Cisco SD-WAN (Viptela) Product Overview
Introduction
Cisco SD-WAN, powered by Viptela technology, is an advanced Software-Defined Wide Area Networking (SD-WAN) solution designed to transform traditional WAN architectures into intelligent, secure, and highly scalable networks. This solution is tailored for enterprises undergoing digital and cloud transformations, offering a robust and flexible framework to manage complex network environments.
Key Features and Functionality
Multi-Layer Architecture
Cisco SD-WAN is built on a multi-layer architecture that includes:
- Orchestration Layer: Managed by the vBond orchestrator, this layer handles the initial authentication and onboarding of SD-WAN devices, facilitates NAT traversal, and distributes lists of vSmart and vManage controllers to vEdge routers.
- Management Plane: Centralized configuration and monitoring are managed through the vManage orchestrator, which provides a unified interface for administrators to configure, monitor, and troubleshoot the entire SD-WAN deployment.
- Control Plane: The vSmart controllers build and maintain the network topology and make decisions on traffic flows. This plane is crucial for intelligent routing and network optimization.
- Data Plane: The vEdge routers, available in physical or virtual form factors, are responsible for forwarding data traffic based on decisions made by the control plane. They support various transport types, including MPLS, broadband, and 4G/5G connectivity.
Security Integration
Cisco SD-WAN incorporates robust security features, including integrated firewalls, encryption, and threat intelligence integration. This ensures a secure network environment and protects data in transit across the WAN, enhancing overall network security.
Application-Aware Routing
The solution features intelligent path selection and application-aware routing, which dynamically selects the most efficient path for traffic based on application requirements. This improves bandwidth utilization, reduces latency, and enhances the overall quality of experience for critical applications.
Centralized Management and Orchestration
vManage provides a centralized management interface, enabling administrators to easily configure, monitor, and troubleshoot the entire SD-WAN deployment. This centralization enhances visibility, simplifies network operations, and reduces change control and deployment times.
Cloud Connectivity and Interoperability
Cisco SD-WAN supports direct internet access (DIA), interconnection of multiple clouds, and Cloud OnRamp capabilities. This allows for seamless integration with cloud services and ensures that the network can adapt to the evolving needs of cloud-based applications.
Advanced Analytics and Troubleshooting
The solution includes capabilities for collecting and analyzing data on WAN links, application performance, network traffic, bandwidth usage, QoS policies, and device health. This data is crucial for troubleshooting and ensuring service level agreement (SLA) compliance.
Flexibility and Scalability
Cisco SD-WAN supports hybrid networks with multiple underlay transports, including MPLS, broadband, and wireless (4G/5G). It allows for traffic segmentation and various topologies, ensuring flexibility and the ability to sustain failover scenarios.
Benefits
- Operational Simplicity: Centralized network and policy management reduce complexity and deployment times.
- Cost Optimization: The ability to use a mix of MPLS and low-cost broadband transports optimizes capacity and reduces bandwidth costs.
- Enhanced Security: Integrated security features ensure a secure network environment.
- Improved Performance: Application-aware routing and intelligent path selection enhance application performance and overall network efficiency.
- Scalability: The solution is highly scalable, supporting large-scale networks and cloud transformations.
In summary, Cisco SD-WAN powered by Viptela is a comprehensive solution that integrates routing, security, centralized policy management, and orchestration, making it an ideal choice for enterprises seeking to modernize and optimize their WAN infrastructure.