SD-WAN Architecture Matters

Dr. Jim Metzler

Agenda

•

•WAN Challenges & Trends

•What is Basic SD-WAN

•Why SD-WAN Architecture Matters

•5 SD-WAN Architectures

•Call to Action

Today’s Enterprise WAN Challenges

• Expensive

• Complicated

• Applications shifting to cloud

• Limited bandwidth for apps

• Internet is best effort

Factors Driving Change in the WAN

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

Support the movement of virtual machinesbetween data centers

Support mobile users

Reduce cost

Provide access to public cloudcomputing services

Improve application performance

Increase security

Support real-time applications such asvoice and/or video

22%

24%

24%

26%

27%

32%

37%

Agenda

•

•WAN Challenges & Trends

•What is Basic SD-WAN

•Why SD-WAN Architecture Matters

•5 SD-WAN Architectures

•Call to Action

What is Basic SD-WAN

• Optimizes and simplifies use of multiple public and private links

• Separates data, control and orchestration plane with programmatic APIs

• Reduces recurring and capex costs of wide area networking

• Simplifies wide area networks with zero-touch deployment

• Delivers network-wide policy and security

• Insertion of services

Why SD-WAN Matters

•Reduces recurring, capex and support costs

•Reduces complexity of provisioning, deployment, and management

•Increases control, security and visibility

•Network-wide application policies

WAN is the Killer App for SDN

Focus of SDN Deployment

Network Component Percent

Data Center 51%

WAN 31%

Branch and/or Campus 22%

We are likely to implement a service from a WAN service

provider that is based on SDN

20%

Don’t know/NA 10%

We are unlikely to implement SDN within the next two years 10%

Other 4%

Agenda

•

•WAN Challenges & Trends

•What is Basic SD-WAN

•Why SD-WAN Architecture Matters

•5 SD-WAN Architectures

•Call to Action

Why SD-WAN Architecture Matters

•WAN architecture will exist for 5, 7, 10+ years

•Adding features cannot change an architecture

•Architectures can enable or impede future business and technology requirements

Agenda

•

•WAN Challenges & Trends

•What is Basic SD-WAN

•Why SD-WAN Architecture Matters

•5 SD-WAN Architectures

•Call to Action

Router Based SD-WAN Architectures

• Based on WAN router design, behind the firewall, with known applications, classes and queues

• Optimized for private data center application experience and private, controlled, closed networks

• Relies on primary, secondary, tertiary link failover

• Leverages network processors and ASICs to deliver best-in-class router and performance

• Adds on controller with limitations on genuine separation of data, control and orchestration

Router Based SD-WAN Architectures

Advantages Concerns

Sophisticated protocols Data center head end required

Advanced classes of service Complex to deploy and maintain

Dynamic IPSec VPN Limited N x N VPN scale

Multifunction integrationLack sub-second application

steering

Link quality measurements No link remediation

Single-Function Based SD-WAN Architectures

•Focus on steering, optimizing, caching or compressing traffic over existing MPLS and hybrid networks

•Excels in problem areas for traditional hub and spoke, point to point, behind the firewall WAN deployments

•Need to co-exist, not replace the router, and therefore no need for router based architectural approach

•Optimized around private, behind the firewall data center applications and traffic

Single-Function Based SD-WAN Architectures

Advantages Concerns

Strong in caching, compression,

optimization, path controlHead end required

Augment existing networks Complicated to deploy, manage

App steering between links Lack sophisticated routing

Support for hybrid deployments Single function only boxes

Improves many non-voice/video

data center applicationsNo pervasive cloud presence

Middle-Mile Based SD-WAN Architectures

•Delivers lower cost middle mile, core network alternatives

•Excels at replicating MPLS for middle mile

•Delivers guaranteed quality at the core though lacking last mile quality of experience

•Lacks hybrid support (private & Internet)

•Relies on existing CPE devices for last mile

Middle-Mile Based SD-WAN Architectures

Advantages Concerns

Strong middle mile network

quality

Lack comprehensive last mile

solution

Cost alternative to MPLS Missing hybrid solution; do not

interoperate with telco MPLS

Similar or identical to existing

MPLS architectureNo end-to-end link remediation

Ability to support existing

classes of serviceLacks pervasive cloud solution

Pure-Play SD-WAN Architectures

• Next generation routers

• Dynamic multi-point VPN support

• Optimized for private data center application experience

• Centralized orchestration

• Hybrid WAN support with best effort over the Internet

• Simplified management and control

• Link quality measurement

Pure-Play SD-WAN Architectures

Advantages Concerns

Routing support Data center head end required

VPN support No cloud & inbound QoS

Central orchestration Limited multi-tenancy

Support for hybrid deploymentsLack sub-second application

steering

Link quality measurements No link remediation

Next gen router Rip and replace

Pure-Play Cloud-Delivered SD-WAN Architecture

• Architected from the beginning for cloud and network-wide business policy coordination and telco MPLS interoperability

• On-premise edges and cloud gateways implement cloud-based design methodologies & coexists with existing network

• End to end link metrics, remediation and network-wide inbound QoS (branch, data center and cloud)

• True multi-tenancy at data, control and orchestration planes

• Dynamic low-level application steering combine with deep application recognition in the cloud and at the edge

Pure-Play Cloud-Delivered SD-WAN Architecture

Advantages Concerns

Scalable VPN & routing support Lack of a dedicated middle mile

Cloud services performance and

network-wide inbound QoS

Requires software or CPE at

branch office

Link quality remediation No caching or compression

Multi-tenant, cloud-based, &

service provider architecture

Uses VNFs on vCPE or cloud for

mission specific functions

Dynamic multi-path optimization No custom ASICs

Agenda

•

•WAN Challenges & Trends

•What is Basic SD-WAN

•Why SD-WAN Architecture Matters

•5 SD-WAN Architectures

•Call to Action

Call to Action

1. Thoroughly understand your business and technology requirements over next 5-10 years

2. Carefully evaluate all SD-WAN architectures

3. Consider each SD-WAN vendor’s core focus

4. Production pilot up to 3 vendors

Thank you!