IT organizations have long been challenged by the cost and complexity of managing the enterprise wide area network (WAN), and the demands keep growing. Software-defined WAN (SD-WAN) technology has emerged to reduce that cost and complexity, all while improving performance. With so many SD-WAN architectures to consider, how do you determine which is right for your organization? Review this presentation and you will: - Assess your organization's WAN growth requirements - Understand the impact of various SD-WAN architecture on your WAN deployment - Compare SD-WAN vendors to determine the best fit for your enterprise - Learn how rethinking the WAN can deliver agility, simplicity, improved quality of experience, and better cloud performance - Discover the different architectures on the market, along with their benefits and drawbacks

1. SD-WAN
Architecture Matters
Dr. Jim Metzler

2. Agenda
•
•WAN Challenges & Trends
•What is Basic SD-WAN
•Why SD-WAN Architecture
Matters
•5 SD-WAN Architectures
•Call to Action

3. Today’s Enterprise WAN Challenges
• Expensive
• Complicated
• Applications shifting to cloud
• Limited bandwidth for apps
• Internet is best effort

4. Factors Driving Change in the WAN
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%
Support the movement of virtual machines
between data centers
Support mobile users
Reduce cost
Provide access to public cloud
computing services
Improve application performance
Increase security
Support real-time applications such as
voice and/or video
22%
24%
24%
26%
27%
32%
37%

5. Agenda
•
•WAN Challenges & Trends
•What is Basic SD-WAN
•Why SD-WAN Architecture
Matters
•5 SD-WAN Architectures
•Call to Action

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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%

9. Agenda
•
•WAN Challenges & Trends
•What is Basic SD-WAN
•Why SD-WAN Architecture
Matters
•5 SD-WAN Architectures
•Call to Action

10. 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

11. Agenda
•
•WAN Challenges & Trends
•What is Basic SD-WAN
•Why SD-WAN Architecture
Matters
•5 SD-WAN Architectures
•Call to Action

12. 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

13. 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 integration
Lack sub-second application
steering
Link quality measurements No link remediation

14. 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

15. Single-Function Based SD-WAN
Architectures
Advantages Concerns
Strong in caching, compression,
optimization, path control
Head 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 applications
No pervasive cloud presence

16. 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

17. 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 architecture
No end-to-end link remediation
Ability to support existing
classes of service
Lacks pervasive cloud solution

18. 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

19. 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 deployments
Lack sub-second application
steering
Link quality measurements No link remediation
Next gen router Rip and replace

20. 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

21. 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

22. Agenda
•
•WAN Challenges & Trends
•What is Basic SD-WAN
•Why SD-WAN Architecture
Matters
•5 SD-WAN Architectures
•Call to Action

23. 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

24. Thank you!