Boosting cloud user experience with SD-WAN
Ron Budden
Product Manager SD WAN/SASE
According to IDC, more than 90% of enterprises worldwide will rely on a combination of different cloud architectures to meet their infrastructure needs. In other words, the future of businesses is going to be built on cloud-based applications.
By gradually migrating their applications onto the cloud, organizations are able to increase productivity, scale effectively and make their workforce more agile and adaptable. Not to mention the peace of mind that comes with not having to manage and host applications in-house.
However, it’s not so much the decision to move their applications into the cloud that’s troubling businesses. Organizations know that cloud migration must play a key role in their digital transformation strategy. The “what” isn’t the problem; it’s the “how” that trips many businesses up.
It’s all too common for staff to end up with a really poor cloud user experience due to limitations related to traditional single WAN architectures. That’s where SD-WAN comes in, a far more agile solution that can ensure maximum cloud productivity.
Common issues with cloud adoption
User experience is king when it comes to cloud adoption. Unfortunately, that’s where traditional WAN architecture tends to fall short. For several years now, businesses have been migrating their applications into the cloud as part of their digital transformation process, leaving legacy hardware behind as they move toward a more agile model.
Naturally, this throws up concerns around security. In traditional WAN architectures (MPLS being the most common), businesses would rely on a single service provider to manage all of the endpoints. Effectively creating a private network for the organization. This solved the security end of the puzzle but presented limitations when connecting those users to the Internet.
In adopting cloud with traditional WAN architectures, users would be at the mercy of how that network was built. Internet access in a traditional MPLS network would be enforced at key locations. Which leaves users in remote branches with poor access to the Internet due to limited MPLS bandwidth and latency. Ultimately affecting the performance of cloud applications.
The result? Lower productivity and a poor cloud user experience.
Cloud user experience optimization with SD-WAN
This is where software-defined networking can really start adding value. In order to improve user experience at the branch, direct Internet access is needed.
But what about security? Security is no longer an issue with SD-WAN as encrypted tunnels are built from the branch through the Internet.
Additionally, SD-WAN introduces dynamic capabilities to enhance connectivity to the cloud. Enabling the use of multiple underlay circuits (including traditional MPLS circuits) to manage and steer user traffic depending on the best performing path, the type of traffic (Voice, Video, etc.), and its destination.
With SD-WAN, network stakeholders have the ability to slowly migrate off of their traditional MPLS network, into to a more decentralized Internet-centric environment. Simultaneously allowing you to retain full control and visibility thanks to an SD-WAN orchestration management layer.
Why the underlay is more important than ever with SD-WAN
Everyone knows what the Internet is, but few actually think about it in terms of SD-WAN. Although secure SD-WAN technologies have numerous features built in to enhance the overlay, it is usually not enough to overcome poorly-performing underlays.
Expereo knows both. Our experience working with over 3,000 suppliers around the world has given us a unique insight into how global Internet works. If you thought Internet access is just Internet access, you would be shocked to know that unless you’re in a well-supplied area, with many Tier 1 providers, your choices for cloud is sadly lacking.
This is why Expereo built its own enhanced Internet access called Expereo Enhanced Internet. It is a service built using the Internet’s routing protocol, BGP, and uses our proprietary software-defined technology to manage and optimize connectivity to cloud.
Our route optimization engine scans worldwide Internet traffic in real-time to identify the optimal path for your Internet or SD-WAN traffic at any given moment. With both SD-WAN and Enhanced Internet, you have two software-defined technologies to manage your underlay and overlay, giving you the best performing connection to cloud.
How SD-WAN improves employees’ cloud user experience
SD-WAN significantly enhances the cloud user experience for employees in several ways:
- 1. Enhanced network connectivity: By utilizing multiple pathways, SD-WAN ensures that employees have a stable and fast connection to cloud platforms and applications, reducing downtime and improving productivity.
- 2. Optimized performance: SD-WAN can dynamically route traffic based on real-time conditions, ensuring that critical applications receive the necessary bandwidth and minimal latency.
- 3. Increased reliability: The ability to switch between multiple links ensures that network failures or slowdowns have minimal impact on users, providing a seamless experience.
- 4. Improved security: With integrated security features, SD-WAN protects data as it moves between remote locations and the cloud, maintaining data integrity and compliance.
- 5. Scalability and flexibility: SD-WAN offers the flexibility to scale network resources up or down based on the organization's needs. This is particularly useful for businesses experiencing growth or seasonal fluctuations, allowing them to adjust their network capabilities without significant investments in new infrastructure.
- 6. Cost efficiency: By leveraging multiple types of connections (broadband, LTE, MPLS), SD-WAN can reduce reliance on expensive MPLS circuits, leading to cost savings. Organizations can optimize their network spending by using cost-effective links for non-critical traffic while reserving premium connections for mission-critical applications.
- 7. Centralized management: SD-WAN provides a centralized platform for network management, enabling IT teams to monitor and control the network from a single interface. This simplifies the management of complex network environments, allowing for quicker issue resolution and more efficient operations.
The result? Happy and productive users anywhere in the world
The enhancements provided by SD-WAN result in a superior cloud user experience, leading to higher productivity and satisfaction among employees. With stable and fast connections, optimized performance, increased reliability, improved security, and the ability to scale, organizations can ensure that their workforce remains efficient and motivated.
If you want to learn more about SD-WAN solutions or our Enhanced Internet service and how they can improve your end-user experience with the cloud, get in touch with us today.