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WHITE PAPER

SD-WAN: A New Approach to Network Management

Learn how SD-WAN can lower costs by increasing bandwidth to enable virtual workers, make your network smarter and optimize assets already in place.

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  4. The Software Defined WAN

Smart Routing, Agile Networks and Optimized Performance

Administrators are finding they no longer have total visibility into key performance metrics and analytics as many of their on-premises network monitoring tools do not transfer to the cloud. SD-WAN technology simplifies the management and operation of a WAN by decoupling the physical network hardware from its control mechanisms.

In our white paper, The Software-Defined-WAN: A Technology Whose Time Has Come, you’ll learn about why your business needs SD-WAN, how to tell when you’re ready for it and some tips for optimal implementation.

SD-WAN

Will SD-WAN adoption lead to cost savings?

SD-WAN decreases the number of physical components that need to be bought and replaced on a regular basis. It eliminates the need for expensive routers and firewalls and allows for better bandwidth management. Better bandwidth means there is an option for more virtual worker positions, which decreases the cost of office space and ongoing operational expenses. Many SD-WAN options also supply better bandwidth at a lower cost.

Even if you have a robust IT department, they will have to spend weeks learning the technology and purchasing the right equipment and licenses for each branch location. Then they will need to either have spare appliances in case an appliance fails or wait for an appliance to break and hope they can buy a replacement on Amazon, which can lead to downtime. Either option means that time and money are wasted while unnecessarily stretching the competencies and responsibilities of the IT staff.

With an IP as your partner, after an initial consultation, the ISP recommends the proper hardware and software. They architect the deployment, installs the equipment and activates the necessary licenses. Bandwidth can be scaled up or down as needed. All the appliances are owned by the ISP who is responsible for maintaining them and replacing any equipment that fails. The ISP is also responsible for dealing with hardware refreshes, software and security updates and disaster recovery operations. You avoid the expense of owning and maintaining the equipment and don’t need to pay the salaries of highly skilled network engineers to manage it.

You have your own robust infrastructure in place and lots of experience managing your network environment. You can choose to offload pieces of network management to the ISP such as security threat detection or provisioning smaller remote locations through SD-WAN and cloud management. Most ISPs are also ready to support large enterprises at any level, from helping monitor a few fringe locations to taking on the entire SD-WAN deployment and management responsibility. You choose what level of partnership is right for you.

You may have several regional locations with some internal IT capabilities to monitor and manage your network once it’s up and running, but don’t have the competencies or manpower to deploy the SD-WAN. An ISP can help define goals, design the SD-WAN and select and install the hardware. In addition, you may be evolving, so you are better served by leasing rather than owning the equipment, which allows your financial resources to be used in other areas of expansion. An ISP can help you build a more flexible SD-WAN architecture that allows you to expand the WAN cost effectively while maintaining your focus on growing your business.

You may only have one or two locations and a few mobile employees. You may not need to know how or why SD-WAN works, just that it does, and that it’s fixed when it doesn’t. ISPs can perform an assessment and design an end-to-end SD-WAN solution, provide all leased equipment and licenses and can even provide a contract for help desk resources as needed, all in an affordable monthly retainer.

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Partnering to Solve Your Complexities

Astound Business meets you where you are and how you want to communicate. We're focused on taking out friction points and delivering solutions that scale.

Listening & Discovery

Understanding the key issues that need to be solved is first, we won’t sell you a fixed set of products. We listen and provide a diversity of connectivity solutions aligned to your specific business. Up front, our experts learn how your business works, to uncover how things could be done differently to find efficiencies and new profit centers. Getting the pulse of our clients, then right-fitting solutions and delivering on time is how we operate.

Solution Planning & Design

Meeting your needs where you are, technical experts provide unique solutions by creating a project plan that covers scope, timing, cost and execution. A dedicated account team aligns to design a custom network that delivers secure connectivity. From kick-off to site survey to construction and integration — your account manager and solutions engineering team provides comprehensive project management.

Implementation

You’ll receive end-to-end build management from a dedicated account manager and an implementation driven by local experts. We are never bureaucratic. We respect your time, while handling all the details. We offer flexibility in infrastructure and expansion, where others can’t, through dark fiber delivery.

Monitoring & Maintenance

Focused on your connectivity, we care about our own network and are not overextended. Experienced staff are monitoring the infrastructure around the clock to deliver stability, while adhering to SLA metrics. We pick up the phone immediately. Astound’s organizational structure is set up for superior response & support.

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