Businesses are rapidly switching to modern technologies and adapting to Software-defined Wide Area Networks (SD-WAN) to make their IT infrastructure future-ready. SD-WAN technology has immense advantages over traditional ways of managing large networks. It saves costs, eases deployment, provides flexibility, operates through the centralized mechanism and enhances network efficiencies.
SD-WAN technology may manage several connections, such as broadband, LTE and MPLS, in the future to avoid network slowdowns during heavy traffic scenarios. Keeping pace with advancing trends, businesses will soon move to SD-WAN solutions and opt for productive work environments.
Although the technology has immense benefits, it is important to understand what an SD-WAN can do. Uncertain information about its potential and capabilities may result in poor technical adoptions, impacting company growth and expense. That’s why we’re here to present you with a guide that discusses the key factors that an organization should keep in mind when choosing an SD-WAN vendor.
Top 10 Factors to Look For in SD-WAN Vendor
When choosing an SD-WAN vendor, you must first evaluate your business objectives to find the right one for your organization. This will enable you to make informed decisions when you finalize vendors. Learning about your objectives will also help you shortlist vendors who fit your criteria.
The list of business objectives could be highly personalized – reducing operational costs due to network simplification or provisioning new services for your business within hours. The first step towards finalizing your vendors is listing down all your business objectives.
Here’s a list of some key factors that you should consider before finalizing your SD-WAN vendors.
1 .Improved Efficiency & Enhanced Performance
It is important to evaluate your network’s performance and the functionalities of your business applications hosted on it when choosing SD-WAN vendors.
Multinational organizations have critical and delay-sensitive systems, so they must consider vendors that deliver the most effective measures of latency, packet loss, and throughput. SD-WANs also offer real-time traffic monitoring tools to avoid network congestion and make services available for target-specific applications.Â
Hence, you must ensure that you get hands-on solutions that offer real-time statistics, reporting, and analytics, enabling your organization to analyze trends and build strategies to optimize your network performance.
2. Networking Protocols & Security
Advanced SD-WAN technology also includes critical frameworks like SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) to deliver secure access to cloud-based applications. It is a cost-effective is cost-effective method that and simplifies security architecture by removing multiple network node products.
3. Measuring Scalability and Future Needs
Remember that as you grow, your network solution must also grow with you simultaneously. You should not feel the need to hire another service vendor to accommodate your increased service requirement. Remember, as you grow, the network solution should grow simultaneously with you without looking for another service vendor who can accommodate your increased requirements.
Emerging technology trends include AI-driven systems, remote applications, cyber security, and cloud-based architecture. Organizations must look for solutions that have a high potential to integrate all these trends and features that provide extensibility and efficient performance to enhance the company’s overall growth.
4. System Control and Visibility
Strong data analysis is possible with the help of powerful algorithms, and advanced SD-WAN solutions are capable of tracking the data flow.
SD-WAN solutions are capable of tracking data enabling businesses to deploy strong data analysis with the help of powerful algorithms. This It helps in resolving issues and making mandatory updates. When choosing an SD-WAN vendor, businesses must consider systems that offer and an advanced centrally controlled mechanism at every stage of the network.
5. Access to the Central Management Platform
A centralized management system gives administrators controlled authority to monitor web traffic, modify policies, adjust networks, manage operations, and synchronize services. It benefits the company as a whole by reducing costs and by eliminating expensive hardware deployment at several locations. Operating configurations for multiple sites through a single interface streamlines the continuous workflow, reduces complexity, and enhances efficiency of businesses. You must consider implementing Zero-touch provisioning to simplify network deployment by configuring remote device connections when selecting between SD-WAN vendors.
6. Orchestration and Enhanced Connections
SD-WAN orchestration technology is largely responsible for managing centralized functioning along with providing briefed analytics and reports through dashboards in case of anomalies.
Orchestration is capable of delivering resources and applying protocols throughout network environments regardless of business connectivity expanding across countries and regions. Large enterprises should launch new locations, maintain strategies, policies and adapt to evolving requirements with the support of the right vendor.
7. Remote Deployment and Sufficient Bandwidth
Administrators can save a lot of time and expense by incorporating SD-WAN technology that supports remote deployment. Businesses often ignore and treat bandwidth requirements as a secondary option. Choose a vendor that satisfies your project needs and has the capacity to handle your company’s upcoming service offerings when considering SD-WAN deployment. Some of your sites may require more bandwidth than the others. An ideal SD-WAN provider will address your current bandwidth requirements and ensure that your future needs are also met.
8. Cost Effective Deployment
An ideal SD-WAN eliminates several traditional hardware setups, making it a more feasible option. It offers enhanced control over network management and optimizes capital expenditures (CAPEX) while vastly reducing operating expenditures (OPEX). Prices for an efficient, business-friendly, and secure SD-WAN system will differ from vendor to vendor. They will also vary according to the functionalities offered, the services provided, and the technologies incorporated. Business owners can evaluate their requirements and set cost budgets accordingly.
9. Managed Services and Methodologies
SD-WAN providers offer services such as support facilities, troubleshooting options, and complex analyses. These managed services should primarily align with your business requirements and goals. CelerityX offers managed SD-WAN services through our OneX product, which offers everything an organization might require to strengthen their network infrastructure at a cost-efficient budget. SD-WAN providers should also address progressive, timely updates, threat detection policies, and customer support issues. It is important to select an extensive Service Level Agreement (SLA) that ensures performance measurements, covers offered services and handles responsibilities that are properly documented. A structured methodology includes well-designed integration policies to minimize network disruption and ensure quick issue response. Advanced technology tools like AI-ML should also be adapted to handle large datasets and manage alerts.
10. Improved Traffic Prioritization and Transport
While operating with transport independence, an SD-WAN should offer solutions that synchronize tunnel traffic over diverse transport types. The methodology eliminates the need for several physical channels, reducing costs and enhancing performance with reduced latency. It also allows easy network integration to enable enhanced bandwidth and connectivity. SD-WAN uses real-time route selection and traffic balancing to enable data flow across several connections. It can use MPLS, cellular networks or broadband services with 4G and 5G network connections.
The Bottom Line,
Selecting the right vendors is crucial for businesses aiming to upscale their services. SD-WAN technology offers numerous benefits, significantly improving application performance for both the business and its customers.
Adopting a thoughtful and strategic approach is essential when choosing the appropriate SD-WAN network. Network managers and decision-makers should diligently research providers based on the mentioned factors, as a thorough evaluation can greatly enhance your company’s growth and progress.
While finding a reliable SD-WAN vendor may seem tedious, CelerityX simplifies this process with NetX, India’s first network lifecycle management platform. We help you achieve your business objectives, whether it’s reducing operational costs or enhancing network and application performance.
Connect with us at contactus@celerityx.com or schedule a demo
