ChannelVision Channel Manager's Playbook: Volume 4

customer premises that are controlled centrally. SD-

WAN solutions can detect and compensate for issues

such as packet loss and latency, but its decisions are

made by intelligence on the edge. It can automatically

choose the best path among all available paths, and if a

connection is showing packet loss, jitter or delay, it can

choose another path or avoid that one altogether. That’s

not the same as ensuring quality of service across the

entire route on a best-effort-based broadband link. So

it’s likely corporate network managers will choose to

keep a MPLS link in parallel with their broadband for

more-sensitive, real-time traffic (voice, video), as many

SD-WAN providers recommend.

Of course, there is still the opportunity to lower

overall cost of network ownership through better uti-

lization of resources. So it would be wise for network

pros to understand the benefits of increased flexibility,

simplified management and improved security that

SD-WAN solutions afford. As networks sprawl across

multiple data links, devices and remote employees, it’s

no surprise there is exciting about a development that

centralizes network control and operations.

All the while, SD-WAN certainly can, and will, lower

the dependency on a given access technology and, one

could argue, “private” links in general. Buyers will likely

use it that way. We’re just not so sure, as yet, that SD-

WAN replaces the need for any of them.

(Continued from page 22)

A public service message from the U.S. General Services Administration.

USA.gov is your official source for federal, state and local government

information. From Social Security to product recalls, it’s the place to find

the info you need. And now you can also share your ideas and opinions

with your government. To make your total government connection,

visit

Equals total government connecting.

PLUS

PART

INFO

GETTING

PART

IDEA

SHARING

6. 875 in.

THE CHANNEL MANAGER’S

PLAYBOOK