We know there is buzz around SD-WAN as a technology, but we also know that for many it’s still just a marketing buzzword. The best way to move beyond the buzz is to identify a practical, repeatable application of the technology that impacts the real-world and the end user’s experience. Although there are many good solutions out there, we feel we’ve found that with SD-WAN through VeloCloud.
The Problem
Today’s enterprise employees are consuming a lot of wide area network bandwidth; through more streaming, downloading, online collaborating, etc. Additionally, branch offices require similar bandwidth that is both reliable and high-performing. However, enterprise IT providing this level of WAN becomes complex, costly, and creates performance issues. Moreover, the vast majority of branch office traffic is carried over expensive private circuits. These are often unpredictable. This approach also requires multiple appliances, such as modems, routers, switches, and firewalls at each location, which complicates the management and deployment for Enterprise IT. And of course, this all means the user experience suffers, if not often, enough to become a source of frustration towards IT.
Why We Like VeloCloud
From this link, you will see that VeloCloud is highly awarded for its innovative approach to SD-WAN: https://www.velocloud.com/news/awards
But we also like it for many other reasons:
You experience enterprise-grade performance, visibility, and control over broadband and private links.
VeloCloud works with one or multiple circuits.
It improves the performance and reliability of circuits by up to 24%!
It is unique in the market because it performs Forward Error Correction – not many vendors do this.
They have also distributed gateways in the cloud, which allows healing of Internet connections to many cloud services and applications. (High end-user impact!)
Features and Benefits of VeloCloud Solution
The features of VeloCloud for performance, cloud networks, and automation / orchestration are as follows:
Performance:
Dynamic path selection – automatic link monitoring, auto-detection of provider, auto-config
Link steering and remediation – on-demand per packet link steering, sub-second blackout/brownout protection, remediation of link degradation through forward error correction
Smart QoS – Granular classification of 2,500+ applications, quality of service defaults, knowledge of app profiles enabling more automation
Application performance monitoring – VMware SD-WAN for assessing performance of critical voice, video, or data applications, with alerts
Cloud Network:
Zero-touch deployment – VMware SD-WAN Edge appliances automatically authenticate, connect, and receive config instructions once connected to the Internet
Cloud VPN – One click site-to-site VPN is VPNC-compliant IPSec for connecting SD-WAN and non-SD-WAN sites, while delivering real-time status and health of VPN sites
Security – Stateful and context-aware (application, user, device) integrated next-gen firewall delivers granular control of micro-applications, can segregate voice, video, data, compliance, etc.
Automation & Orchestration:
Business policy – QoS, resource allocations, link/path steering, and forward error correction are automatically applied based on business policies and app priorities
Management and control – VMware SD-WAN’s centralized monitoring, visibility and cloud control enable zero-touch branch deployment across locations while delivering automatic business policy and firmware updates, link performance, and capacity measurements
Application visibility – VMware SD-WAN offers recognition and classification of more than 2,500 applications and sub-apps without needing to deploy separate hardware or software probes within each branch location
Quality of Experience Score
VeloCloud created a scoring methodology, the VeloCloud Quality Score (VQS) to demonstrate the quality of experience as perceived by the end user. The score and scale are consistent for any application, voice, video, or transactional applications. VQS ranges from 0 to 10.
Screenshot of VeloCloud Quality Score (VQS)
Also, below you will see a VQS comparing a single Internet link to a dual Internet link with SD-WAN VeloCloud installed.
Single Circuit vs. Dual Internet with VeloCloud
As you can see, the end user experience has been repaired to the extent that no quality of service would be perceptible by the end user, even with a weaker circuit, due to the Forward Error Correction and advanced technology that VeloCloud brings to the equation.
In Summary
For an affordable cost, especially when compared to the significant investment required if you were to deploy new hardware at multiple locations to manage a WAN, VeloCloud is a fantastic addition to your overall SD-WAN strategy. You receive enterprise-grade performance, with additional security and increased visibility & control over both Internet and private networks. Also, this approach dramatically simplifies WAN deployment, with zero-touch deployment and virtualized services from the cloud to all branches and locations you manage. Most importantly, the end user experience is drastically improved, which is invaluable in the world of enterprise IT.
If you want to deploy a lean, but intelligent and advanced WAN solution for your business and VeloCloud sounds like a good fit for you – contact us today to get started!