughs, this budget strategy can help you sustain the capacity of your network.

Gen 2 SD-WAN for Communication Service Providers

Traditional SD-WAN cannibalizes revenue by replacing MPLS with cheap broadband and ISP DSL links. Gen 2 SD-WAN, however, can integrate existing MPLS services with other DSL & broadband links, allowing CSPs to offer a lucrative and efficient service-centric approach.

Zero Trust Security

Zero trust security is a protocol baked into our Gen 2 SD-WAN solution, allowing for continuous identity validation prior to granting any access. That means more agile policy configurations & better security posture for your customers.

Adapting SD-WAN Improves Services

Transitioning into SD-WAN orchestrated model means they have to leave the manual interventions behind, which opened doors for less taxing tasks. SD-WAN managed service providers tend to perform the design, deployment, and operation of WAN solutions for you.

Due to the drastic growth of SD-WAN, CSPs have no choice but to integrate their technologies for their managed services. It helps them maintain their relevance in the market providing scalable, flexible, and affordable services based on the customers’ needs.

Streamline Hybrid WAN

The primary service offered by most CSPs is the hybrid WAN. It lets MPLS consumers increase their managed internet bandwidth to the branch network. In turn, the internet circuits work minor traffic flows to the data center. It also handles the increasing amount of direct to cloud traffic. When CSPs implement SD-WAN to their infrastructure, they can provide managed, secured hybrid WAN services.

Through Gen 2 SD-WAN, you can showcase the infrastructure’s reliability, security, and traffic handling benefits to their customers.

Customer Service Providers that integrate SD-WAN can further help reduce the risks of inconsistent network and cyber threats. Many customers can begin embracing SD-WAN with the CSPs’ constant professional and support services.

Leveraging SD-WAN allows CSPs to deliver innovative and productive services across their clients and customers. This leverage enables CSPs to avoid the potential for disintermediation to their managed service business. It can likely happen from the inevitable increased use of Internet circuits for business traffic.