SD-WAN may not be new terminology in today’s world, but it has definitely evolved alongside other technologies in modern networking. Moreover, the same can be said about SD-WAN migration, as it’s often integrated within Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) frameworks.
Overall, it should be treated as a layered strategy, not just a simple plug-and-play replacement for traditional MPLS. It’s about focusing on how SD-WAN fits into your secure networking stack and modern traffic patterns. Before you get into a migration, there are four crucial angles to consider to guarantee a successful, long-term SD-WAN deployment.
Considering SD WAN Challenges With Migration
SD-WAN migration involves complex network security design, with many companies dealing with legacy MPLS, branch sites, and cloud-based workloads. Whether you’re handling it in-house or with the help of managed services, overlooking the infrastructure aspect of this can lead to plenty of disruptions.
Here are a few known challenges to consider before you decide to migrate:
- Security consistency across all locations, cloud services, and remote endpoints is a must
- Always assess firewalls, segmentation, zero-trust policies, and compliance requirements before migrating
- Coordinate IT teams, vendors, and relevant business units for a smooth deployment
- Proper training and monitoring are a requirement to guarantee teams can manage the new SD-WAN environment
Avoiding unnecessary trial and error means being prepared before you even consider a migration. Overall, you can avoid potential pitfalls here by considering four crucial aspects to successful migration.
1. Mapping Branch, Edge, and Cloud Connectivity
Before anything else, focus on creating a full inventory of your network. This includes angles like branch offices, edge devices, WAN security protocols, cloud workloads, and remote users. On top of that, map all applications as well. Whether this is on-premises or cloud-based, this is an important step to understand dependencies and traffic patterns.
It also helps to be thorough in identifying critical network requirements, such as availability, latency, and packet loss for each location and application. Not only should you put a detailed network diagram together, but you should factor in regulatory standards that are relevant to your operation as well. Always plan for future growth to guarantee your SD-WAN solution can scale.
2. Planning Your SD-WAN Rollout
You’ll want to decide between either a full migration or a phased roll-out of WAN services based on business needs. Network complexity should be a consideration in this as well. Phased migrations work well for multi-transport WAN services, such as fiber, broadband, and the likes of 5G/LTE connections.
With hybrid WAN environments, SD-WAN services can coexist with existing network connections during the transition. To maintain compliance and protection throughout all of this, you can make use of firewall consolidation and cloud security. A gradual SD-WAN rollout helps with cost savings, as well as resource allocation, supporting a seamless digital transformation.
3. Dedicated Internet Access for Reliable SD-WAN Performance
Another angle to think about is ISP coordination, and this is something you’ll want to have settled early on. It’s an important step to avoid delays across branch offices and remote locations, and you can’t forget about accounting for ISP lead times.
To help minimize downtime, you can implement last-mile redundancy in addition to carrier diversity strategies. You can’t forget about DIA provisioning either, as this needs to be aligned with high availability, uptime SLAs, and any business continuity requirements. Although there are many important steps to take here, it’s equally important to consider the potential effect on the end user.
4. Consider the End User
Throughout the SD-WAN migration, you’ll always want to keep the end-user experience and application performance in mind. To help detect potential issues early from this angle, it helps to monitor apps and track QoE and QoS metrics. In the same vein, anticipating and planning for downtime can do wonders for minimizing workflow disruptions.
End users can include the likes of remote users, BYOD devices, branch offices, and more. Adding on to these measures, incorporating Zero Trust Network Access as a part of a secure network architecture is a great way to maintain reliable connectivity. Reducing friction throughout all of this also considers proper training and communication to staff, which translates into positive results for the end user.
Streamlining IT Operations With Successful SD-WAN Migration
After a successful SD-WAN migration, you’re back to reaping the benefits. This includes reduced overhead for IT management, as well as centralized visibility across branch, edge, and cloud networks.
Other notable upsides to a successful migration include:
- Automation and orchestration to streamline routine tasks like configuration updates and policy deployment
- Centralized policy enforcement for consistent security and compliance across every location
- Faster incident response and reduced mean time to resolution
- Operational efficiency provides IT teams with what they need to focus on more strategic initiatives, improving secure network architecture
It doesn’t have to be an overly complicated process, but a successful migration does come with a few important steps. Without these considerations, you could end up dealing with quite a few setbacks overall.
The Final Word
SD-WAN migration should be treated as a strategic initiative. Taking a full inventory of all connections, application dependencies, and compliance requirements is vital. Coupling this with a careful rollout plan is how you support both internal operations and the end user experience.
Part of what’s great about modern migration is you don’t have to handle it all by yourself. Through the right tech solutions and professional services, you can have a lot more expertise on deck when you need it most. Come have a chat with our team at Firewalls.com to learn how you can leverage our industry expertise to make SD-WAN migration a breeze from start to finish.
FAQ
What is SD-WAN and Why is it Important for Modern Networks?
SD-WAN simplifies and centralizes network management, while improving performance, security, and scalability. It’s especially valuable for businesses with cloud workloads, remote users, and hybrid WAN environments.
How Should Businesses Plan Their SD-WAN Migration?
Companies should treat migration as a strategic and layered process. This includes taking a full stock of branches, edge devices, cloud workload, and any associated applications. Moreover, planning phased rollouts, hybrid WAN configurations, and compliance requirements is how you guarantee a smooth and cost-effective deployment.
Why is Dedicated Internet Access Important for SD-WAN?
Early provisioning of DIA, whether fiber, broadband, or wireless, ensures high availability as well as minimal downtime. When you incorporate redundancy and carrier diversity, you can maintain uptime and support business continuity throughout migration.
How Does SD-WAN Affect End Users?
SD-WAN improves application performance and network access for remote users. The same goes for things like BYOD devices and branch offices.
What Operational Benefits Does SD-WAN Provide for IT Teams?
SD-WAN centralizes management while reducing manual overhead for IT teams. It can also offer support with automation for routine tasks. IT teams benefit from faster incident response, consistent policy enforcement, and the ability to focus on tasks relevant to improving network performance and security.
