SD-WAN Simplified: Using SD-WAN to Improve Network Performance

Adding Circuits and Using SD-WAN Can Improve Network Performance

Author: Anonym/Tuesday, February 5, 2019/Categories: Data Services

Businesses of any size, across industry lines, can benefit from using Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) with more than one circuit. SD-WAN provides increased visibility, flexibility, scalability, security, application quality of service (QOS), and more.

When you use SD-WAN with more than one circuit and add LTE, your entire organization can benefit. If your organization is only using a single circuit today, consider how additional circuits can enhance your network reliability, bandwidth, and performance.

Benefits of Adding SD-WAN with More Than One Circuit
There are many potential benefits of adding circuits:

  • Make Your Network “Failure-Proof.” For companies that use a single circuit, an outage on that circuit can create headaches and customer service problems. Using multiple circuits with network diversity takes your network to the next level. In theory, your network will be failure-proof, as failure would require failure of all of the circuits at the same time.
  • Dynamic Application-Based Steering. Using multiple circuits also allows for dynamic application steering. Applications are not tied to a specific link or circuit with this configuration. Instead, application traffic is steered automatically to the best link. This process is dynamic and automated, and links are continuously monitored. This is a significant improvement over single-circuit solutions, because there are effectively four channels for network traffic: Up and down on the first circuit and up and down on the second circuit. This is a powerful enhancement that can provide marked performance improvements.
  • Flexibility. Using more than one circuit provides the added flexibility your organization needs, while working within your budgetary constraints. For example, you can use a lower-priced broadband solution with LTE, and use different fiber feeds or networks to create and increase network diversity.
  • Link Aggregation. Organizations that use more than one circuit also benefit from link aggregation, with single flows for both links. Here’s an example of link aggregation in practice: When someone on the network needs to upload a large file, SD-WAN with two circuits aggregates bandwidth, automatically and dynamically checking other applications and performing link aggregation across multiple links. This is effectively multiplexing data, decreasing the demand and strain on your network.
  • Power and CPE Redundancy. Multiple circuits also create power redundancy and customer premise equipment (CPE) redundancies for organizations. With two circuits, there is greater network availability and increased reliability, helping ensure your business can keep up with its network demands.
    These features are in addition to other benefits of using SD-WAN, including jitter buffers, forward error correction, and packet duplication.

Determining Your Organization’s Needs
When deciding whether to add additional circuits, consider your needs and your budget. Ask yourself these questions:

  1. What do you want to accomplish? Are you looking to improve network performance and stability?
  2. How many circuits do you need?
  3. What is your budget?
  4. What options are available?
  5. Can you/should you combine inexpensive broadband with LTE?
     

If your organization has experienced network performance issues in the past because you used a single-circuit configuration or simply don’t have enough bandwidth to operate effectively, it may be time to explore how additional circuits with SD-WAN can increase bandwidth while improving network performance, reliability, and availability.

Consolidated Communications offers cost-effective broadband and business communications solutions designed to provide the network diversity, flexibility, and stability busy organizations need. To learn more, contact us today.
 
Source:
https://www.sd-wan-experts.com/blog/calculate-network-availability-multiple-wan-circuits/

Resources:

E-Book- SD-WAN for Dummies

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