Key Considerations When Implementing SD-WAN

SD-WAN can be a little confusing when you first hear about it but when you get right down to it it’s actually simpler than you might think. SD-WAN is the acronym for software-defined wide area network and it basically helps you optimise your business network across your entire environment.

If you have numerous offices for example then SD-WAN can help you better manage your wide area network in a unified, optimised manner. There are numerous benefits to implementing SD-WAN in your business including the fact that it makes internet connectivity faster, smoother and more secure and sharing data is simple and easy.

Because of its benefits, SD-WAN is becoming more commonplace in the business world with estimates suggesting that by the end of 2019 alone up to 30% of enterprises will have adopted SD-WAN. But what do you need to consider if you are thinking about adopting SD-WAN in your business? Well, there are quite a few areas you need to think about, let’s look at some of the main considerations in more detail.

Security

Security should be one of your main priorities when adopting SD-WAN for your business. SD-WAN is available through numerous different vendors and there is going to be a big difference between what each offers when it comes to security. Some vendors might offer only very basic security with their SD-WAN offerings meaning you will need to use a separate product for increased security at each branch of your business.

Proof of Concept

Adopting SD-WAN is going to be a big step, especially if you are deploying across multiple branches. But you can get a great feel for how SD-WAN will work and benefit your business by getting a Proof of Concept (PoC) from your SD-WAN vendor. Not all vendors may offer this but to minimise risk and help you work out the best way to deploy SD-WAN for your business you should look for vendors who do.

The Rollout

Another consideration for businesses when it comes to SD-WAN is how you rollout the technology. After having a PoC and understanding the benefits across your branch networks, it is generally recommended to deploy SD-WAN progressively. Since SD-WAN is deployed over pre-existing networks, the process will be a lot easier and smoother by going slow, branch to branch. This will help you minimise risks and errors, whilst ensuring your entire environment is fully optimised.

Hybrid Connectivity Technologies

One of the key reasons to adopt SD-WAN is to make the most of existing connectivity solutions. Therefore, don’t think just because your business already has connectivity in place that you can’t utilise SD-WAN. Businesses can and should use a variety of different connectivity options and adding SD-WAN to them will only add benefits, including a reduction in costs and optimised connectivity.

Look Beyond The Technology

Wanting to know how the SD-WAN technology works is perfectly normal but don’t get so carried away looking at the technology. Your main focus when choosing an SD-WAN vendor should be on what they can achieve. Build clear service level agreements with your chosen vendor and design metrics that help you better examine and evaluate the available service providers and vendors. This will help you ensure you are going with the best vendor and SD-WAN for your business’s needs.

Cost-Effectiveness Isn’t Your Only Concern

Costs are certainly a very important metric when it comes to deciding whether to implement SD-WAN. However, it isn’t the only area you should be considering. We recommend looking at the impact the technology could have on converting new customers, serving them and retaining them. These should be your top priorities so don’t get carried away looking at costs, develop other metrics that help you see how SD-WAN can help you bring in and service your customers, which is ultimately what every business wants to improve and build upon.

The Return on Investment

The ROI is going to be something every business will consider when adopting SD-WAN. Even if cutting costs isn’t your end goal it is fair to say for the majority of businesses it will be a factor. Adopting SD-WAN can net your business significant savings when it comes to your networking and connectivity costs and it will also save your employees time. They will then be able to spend more time focusing on the core areas of your business.

The Panoptics Solution

At Panoptics we understand things from a business’s point of view which is why our SD-WAN powered by VeloCloud is designed to be simple and easy to adopt.

We know that businesses need to think about a lot of individual and unique needs when implementing SD-WAN.

Which is why our cloud-centric solution in partnership with VeloCloud offers the most flexible and versatile SD-WAN solution for businesses. You can get your SD-WAN deployed in a way that suits your business and it will be sure to present your business with a host of benefits.

The considerations we have examined so far are all taken into consideration in our SD-WAN solution. So why not have a FREE Proof of Concept and discover the Panoptics difference.