What is Cloud WAN?

Cloud WAN is a cloud-based WAN solution that encompasses several cloud computing and storage services within a single network architecture.

Cloud WAN Advances Enterprise Connectivity

The rapid adoption of multi-cloud and SaaS applications results from enterprises meeting the demands of a modern workforce.

To support these demands for greater application agility, enterprises are increasingly deploying diverse connections, like Internet broadband, wireless 4G, and LTE, and managing them through SD-WAN.

When branch office and mobile workers access cloud apps, they need agile, secure, and reliable direct connectivity. To provide access to the apps, enterprises use cloud WANs to take advantage of lower-cost aggregated connections, as well as cloud-managed network and security functions. This simplifies their operations, maintains a "light" branch IT footprint, and reduces bandwidth and operational costs.

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Cloud WAN Issues and Challenges

Cloud WAN is a distributed computing architecture that consists of cloud assets, software, applications, and more across several cloud environments.

Enterprises using cloud WAN face reliability and performance challenges. To achieve superior performance, they need dynamic bandwidth provisioning and traffic steering, and the ability to prioritize traffic based on business policies. They also need robust security that is embedded in every aspect of the connectivity model.

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Cloud WAN Elasticity to Scale

When deploying a cloud WAN using SD-WAN with an NFV-based model, network capacity can dynamically scale up or down without having to replace or add additional proprietary hardware. Branch bandwidth can be doubled in minutes, either automatically or using commands from the central provisioning portal, with no truck roll or appliance swap-out. In the event a branch needs more capacity due to a network traffic spike, the cloud SD-WAN can automatically scale up to meet the demand. When the network spike subsides, the SD-WAN will scale down as needed, making cloud-based SD-WAN a flexible solution for any business.

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Why SD-WAN is Ideal for Cloud Monitoring

SD-WAN is the ideal solution for deploying, managing, and monitoring cloud WAN. Delivering network and security services within a cloud WAN (or cloud network) enables IT to support the underlying network functions using a cloud-native software overlay. This provides a connection agnostic architecture and eliminates the complex, tedious, and often error-prone manual configurations required for each single-function network and security hardware appliance with traditional networks.

An SD-WAN managed cloud WAN supports virtually any type of location, such as branch offices, pop-up retail shops, and temporary trailers for construction sites. Zero-touch deployment allows network administrators to quickly and cost-effectively deploy secure and reliable WAN connectivity to these sites while maintaining business policies from a central orchestrator, all without needing technical resources at the remote locations.

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Flexible, Distributed Service Architecture

With NFV, service providers and large enterprises have the capability and flexibility to decide where to deploy and run each layer of network or security function – either on-premises in the branch office or centrally through the data center or at a provider’s point-of-presence (PoP).

For example, compute-intensive services such as anti-virus and IPS can run centrally, while services that are key in the branch, like application identification, SD-WAN, routing, and firewall can be run locally. Also, Versa SD-WAN can integrate critical network services using service chain definitions that include both local and remote functions, depending on the business need.

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Moving to the Cloud Requires Secure SD-WAN

A Secure SD-WAN architecture is a cloud-native, multi-tenant, multi-service software platform, with primary components that include routing, SD-WAN, and multi-layered security functions.

Versa Secure SD-WAN securely and reliably extends branch office connectivity to private and public clouds. Versa Secure SD-WAN allows SLA monitoring and SD-WAN policy management to support multi-cloud and SaaS workloads so that enterprises can apply contextualized user criteria to automatically direct traffic across the right paths.

Versa's unique multi-tenant architecture enables MSPs and large enterprises to support multi-clouds, using a single Versa VOS™ (formerly FlexVNF) instance. This architecture will support multi-cloud connectivity, multiple customers, departments, or line of business all while maintaining complete routing and management separation between users, classes of traffic, and variable endpoints.

Versa's embedded multi-layered security supports cloud WAN by providing a secure approach to deploying and managing multi-clouds.

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Centralized, Automated Cloud WAN Operations

A software-defined and NFV-based approach to cloud WAN simplifies provisioning of SD-WAN equipment and delivers network and security services from a single point of control, avoiding the need for technical personnel on-site to deploy and configure the solution. Instead, SD-WAN services can be deployed (bandwidth and service capacity increased or enhanced with additional functions automatically) all without requiring any on-site presence, hardware refreshes, or manual interaction.

Additionally, if a branch site(s) requires a unique set of network or security functions, the branch can be serviced individually and automatically from a single management portal. The management portal needs to able to configure role-based administration for flexible configuration and ongoing policy management.

Cloud WAN FAQ

A Cloud WAN comprises the following components:

  • Cloud WAN provider

    A cloud service provider that offers not only traditional cloud-based services such as applications, platforms, storage, infrastructure and more, but additionally offers networking services that leverage cloud infrastructure as the core and WAN components of your enterprise network.

  • Single unified policy control point

    Automatically propagates a single configured policy to your entire network, on-premises and cloud-based.

  • Management dashboard

    A single point to manage, configure and monitor your enterprise network including all cloud components. It allows you to define all regions and segments, connectivity, routing, capacity, core network, gateways, access control and applications. The dashboard shows all physical and logical topologies, and centralizes all monitoring and events across the WAN and the cloud(s).

  • Site interconnection

    A way to easily interconnect all on-premises sites and branch offices with the Cloud WAN infrastructure.

There are several key considerations when looking to deploy a Cloud WAN:

  • Selection of a suitable Cloud WAN provider with the global footprint, security protection and connectivity your enterprise requires.
  • Management dashboard capabilities that fit into your IT strategy.
  • An advantageous Cloud WAN consumption-based pricing model.
  • Features, security and flexibility offered by the Cloud WAN provider that meet your enterprise security and compliance needs.
  • Flexibility to meet the global needs of your mobile workforce and customer base.

Data security in the cloud protects data at rest (storage), data in motion (transmission), and data in use (user access or application processing) to prevent data leakage, compromise and exfiltration. Security is often a deciding factor when choosing a cloud provider. Versa SASE and Secure SD-WAN technologies ensure encryption and protection of data in all states. Inquire about what technologies your prospective Cloud WAN provider uses.

A Cloud-first WAN implies an architecture that considers multicloud integration, access, and operational simplicity, to optimize cloud performance and end-user experience.

A Cloud WAN is a cloud-based WAN solution that encompasses several cloud computing, storage and networking services within a single network architecture.

  • Cloud WAN offers application and networking services delivered in a consumption-based, as-a-service model.
  • Allows the enterprise to focus on cloud application performance and user experience, rather than managing the connectivity between on-premise sites and cloud(s).
  • Allows visibility into the entire network, on-premises and cloud.
  • Provides easy and flexible global presence.
  • Accommodates fluctuating workforce and capacity needs.
  • Alleviates network maintenance needs as the network core and WAN segments leverage the Cloud WAN provider’s own core and WAN to service the needs of your network.