Top three reasons why every manufacturer should consider SD-WAN

The Internet of Things (IoT). Artificial Intelligence (AI). Supply chain automation. Robotic process automation (RPA). Smart factories. Onshoring. Connected workers. Accelerating cybersecurity threats.

All these trends point out one simple fact: Times are changing for the manufacturing industry. One point of clarity: in manufacturing, connected workers are best explained by Forbes,  “For perhaps the first time, data is becoming the purview of the front-line worker. The role of the connected worker, who is integrated with their working environment via technology, is empowered by data and speeding the ubiquitous flow of data across the enterprise.” 

Digitization and smart factories

While the moves are underway to increase digitization in manufacturing, and drive towards the goal of automated smart factories, it’s hardly a reality yet. The Manufacturing Leadership Council released survey results reporting that, “Not surprisingly, only a fraction of manufacturers, 6.8%, report that they have `extensively’ digitized their factory operations today. But when asked to anticipate the extent of digitization by 2026, 14.7% said they expect to be extensively digitized on an end-to-end basis in that timeframe.”

Correspondingly, only 4.5% of respondents say their factories are “very smart” today. By 2026, 11.3% expect to be able to answer that they run smart factories. Yet 53.4% say their factories and plants are getting smarter but are still a work in progress.

Top three reasons why manufacturers need SD-WAN

1. The need for quickly scalable and secure bandwidth: As manufacturing progresses, existing factories in the US may be finding that their current infrastructure is not suited to deal with today’s demands. There are ever-increasing amounts of bandwidth needed for supply chain management, data storage and transfer, cloud computing, connected devices and robotics. 
   
   When building new facilities, or revamping old ones, they will need a scalable, ultra-high speed, infrastructure solution. Further, they should be seeking to reduce traffic latency from the cloud to automation technologies due to network hops or congestion. 
   
   Connectivity to applications that are hosted in the cloud is particularly important for manufacturing. If robotics and IoT devices are getting instructions from applications that are hosted in the cloud, then devoting optimal bandwidth to that part of the network is imperative. 
   
   In many cases, manufacturers are finding that their costly and complex legacy MPLS is holding their business back. Older MPLS networks can hamper an enterprise’s need to modernize, as they find it hard to effectively manage cloud application performance and bandwidth optimization; with SD-WAN the prioritization of applications is more automated. Further, these legacy solutions cannot easily manage the increased amount of traffic on the network driven by users and apps outside of the data center.
2. The need to securely optimize operational technology (OT): OT comprises the applications and processes that control machines, robots, and other physical devices in a manufacturing environment. As OT continues to advance in complexity, the need for ever-higher bandwidth is advancing as well. Higher bandwidth and lower latency deliver great benefits to manufacturing firms, as industrial applications frequently require response times of less than 1 millisecond. 
   
   As OT and IT are converging, the OT environment is no longer protected by the historical air gap, which had previously stymied hacking attempts by outsiders. In previous scenarios, OT was self-contained within the four walls of a given facility. Today that same OT may be connected to cloud-hosted applications. This has led to industrial control systems becoming vulnerable to cybercriminals accessing them through the IT network side.
   
   Ever-increasing and evolving cybersecurity threats call for an equally evolved security response. A modernized network can provide secure, safe and scalable access to all available data points in a manufacturer’s infrastructure. And that network should be multi-cloud ready and meet optimized, complex routing requirements. 
   
   To allay security concerns, a manufacturer’s SD-WAN network infrastructure should have built-in next-generation firewalls, deep packet inspection, and intrusion prevention system tools. In addition, it should have anti-malware protection and automatically keep pace with the latest security policies to protect the network and its perimeter. 
3. The need to continue to move digitalization efforts forward: SD-WAN infrastructure solutions exist today that enable manufacturers to significantly advance their ongoing digitization efforts. These solutions can make it easier to adopt innovative technology, migrate to newer technologies when necessary, and add sites and services as needs evolve. 
   
   MPLS networks typically centralize internet access points, creating unnecessary latency and inefficient use of backhaul circuits to a data center for traffic destined for the internet. In a world of increasing cloud computing, this design is inefficient. An SD-WAN can use any internet access available, which supports a full range of high-speed connectivity options and transport types that enables companies to leverage very low latency. This means greater agility to adapt to different workloads and to prioritize traffic in real time. This is not to say that all existing MPLS networks should be decommissioned. Some sites can be connected to both MPLS and Internet (using SD-WAN). In this case, manufacturers can use internet access where it makes sense for some traffic, and MPLS for other usage. 
   
   The correct network partner for manufacturers should be able to help them reduce network operating costs. Further, they should be able to make network management easier with a complete solution that includes design, connectivity, configuration, equipment, installation, and ongoing support for all locations nationwide, 24/7/365.

Spectrum Business for enterprise can help

A reliable, secure SD-WAN solution can help manufacturers accelerate digital transformation without time lags or cybersecurity risks. With intelligent connectivity, it automatically navigates and delivers performance better than MPLS. SD-WAN incorporates advanced security features like encryption, network segmentation and threat detection to secure the network against data breaches and cyberattacks.

As your technology partner, we can deliver network and connectivity services that will allow your team to connect with the data, processes and applications they need anywhere, anytime.