ChannelVision Playbook Volume 7

Virtual realities The SD-WAN implementation fo- cused on a hybrid SD-WAN that was combined with a UCaaS that gave high-quality voice service based on how the SD-WAN was tuned to priori- tize voice calls. The SD-WAN also was designed to dynamically route traffic in a way that balanced operational costs for various types of bandwidth with the goal of providing uniform service to each of the company’s sites. Personnel Services A professional services company in the human resources and employment services field with dozens of North American offices that were connected with a legacy VPN-based system dependent on routing equipment that was obsolete needed an SD-WAN upgrade. Based on an analysis of its network infrastructure and how its business needs were evolving, we identified the following key criteria for the SD-WAN strategy: 1. Eliminate expensive MPLS loop costs that were contributing to the cost of the legacy WAN; 2. Move away from costly data cen- ter infrastructure that housed the antiquated routing equipment as the heart of the old system; 3. Provide centralized management of the network that enabled the company to more efficiently man- age its use; and 4. Optimize the network’s design to support key needs such as video collaboration, voice communica- tions and file sharing. The resulting implementation was a standalone SD-WAN implemen- tation with architecture designed around broadband/broadband loops and cellular wireless networks. This customer also needed help with the ongoing management of its network traffic to free up its team for other IT responsibilities. Three companies, three dramati- cally different SD-WAN strategies and implementations. A one-size-fits-all approach would have been a terrible fit for all of these organizations. Your customers know their com- pany is not a carbon copy of the mid- sized business down the street. They are unique, and their SD-WAN needs to be unique as well, otherwise it won’t come close to meeting their needs. By educating customers about the dangers of oversimplifying SD-WAN – with the help of the right language and the right examples – you will position yourself as the straight talker that isn’t just trying to sell them a solution in a box. You are trying to save them from a common mistake that will be costlier in the long-run. Ideally, an SD-WAN implementation begins with a com- prehensive review of the company’s technology needs and business strat- egy, a detailed discussion of where the company is headed in the future, and development of an SD-WAN plan that is tailored to the customer. It’s the kind of process that requires a reseller that is a true partner, and educating cus- tomers about all of this will differentiate your company from every other firm trying to prey on the customer’s desire for this to be a matter of a few clicks rather than a discussion. Simple makes sense for bread and a lovely berry dessert. But SD-WAN is complex enough to require a trusted partner to steer the process, and the provider that tells the truth and invests the time to educate customers will be the one who earns their trust and their business. That’s the simple truth, and simple truths are better than good – better than great, actually. o Yulia Duryea is director of product management for Windstream’s En- terprise Business Unit where she is the product lead over the Enterprise WAN and Managed Services port- folio. She is Windstream’s resident thought leader and technologist for SD-WAN solutions. Channel Vision | July - August, 2017 24 Learn about LANtelligen ce’s Partner Program at agents.lantelligence.com LANtelligence Inc., The Master Solution Provider channelvision@bekapublishing.com 480-503-0770 4 ChannelVision Magazine / Print, Flip Book & Digital 4 Webinars 4 Lead Gen 4 Blogs / Content Writing 4 Comp ny Profiles / Q&A 4 Sponsorships: Ne wsletters, Playbooks & Digital Books 4 CVx Shows 4 VSA Awards 4 Online Banners 4 White Papers 4 Show Dailies & Show Guides (WISPA & INCOMPAS) 43,000+ EMAIL BLAST WITH PROVEN ROI Acquire leads, drive visitors to your sites and social media, convert buyers with ChannelVision’s email marketing platform . Performance stats available. ADDITIONAL BEKA SERVICES RATES P lus 3 Blasts $700ea $2,100 B ronze 6 Blasts $500ea $3,000 s ilver 12 Blasts $350ea $4,200 G old 24 Blasts $300ea $7,200 P latinum 52 Blasts $225ea $11,700 23 THE CHANNEL MANAGER’S PLAYBOOK