Versa Networks WAN Edge Infrastructure Transformation
WAN edge infrastructure enables organizations to achieve network connectivity from distributed enterprise locations.
By doing so, organizations can now access resources in both private and public data centers as well as cloud (as a service). In the past, WAN edge involved dedicated routers, security, and WAN optimization appliances that introduced complexity and cost. However, due to the changes in requirements of a modern enterprise, WAN edge infrastructure must now include more advanced functions such as firewalls, SD-WAN, WAN path control, all alongside the traditional features such as routing.
Versa Secure SD-WAN Delivers Fast and Reliable Connections
The new network edge will include edge computing, fast deployment of intelligent high-speed connections, SD-WAN that can provide broader service deliveries in a manner that connects multiple networks and multi-cloud environments.
Network transformation is all about reimagining the data center focused infrastructure to support the integration of new technologies, improve operational efficiency, reduce network complexity, and minimize overall total costs. Versa Secure SD-WAN leads the way for a digital first organization to be able to transform their network edge with secure, scalable, and reliable enterprise-wide networking increasing multi-cloud application performance and dramatically driving down costs.
WAN Edge Infrastructure Use Cases
Versa enables a range of typical WAN Edge use cases including the Software-Defined Branch, Secure SD-WAN, Routing, and Security.
Software-Defined Branch
Versa’s SD-Branch provides the opportunity to manage a broad set of functions in the enterprise branch, including routing, SD-WAN, security and local networking.
Secure SD-WAN
Versa Secure SD-WAN enables organizations to efficiently and cost-effectively deliver an application-intelligent hybrid WAN with path control, analytics, and more.
Security
Versa’s embedded security provides an efficient and dynamic software-based infrastructure to build security features such as next generation firewall, threat management, access control, and more.
Routing
Rejuvenate your existing router service with an improved customer experience through a centrally managed Versa routing platform that improves the agility and performance of your network.
Software-Defined Branch:
Simplify and consolidate multiple functions with Versa’s software-defined branch.
SD-Branch helps companies simplify their branch and WAN infrastructure through consolidating functions such as routing, SD-WAN, firewall, UTM and SaaS optimization into one secure platform. Versa’s SD-Branch network helps businesses reduce cost, while evolving their WAN and branch architecture within the cloud and digital age.
With simplified and unified architecture, Versa helps transform your deployment and management and experience with a self-provision, self-care capability with knowledge across multiple dimensions that fit your business needs. Versa’s SD-Branch solution is ultimately designed to integrate with your existing infrastructure while maintaining operational efficiency and reducing cost.
Challenges with Traditional WAN and Branch Infrastructure
Enterprise networking and security teams often struggle with evolving their WAN and branch office IT architecture to support cloud transition and digital transformation. The requirements for the WAN are multi-fold: including the need to improve user experience when accessing cloud-based applications and resources. In addition, organizations need the visibility, control, and security so they can see users, devices, and applications being accessed.
Organizations expect:
- Increased agility of new site deployments
- Ongoing change management
- Better management of bandwidth requirements
- Simplification of appliance and software sprawl
- Overall reduction of WAN cost and complexity
Reducing Costs and Increasing Security with Versa SD-Branch
Versa Networks enables enterprises to simplify their WAN and branch by consolidating networking and security functions into a single software platform with a broad set of SD-WAN services, instead of deploying multiple hardware appliances and software packages. The Versa SD-Branch solution provides a full set of integrated networking (routing, SD-WAN, Ethernet, Wi-Fi) and security (NG firewall, secure web gateway, AV, IPS) functions running on a low-cost appliance with a single management console.
With this consolidated stack, enterprises can reduce the Capex and Opex of their WAN and branch infrastructure while increasing IT responsiveness to their cloud migration and digital transformation needs. The time required to manage the network is minimized, and branch security and control is significantly strengthened.
Reduced Complexity and Cost
Versa SD-Branch minimizes the complexity of appliance and software sprawl in the branch office using a software-based approach to integrate networking and security functions onto a single platform. Use zero-touch provisioning to deploy a full set of routing, SD-WAN, security and local networking capabilities onto a low-cost appliance without complicated integration or troubleshooting between different devices. All configurations are templated to ensure service interoperability and highly efficient operation.
Capital and operating costs can be reduced up to 80%. Enterprises can significantly reduce WAN costs using Versa SD-WAN deployed over a hybrid network, and provide the performance needed for high bandwidth applications using broadband or LTE. Capex with a Versa SD-Branch is typically much lower, as many hardware-based functions are consolidated onto the Versa VOS software running on a low-cost appliance. Opex is greatly reduced as truck rolls for installation and upgrades are eliminated, hands-on administration and troubleshooting is minimized through single-pane centralized management across all services, and system scalability is assured without hardware refreshes.
Increase IT Agility
Versa SD-Branch enables network and IT teams to remove the limitations that legacy WAN and branch architectures have placed on strategic projects like cloud migration. Versa SD-Branch transforms formerly rigid network and security functions into an agile software-based environment that enables IT to rapidly provision new sites, dynamically add new third-party services, and seamlessly scale capacity.
For example, as an enterprise makes the decision to migrate from traditional Microsoft Office and Exchange servers to Office 365, your IT team can rapidly add direct Internet access and security to each branch office to support faster and lower cost connectivity to the Office 365 cloud. As new branch offices are being opened, deploying the network and security with Versa SD-Branch is as simple as shipping a low-cost appliance, plugging it in, and zero-touch configuring it through Versa Director – no truck rolls or long troubleshooting windows needed.
Better Branch Security
A unique differentiator for Versa SD-Branch is increased security at each branch office. Many enterprise branch offices do not have proper security in place even adhering to the strict policies recommended by modern firewalls. The addition of SD-WAN and direct Internet access (DIA) only increases security risks, as the branch is now directly exposed to outside Internet threats.
Versa SD-Branch provides a wide set of advanced security functions that deliver layered protection and access control. Each Versa security function is service-chained and all the networking functions, provisioning, policy setting, and operations are far simpler than using piecemeal, standalone security devices or software packages. By combining your SD-branch solution with robust security, you can achieve a consistent and secure application-level protection that can all be visible and controlled through a single pane of glass.
Secure SD-WAN:
Consolidate networking with security in the complete WAN edge solution.
Versa Secure SD-WAN delivers differentiated service across enterprise, service provider, mid-market and small-medium businesses. Versa Secure SD-WAN combines full multi-tenancy, multiple deployment options, zero-touch provisioning and a broad set of security functions.
Versa Secure SD-WAN was built from the ground up as a complete integration of best-of-breed comprehensive security, scalable advanced routing, full-featured SD-WAN, genuine multi-tenancy, and sophisticated analytics in a single Enterprise-class Carrier-grade operating system that operates at exceptional scale.
Challenges with Software Defining Your Enterprise
While enterprises have increased their business agility and revenue through many facets of information technology, WANs and branch office networks continue to impede most IT projects. Compute and storage, as well as core applications like CRM, HR and Microsoft Office, have moved to the cloud. Yet WANs continue to use 20-year-old private line technology (MPLS) and expensive, proprietary networking hardware. This results in slow provisioning times for new offices or even basic changes to configurations and functions, high costs for network equipment and WAN services, complex branch architectures, and high administrative overhead.
Organizations expect:
- Increased agility of new site deployments
- Ongoing change management
- Better management of bandwidth requirements
- Simplification of appliance and software sprawl
- Overall reduction of WAN cost and complexity
Why Versa Secure SD-WAN Completes Your IT Transformation
Based on Versa networking and security software, coupled with commodity hardware, the Versa Secure SD-WAN solution includes key capabilities such as multi-tenancy, multi-service, elasticity and zero-touch provisioning. Multi-tenancy, both at the data center, cloud, and branch site, improves service agility when provisioning as well as significantly lowering capital and operating costs. Multi-service capabilities and service chaining ensure that organizations can include critical security functions like next-generation firewall and secure web gateway that is easily integrated into their existing network infrastructure.
Versa Networks enables enterprises to re-architect their enterprise WAN and branch office networks through a software-based and multi-service approach to SD-WAN: leveraging Versa software and low-cost appliances and providing a full set of integrated SD-WAN and SD-Security functions. Organizations can reduce the Capex and Opex of their WAN and branch networks, while increasing IT responsiveness to business needs. The time required to manage the network is minimized, and branch security is strengthened.
Reduce Costs and Increase Performance
Versa helps enterprises significantly reduce their WAN connectivity costs by seamlessly integrating Internet, LTE, and broadband alongside MPLS. These options are often higher in bandwidth than MPLS and significantly lower the total cost. Through application-aware routing and the ability to identify thousands of specific applications, Versa Secure SD-WAN carefully map different applications across the network based on your custom business policy and application-specific SLAs.
For example, traffic to Oracle business applications in the enterprise data center can be routed over MPLS, while access to cloud apps like Salesforce and Workday as well as non-business Internet traffic, is better enabled through a secure internet connection. The traffic steering capabilities as well as the security benefits in Versa Secure SD-WAN result in lower overall WAN costs and higher performance.
Increase IT Agility from the Network
Versa Secure SD-WAN enable network teams to remove the barriers that legacy WAN and branch architectures have placed on strategic IT projects and business processes. Versa Secure SD-WAN make the network an agile IT resource through a software-based approach that enables administrators to rapidly provision new branch offices, dynamically add new network and security functions, and seamlessly scale capacity.
If new branch offices are being opened, deploying the branch network with a Versa SD-WAN is as simple as shipping a low-cost appliance, plugging it in, and zero-touch configuring it through central management. Versa Secure SD-WAN makes it easy for you to move quickly with all of your IT requirements.
Simple, Secure, Low-Cost Branch Networks
Versa eliminates appliance sprawl in the branch office with a software-based approach to SD-WAN and security functions. Customers use zero-touch provisioning to deploy a fully featured set of Versa SD-WAN and branch security capabilities onto a single appliance. Capacity increases can be quickly administered centrally from the Versa Director management platform.
Capex is significantly reduced through replacing expensive, proprietary network hardware with Versa SD-WAN software and low-cost appliances. Opex is greatly reduced as truck rolls for installation and upgrades are eliminated, hands-on time at branch sites is minimized, and system scalability is assured without hardware refreshes.
Security:
Advanced security built inside your networking stack.
Versa Security increases protection for your on-premises, branch, or cloud applications and simplifies the interoperability of security and networking. Built inside of Versa Secure SD-WAN, Versa Security delivers a full suite of network security capabilities that are all centrally managed through a single pane of glass: allowing you to get visibility and enforce policies in real-time.
Versa enhances SD-WAN by offering next-generation firewall (NGFW), secure remote access, and unified threat management (UTM) services that protects application and user activity across the enterprise WAN, branch, and private or public clouds. Organizations can finally secure their enterprise-wide networking while increasing multi-cloud application performance and dramatically driving down costs.
Attack Surface Grows with Network and Cloud Sprawl
While the branch office has become an increasing area of cyber security risk over the last several years, many enterprises are not able to budget or support the needed security infrastructure. Add in the proliferation of managing branch sites, cloud applications, mobile and remote workers, unmanaged devices, organizations are facing an ever-growing attack surface.
Deploying advanced security in networks is often a challenge as well with organizations lacking sufficient IT personnel and skillset making the integration of 3rd party security products difficult and costly. Enterprise IT and security teams have the opportunity to both increase network security and simplify operations by migrating from proprietary security appliances to a software-defined approach that is directly embedded into your SD-WAN: making security deployment and integration a non-issue.
Increase Security, Reduce Cost, Deploy Everywhere
Versa Security embedded into our flagship product, Versa Secure SD-WAN, gives organizations critical capabilities such as multi-tenancy, multi-service, elasticity and zero-touch provisioning. Multi-service capabilities and service chaining ensure that organizations can include critical security functions like next-generation firewall and secure web gateway that is easily integrated into their existing network infrastructure.
Versa has created broad set of virtualized security functions that run on commodity x86-based hardware, and that are open and fully programmable. Providers can create basic managed firewall services or rich multi-function services like unified threat management (UTM) that replace complex physical or virtual appliances. These services can operate on-premises, in the provider data center or cloud, public cloud or a combination of all. All of the security functionality is embedded directly into the network stacking: making Versa more cost effective than 3rd party or proprietary security hardware or software packages.
Reduce the Risk of a Data Breach
Versa reduces the overall attack surface of your organization by ensuring that only safe traffic is allowed access to your sensitive systems, applications, and devices. Users can be granted access privileges based on their role and attack signatures can be identified to spot suspicious or malicious threats in or out of the network.
Versa Security enables organization to stop hackers and malicious actors in their tracks with next generation firewall, unified threat management, intrusion detection and protection, anti-virus, secure VPN, and more all directly built into the flagship Secure SD-WAN offering.
Increase IT and Security Agility
IT and security agility increase with zero-touch provisioning that enables deployment of a multi-function Versa security solution within hours. Compare this deployment time with 3rd party security solutions that require weeks or months required to install and integrate multiple proprietary security appliances.
Versa Security uses built-in service chaining to easily integrate with existing security software and appliances. Ongoing operations are simplified through the Versa Director management platform, which provides a single console and set of policies across all Versa security functions. Capacity increases are dynamically provisioned through Versa Director, as are new security functions.
Lower TCO for Branch Security
Versa enables IT and security teams to design new branch security architectures at significantly lower capital costs. Rather than using proprietary hardware appliances, Versa is deployed on low-cost commodity appliances.
Operational costs are reduced through central management and zero-touch provisioning, which eliminate deployment truck rolls and greatly simplify ongoing operations such as software updates and capacity expansion.
Routing:
Software-based, centrally managed routers that increase agility and reduce cost.
Versa Networks offers a unique approach to routing with a virtual solution that can be deployed to any 3rd party or proprietary appliance. With Versa routing, delivered virtually, service providers can deploy a centrally managed routing system that enables now custom services that are high performance and low costs.
Versa routing addresses the service assurance, integration, and operational challenges that come with traditional, managed routing and delivers a carrier-grade solution that delivers fast service agility, real-time provisioning, high service availability, robust security, and lower cost of ownership.
Challenges with Hardware Based Routing
Most organizations agree that they lack the dedicated IT resources needed to effectively manage networking technologies or secure their branch and remote sites from cybercriminals. This gap in IT resources leaves service providers uniquely positioned to respond with an array of managed services designed specifically for enterprise-grade routing and WAN optimization.
However, many organizations still employ a hardware-based approach to both routing and head-end infrastructure that requires significant time to deploy and manage and limits the number of services that providers can offer given the associated hardware and operating costs.
Delivering Secure and Seamless Virtual Routing
To increase reach and better serve organizations through managed services, providers need to migrate from building and operating their services using hardware-based routing and transition to a software-based approach that leverages virtualized network functions (VNFs). When deployed on low-cost commodity appliances, a VNF-based service such as managed routing can provide both high-performance and a full feature set of SD-WAN capabilities at significantly lower capital and operating cost than one based on proprietary routers.
Versa Secure SD-WAN encompasses a broad set of networking and security services that allows service providers to deliver cost-effective VNF-based managed services for both SMB and enterprise customers.
For example, a provider can deploy the Versa routing VNF on a small appliance at SMB customers’ branch offices and couple that with additional security services hosted in the provider data center. Smaller customers get a router with full protocol and policy support that is managed by their provider, along with security functions hosted at the provider – an enterprise-grade infrastructure they could not purchase or support on their own.
Designed to maximize agility and cost efficiency for the service provider, Versa routing solutions are built with multi-tenancy, multiple services, elasticity, and zero-touch provisioning to meet every price point and operational requirement.
Increase Service Agility
With Versa virtual routing solutions, based on Versa VOS, service providers can design customized services for SMBs with nearly all functions residing centrally within the PoP, central office, or data center.
As a result, virtual routing deployments are greatly simplified and accelerated, and service providers ship very low-cost appliances to a customer’s locations and leverage the Versa Director central management platform to zero-touch provision an arrange of forwarding and routing functions.
Grow Revenue Through Services
When building a managed service with the Versa routing solution, providers can install a limited set of on-site functions (aka “thin branch”) and combine it with a broad set of telco cloud-based functions that together create a rich routing service offering while maintaining a low cost.
These routing services can include advanced routing, next generation firewall, malware protection, intrusion detection and prevention, and other functions. All the capabilities included with the Versa routing solutions are not affordable as standalone hardware to most budget-constrained customers while also meeting their performance and security requirements.
Reduce Total Cost of Ownership
The Versa routing solution, based on Versa VOS software, is coupled with very low-cost appliances in the branch, and additional Versa VNFs in the PoP or central office, ultimately result in up to 80% lower Capex than traditional hardware-based managed services.
Versa routing also reduces Opex through centralized management and zero-touch provisioning, which eliminates truck rolls and simplifies ongoing operations such as software updates.