2020 Programming

Choosing the most appropriate SD-WAN is complex in part because there are over 60 SD-WAN providers and they approach the market in several fundamentally different ways. One difference is that some SD-WAN providers offer a DIY solution while other offer a managed service. All SD-WAN solutions are influenced by the background of the provider; e.g., are they a provider of legacy solution or are they a start-up. Another key distinction is how the providers position their solutions. Do they view the WAN as a stand-alone component of IT? As being tightly linked with security? As being part of a tightly integrated end-to-end virtualized IT infrastructure?

Further complicating the task of choosing an SD-WAN provider is the fact that network organizations differ widely in terms of how they approach analyzing alternative solutions. Some use a highly detailed RFP process, some do relatively little written analysis, and most network organizations use a process that is somewhere between those two extremes.

Some of the key takeaways of this workshop are an understanding of:

• How SD-WAN supports and is influenced by business and tech trends
• The key components of an SD-WAN solution
• The pros and cons of alternative evaluation processes
• The pros and cons of DIY vs. managed solutions
• The value prop of key vendors

In addition, the workshop will discuss questions that network organizations should include in their analysis of any SD-WAN solution, whether they are DIY or Managed. Those questions fall into the following categories:

• Architecture
• Technology
• Security
• Scalability and availability
• Performance
• Provisioning and deployment
• Visibility and management
• Cost

The workshop will discuss also discuss the following categories of questions that are unique to providers of managed services:

• Services provided
• SLAs
• Management and operations
• Roles and responsibilities
• Cost structure