In enterprise network construction, SD-WAN (Software-Defined Wide Area Network) has become the choice of more and more businesses due to its advantages of high efficiency and cost savings. So, how can enterprises build an SD-WAN network? Below is a detailed introduction.

The current SD-WAN network solution is both efficient and economical, making it a popular choice for enterprise network deployment. If you also want to try SD-WAN, where should you start? Let’s introduce the steps for building an SD-WAN network.

1. Clarify Network Requirements

Before building an SD-WAN system, the first step for enterprises is to clarify their own network needs. This requires sorting out how many branch offices there are, the bandwidth requirements of each branch, and the main scenarios for which the network will be used, such as video conferences, ERP systems, etc. At the same time, enterprises should also formulate a reasonable budget and consider how much they are willing to invest in SD-WAN construction. These factors will directly affect the subsequent selection of equipment and services.

Different scales of enterprises have different needs. For small businesses with only a few offices, a simple cloud-hosted SD-WAN may be sufficient to meet their requirements. In contrast, large enterprises with complex operations may need customized deployments due to their scale and business complexity.

2. Reasonably Select Equipment and Services

SD-WAN implementation mainly relies on specialized equipment or cloud services. In terms of equipment, CPE (Customer Premises Equipment) is commonly used. There are many manufacturers providing SD-WAN products in the market, such as traditional equipment vendors like Cisco, Huawei, and Fortinet, as well as cloud service providers like Alibaba Cloud and AWS. When selecting, enterprises need to focus on several key aspects:

First, the equipment must support the enterprise’s network scale to ensure it does not become a bottleneck for network expansion as the business grows. Second, a user-friendly management platform is essential, as SD-WAN is software-controlled, and an intuitive interface allows enterprise IT personnel to manage and configure the network more conveniently. Finally, perfect after-sales service is crucial—if network issues arise, professional technicians need to resolve them promptly to ensure the normal operation of the enterprise network.

In the domestic market, Ogcloud’s SD-WAN solution is widely used due to its high cost-performance ratio, making it suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises.

3. Conduct Network Planning

Network planning is a critical step in building an SD-WAN network. First, plan the network topology—in simple terms, design a network connection diagram to link the enterprise’s headquarters, branch offices, data centers, and other nodes.

Next, determine the connection methods. For example, the headquarters can use a combination of dedicated lines and the internet, while branch offices can use broadband with 4G backup to ensure network stability and reliability.

The core advantage of SD-WAN lies in its support for intelligent routing, allowing enterprises to set policies according to their needs. For example, high-quality network-dependent services like video conferences can be routed through dedicated lines, while ordinary web browsing can use broadband, thus reducing network costs while ensuring business operations.

Additionally, enterprises need to incorporate security measures such as firewalls and encryption channels (e.g., IPSec) into the network to ensure data security during transmission.

4. Deploy Equipment Smoothly

Once the equipment arrives, enterprises can start the deployment process. First, install the CPE devices at each site and correctly connect the power supply and network cables.

Next, configure the devices through the SD-WAN controller (usually a cloud platform). Many vendors support “zero-touch deployment,” where devices automatically connect to the cloud and download corresponding configurations after powering on, greatly simplifying the deployment process and saving labor and time costs.

After configuration, enterprises need to test the network to ensure that each site is properly connected and all services operate smoothly.

Through the above steps, enterprises can build an efficient, cost-saving SD-WAN network that suits their needs, enhancing network performance and operational efficiency. For technical support, feel free to consult Ogcloud, an SD-WAN service provider, for one-stop network services!