How hybrid SD-WAN can reduce reliance on MPLS (and what it means for your enterprise)

Corporate network demands have never been higher.

Thanks to high-definition video conferencing, real-time collaboration, streaming and other bandwidth-intensive activities, network bandwidth usage continues to rise.

Collaboration tools and cloud applications are actually the top offenders — cited by network managers as the top traffic drivers in their organization.

Hand-in-hand with all of these technologies come rising standards for speed, bandwidth and uptime. Understandably, employees expect to be able to use and rely on these tools without lags or outages.

It’s no surprise, then, that enterprise-wide area networks (WAN) are increasingly complex and costly, as IT teams work to keep pace.

But new and better solutions are necessary for this rate of change to be sustainable; ones that offer higher capacity internet access and private networking solutions, plus a cost-effective way to optimize bandwidth.

Why enterprises choose MPLS — and where it falls short

Everything from where, to how, employees work is changing, and enterprise network needs are changing with it.

Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) has long been the industry standard for a protocol to manage network traffic flow between locations. And the reasons why are clear: better performance, improved end-to-end user experience, ability to scale.

MPLS packet labeling allows organizations to differentiate, and therefore prioritize, types of traffic. However, it can be slow to deploy, and updates need to be carefully managed by the MPLS provider.

Complicating the matter is how today’s networks operate: Each site’s bandwidth needs can fluctuate dramatically — ebbing and flowing with the use of high-bandwidth activities (like streaming) and the number of users and devices on-site that day (see: hybrid work).

This dynamic makes it difficult for IT teams to anticipate each location’s needs. The more rigid MPLS infrastructure risks over- or underutilizing available bandwidth — a drain on time, expense and productivity. 

Other challenges of an MPLS-based network include:

• Cost. It can be prohibitively expensive for some organizations because MPLS is far more costly than a standard internet connection.
  
  
• Scalability. While MPLS is scalable, it doesn’t scale quickly or on demand.
  
  
• Efficiency. Even full mesh MPLS still requires labeling and routing each communication packet. In a world of increasing cloud computing, this design is incongruent and inefficient. 
  

In short, IT leaders are feeling the pressure as their connectivity needs evolve. Fortunately, alternative solutions offer the ability to efficiently manage their network while reducing complexity and costs.

Leveling-up with SD-WAN

In some ways, a software-defined wide-area network (SD-WAN) builds on the idea of MPLS. It offers a similar ability to route and prioritize traffic — but uses automation to make it more programmatic, scalable and affordable.

Unlike MPLS, SD-WAN leverages the power and efficiency of the cloud. (And with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 26.2 percent, the cloud computing market is showing no signs of slowing down.)

What’s more, a hybrid WAN connects two separate WANs and can leverage different connectivity options to do so.

Let’s dig into the specifics of what SD-WAN users stand to gain.

1. Flexibility

Use any internet access available — SD-WAN supports a full range of high-speed connectivity options and transport types. This means greater agility to adapt to different workloads and to prioritize traffic in real time.

2. Scalability

Extend existing WAN using SD-WAN service to quickly add new sites and off-network locations. Rapidly upgrade bandwidth, with no changes necessary to the infrastructure or network.

3. Efficiency

Dynamically balance the bandwidth needs of different sites as they fluctuate, and make the most efficient use of available bandwidth.

4. Reliability

Prioritize and route traffic over both primary and secondary connections — so mission-critical applications get the performance, reliability and security they need. This translates into better provisioning times and improved uptimes.

5. Cost

SD-WAN requires less customer premise equipment (CPE), which means lower cost of infrastructure and setup, quicker deployment, and reduced running costs.  

It’s no wonder that one source found SD-WAN adoption increased from 18 percent in 2018 to 43 percent in 2020, and another that 65% of U.S. enterprises plan to migrate to SD-WAN within the next two years

So what does moving away from MPLS look like?  

Reducing reliance on MPLS: How to do it (and why it matters)

For organizations looking to divest from MPLS, SD-WAN is worth considering. A hybrid SD-WAN can be used to complement or replace MPLS, depending on the preferred network schema. Here, we outline two possible applications for a hybrid SD-WAN architecture. 

Use case #1: Hybrid SD-WAN reduces reliance on MPLS

Organizations that have invested heavily in MPLS networking may not be able to easily or cost-effectively pivot away from it. Reducing MPLS usage might be a more realistic near-term goal.

By pairing SD-WAN technologies with an MPLS private network, each location can be connected to the internet and to the SD-WAN. Traffic is then sent to either the private network or the internet based on requirements. For example, legacy applications are routed to the MPLS while cloud computing is sent to the SD-WAN.

Traffic continues to be strategically managed and routed based on priority, but the organization is no longer solely reliant on the more rigid and costly MPLS to do so.

This network design allows organizations to:

• Reduce cost and administration while supporting private networks
• Reduce the number of sites with expensive MPLS
• Replace MPLS specific routers with SD-WAN appliance
• Replace MPLS at other locations with internet (including high gigabit options)
• Allow branches to directly connect to internet
• Enable multiple connections to the cloud — ​​with connectivity via DFI, Wireless or Bring Your Own Network (BYoN)
• Prioritize traffic across network
• Support remote and teleworkers

As IT teams aim to optimize their network, this framework allows SD-WAN to do what it does so well — leverage the existing MPLS only if and when it’s advantageous.

Use case #2: Hybrid SD-WAN and Ethernet replace MPLS

Alternatively, some organizations are opting to use Ethernet and hybrid SD-WAN to replace MPLS altogether.

In this scenario, each location is connected to the internet and to the SD-WAN. These organizations can selectively use the Ethernet (less expensive as compared to MPLS) for time-sensitive or critical traffic.

This model reduces cost and administration while supporting private networks. How?

• Accommodates very high private network throughput
• Accommodates high gigabit internet connections
• Allows branches to directly connect to internet
• Enables multiple connections to the cloud per location
• Prioritizes traffic across network
• Supports remote workers

Many of today’s IT leaders recognize a need to optimize their bandwidth and simplify network management — particularly those with multi-site networks. In both of these applications, the shift toward SD-WAN results in a network that can do more without added complexity and cost.

Is hybrid SD-WAN right for your organization?

So is hybrid SD-WAN right for your business? Here are some questions to consider: 

• Do you need to connect WANs at multiple locations, and add new locations quickly?
• Do locations have fluctuating bandwidth usage, making it difficult to anticipate what each location needs?
• Do you have (or need) primary and secondary connections to prioritize mission-critical applications and re-route less time-sensitive traffic?
• Does your organization need to better support remote work or hybrid work by offering secure, reliable, high-performance connectivity from anywhere?
• Do you need a more cost-effective way to manage your network and streamline operations?

Enhance your network at your own speed. With hybrid WAN from Spectrum Enterprise, you can simply, efficiently and cost-effectively apply the right type of connectivity to each location across your entire network.