Silver Peak has outlined its vision for augmenting or replacing multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) networks with enterprise-grade broadband WANs.
In addressing the demand of enterprises and service providers to leverage the Internet, the tech giant aims to better deliver solutions that enable customers to use the most cost-effective connectivity available, enable fast, automated set-up, and the ability to make the Internet perform like a private network.
“Early conversations around leveraging the Internet for the WAN have focused primarily on the ability to use multiple forms of connectivity and zero touch provisioning,” says David Hughes, founder and CEO, Silver Peak.
“We do not believe that is enough. Despite the mounting frustration with MPLS connectivity costs and inflexibility, many customers still do not believe the Internet can provide the security and performance needed for today’s business-critical traffic.
“Our strategy is to deliver solutions that enable broadband WANs and offer point-and-click deployments, but also make the Internet act like a private network. The combination of these features pave the path to ‘thin’ branch offices with reduced need for multiple devices.”
According to leading analyst firm Gartner, most network managers are feeling the pain of an increasingly complicated WAN with costly and time-consuming branch office solutions.
“Emerging software-defined WAN (SD-WAN) solutions enable network managers to simplify the branch office by introducing a central policy manager and replacing complex routing with easily configurable path forwarding,” the report adds.
With more than 2,000 customers, Silver Peak combines experience deploying large scale networks with the ability to deliver broadband WANs (often referred to as SD-WANs), the next disruptive wave of WAN technology.
Hughes says customers, such as Group Dekko, Interroll, and Kingston Technology are already using Silver Peak to leverage broadband Internet connectivity to improve their businesses and begin the journey toward a thin branch.
Partners such as Alexander Open Systems, AmeriNet, Exclusive Networks, Proact, Response Data Communications, and Transact are also looking to leverage the new Silver Peak Unity EdgeConnect solution to meet their customers’ requirements for moving to a broadband WAN.
“Through all the hype around SD-WANs, three core principles are clear,” Hughes adds. “To build a new enterprise-grade broadband WAN, you must create a secure overlay network that can leverage multiple types of connectivity.
“You also must be able to see and control all applications, and you need to give users consistent and reliable performance. If done correctly, over time customers can begin to reduce the amount of infrastructure needed to support branch locations.”
