Why local government is choosing SD-WAN over MPLS

Local governments are asked to manage an ever-widening number of public responsibilities, all while saving money and providing transparency. To better enable this balance, many municipal IT leaders utilize a platform long used by businesses.

A software-defined wide area network, or SD-WAN, offers critical flexibility and scalability for enterprises operating in a fast-moving environment. The emergence of cloud-based services requires connectivity controllable from a single location able to incorporate multiple disparate offices.

In the public sector, this use case is becoming too attractive to ignore. Especially in local government, where the static town hall model is being replaced by mobile apps and rising bandwidth demand, public service solutions that incorporate SD-WAN are proving both cost-efficient and secure.

Why SD-WAN is a better fit than MPLS

Legacy WAN platforms consist of a multitude of networking technologies, such as multiprotocol label switching (MPLS), that operate in a closed-loop mode. Access is restricted in a manner that can inhibit smoother operations.

Cisco notes: “Issues with these architectures include insufficient bandwidth along with high bandwidth costs, application downtime, poor SaaS performance, complex operations, complex workflows for cloud connectivity, long deployment times and policy changes, limited application visibility and difficulty in securing the network.”

SD-WAN avoids these challenges, communicating over regular internet channels utilizing automatic encryption and the ability to utilize diverse forms of connectivity. Especially for local governments facing calls for greater openness and innovation, SD-WAN is an attractive option.

SD-WAN is hardly a bold step. NextGov.com calls it “a tried and true leapfrog in network innovation that has already been proven in the commercial world.” More local government organizations are following this pathway to improvement.

Two arguments are driving SD-WAN uptake among local governments. One is the internal perspective; the other is external-facing.

The internal case: A shifting model

The challenge for local governments is not so different from private enterprise. The need to evolve a service model around cost efficiencies is present in both. The unique nature of local government also requires a significant focus on external responsiveness to advance their goal of public service. 

In the past, local governments have been content with other models, such as traditional WAN, MPLS or patchwork networks that can vary by agency within a single municipality. None of these offer SD-WAN’s open-ended nature and inherent flexibility.

Fortinet sums it up: “SD-WAN can handle a variety of connections and dynamically move traffic over the best transport available and can provide both redundancy and much more capacity using lower-cost links.”

IT leaders in local governments who are curious about SD-WAN solutions need to ask themselves these key questions:

• Are departments able to communicate effectively with one another? 
• Can an agency change the way it operates to respond to an immediate need? 
• Does a local government have the ability to scale up to better serve a growing population? 
• Can it support an increasingly hybrid workforce?

Local governments today need networks that are fluid, dynamic and able to lift performance to the level of private enterprise. SD-WAN is a tool to enable this kind of wholesale structural change.

The external case: Meeting a mobile market

One powerful reason for SD-WAN adoption in private enterprise is its ability to shift available bandwidth across a geographically dispersed network based on need. For local governments, comprised of a multitude of agencies with a variety of different needs to address, such flexibility is vital.

SD-WAN facilitates digital transformation of the municipal service model, creating app-based opportunities to improve government at the local level. According to Research.com, “With civic participation increasing to 51% upon implementation of digital solutions, more government offices are turning to software to improve their community engagement.”

Security and latency are critical public access issues SD-WAN helps address. In the case of security, SD-WAN is not only designed around encryption protocols, but can be converged with critical security features such as firewalls for more robust network solutions. For reducing latency, SD-WAN is designed to automatically boost bandwidth to whatever part of the network needs it most.

Whether paying taxes, getting a dumping permit or accessing resources from a library, more people want and expect their local governments to offer them the ability to manage their needs without waiting in line or leaving their home or office.

Reducing taxpayer load

A driving concern of any local government must always be cost. Because it is device-agnostic and able to access multiple types of connectivity, SD-WAN addresses this concern in two ways, both by being cost-effective to implement as well as a driver of overall operational efficiency.

This cost savings can extend to capabilities enhancement. Because SD-WAN is specifically designed to access cloud services, it positions municipalities to utilize SaaS offerings, as opposed to investing in off-the-shelf solutions that, once purchased, may turn out ill-suited to a specific need.

How Spectrum Business for enterprise can help

Any investment in an SD-WAN platform can be made more efficient and hence more cost-efficient with the inclusion of a managed service partner. Spectrum Business for enterprise offers two channels for this,  and both not only provide full SD-WAN capability with reliable firewall protection but a trusted technology partner with whom to start your government operation on the journey to deeper engagement with your community.