How to Plan for SD-WAN

Implementing SD-WAN, however, is not a one-size-fits-all process. It requires careful consideration, planning, and execution to ensure that the solution aligns with the specific needs of your organization. This guide will walk you through the three critical steps in planning for SD-WAN deployment: Evaluate, Decide, and Verify.

1. Evaluate: Understanding Your Current Network and Bandwidth Needs

The first step in planning for SD-WAN implementation is a thorough evaluation of your current network infrastructure. This involves analyzing the bandwidth options available at each of your organization's locations. Understanding your existing network's performance, strengths, and weaknesses is essential to determining what you need from an SD-WAN solution.

Key Considerations:

• Bandwidth Requirements: Different locations may have varying bandwidth needs depending on the size of the user base, the nature of the work conducted, and the types of applications used. For instance, a branch office focused on video conferencing and large file transfers will require significantly more bandwidth than a location primarily handling email and basic web browsing.

• Latency and Jitter: Assess the current latency and jitter levels within your network. High latency can cause delays in data transmission, while jitter can disrupt the quality of real-time communications such as VoIP and video conferencing. An SD-WAN solution should address these issues by optimizing the routing of traffic.

• Existing Infrastructure: Consider the current hardware and software in use. Are your routers, firewalls, and other network components up to date? Will they integrate smoothly with an SD-WAN solution, or will upgrades be necessary?

• Network Security: Evaluate your current security posture. SD-WAN inherently offers improved security features, but understanding your existing vulnerabilities will help you select the right solution that complements or enhances your current security measures.

This evaluation phase is crucial for establishing a baseline understanding of your network's needs and identifying any gaps or challenges that the SD-WAN solution must address.

2. Decide: Choosing the Right SD-WAN and/or SASE Solution

Once you have a clear understanding of your network's current state, the next step is to choose the right SD-WAN and/or Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) solution that meets your organization's needs. SD-WAN and SASE are not mutually exclusive; in fact, they are often deployed together to provide a comprehensive networking and security solution.

Key Factors in Making Your Decision:

• Vendor Selection: The SD-WAN market is saturated with vendors offering a variety of solutions, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Consider factors such as the vendor's reputation, customer support, scalability of the solution, and ease of deployment. Look for a vendor that has a proven track record in your industry.

• SASE Integration: If your organization prioritizes security, SASE—which combines SD-WAN with comprehensive security features like secure web gateways, cloud access security brokers, and zero trust network access—might be the right choice. SASE enables secure and optimized access to applications, whether they are on-premises or in the cloud.

• Cost Efficiency: One of the major advantages of SD-WAN is its potential to reduce operational costs by leveraging cheaper broadband connections instead of expensive MPLS links. However, it's important to conduct a cost-benefit analysis to ensure that the solution you choose delivers the expected ROI.

• Customization and Flexibility: Every organization has unique requirements. Ensure that the SD-WAN solution you select can be tailored to your specific needs, whether that involves specialized routing protocols, application prioritization, or particular security features.

• Future-Proofing: Consider the future growth of your organization. The SD-WAN solution should be scalable and flexible enough to accommodate new locations, increased traffic, and evolving security threats.

Making the right decision here will set the foundation for a successful SD-WAN deployment, ensuring that your network can handle current and future demands while maintaining high levels of performance and security.

3. Verify: Ensuring Compatibility and Effectiveness

The final step in planning for SD-WAN is to verify that the chosen solution will integrate seamlessly with your existing network and meet your operational requirements. This step involves rigorous testing and validation to ensure that the SD-WAN solution delivers on its promises.

Verification Process:

• Compatibility Testing: Before full-scale deployment, test the SD-WAN solution in a controlled environment to ensure it is compatible with your existing routing protocols, network hardware, and security systems. This testing phase should identify any potential issues that could disrupt network performance.

• Performance Monitoring: Implement a monitoring system to track the performance of the SD-WAN solution during the testing phase. Key performance indicators (KPIs) such as network uptime, latency, throughput, and packet loss should be closely monitored. Compare these metrics against your current network performance to evaluate improvements.

• Security Validation: Verify that the SD-WAN solution enhances your network's security posture without introducing new vulnerabilities. This may involve conducting penetration tests, reviewing security logs, and ensuring that security policies are enforced consistently across all locations.

• User Feedback: Gather feedback from end-users who are part of the testing phase. Their insights into the usability and performance of the new system can provide valuable information that might not be apparent through technical testing alone.

• Rollback Plan: Always have a rollback plan in place. If the SD-WAN solution does not perform as expected or causes unforeseen issues, you should be able to revert to your previous network configuration with minimal disruption to operations.

Verification is the critical final step that ensures your SD-WAN deployment will be successful. By thoroughly testing and validating the solution, you can mitigate risks and confidently move forward with full-scale implementation.

Conclusion

Planning for SD-WAN implementation is a multifaceted process that requires careful evaluation, decision-making, and verification. By following these three steps—Evaluate, Decide, and Verify—you can ensure that your organization selects the right SD-WAN or SASE solution, integrates it effectively with your existing infrastructure, and reaps the full benefits of this transformative technology.

SD-WAN not only provides enhanced network performance and security but also positions your organization for future growth and success in an increasingly digital and connected world. Whether you are upgrading an existing network or building a new one, a well-planned SD-WAN deployment will provide the agility, reliability, and security your business needs to thrive.