Huawei “SD-WAN” Architecture
As we discussed earlier on many of the SDWAN vendors in the market and the also saw how customers are benefited with the next generation WAN architecture. It the time when more than 50% of the enterprises are evaluating the SDWAN vendor as they want to transition into next generation of routing which is SD-WAN! Let’s talk about Huawei SDWAN in general and more and more in way in future!
Why should I care about SDWAN?
Legacy network topologies are becoming day by day complex and expensive to implement and secure. Tomorrows networks are not able to meet the need of today’s enterprises with agile requirement.
Trends like multi-cloud data centers, IoT, mobility are putting strain on branch network.
To address above challenges, there requirement of an overlay network that is transport independent (it should be supported by any media i.e. MPLS, Internet, Point-to-point, 4G) and should provide automation to save IT time to perform day to day repetitive tasks.
Huawei WAN architecture and SDWAN
With the growth of cloud computing expertise and public clouds, infrastructure has become virtual. Simultaneously, enterprise applications have transferred to the cloud. With SaaS delivered by application service providers, enterprises access key office applications from the cloud.
Conventionally, enterprises use Service Provider’s physical or VPN private lines for WAN Connectivity. While this promises high network attribute, private lines are costly and service provisioning time taking. Implementing traditional organisation’s VPNs need numerous steps, containing service implementation, and on-site configuration, demanding several months.
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Fig 1.1- Huawei SDWAN Architecture
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Conventional private lines cannot get the application status or confirm the excellence of mission-critical services in the face of burst traffic. Moreover, when a fault occurs, the nature of the fault cannot be recognised, so dedicated personnel need to locate faults on site, lowering O&M efficiency. Traditional leased lines cannot meet the standards for increased efficiency, reduced costs, improved experience, and rapid service change required by enterprises facing the cloudification trend.
Huawei compromises their SD-WAN solution that delivers on-demand interconnection inside branches, among branches and data centers, and connectivity to the cloud. It brings the fundamental experience in enterprise connectivity through application-based intelligent traffic steering and acceleration, a full series of open uCPEs, and cloud-based visualised O&M.
Huawei SDWAN consists of 3 different layers and these layers are Network Connection Layer, Cloud Management Platform and Application Layer.
Network Connection Layer: This Layer uses physical infrastructure that include the Internet and Lease lines/Private network to deliver connection among enterprise headquarters, branches, public clouds, and private clouds. It comprises CPE devices, universal CPE (uCPE), and virtual CPE (vCPE), as well as Huawei SDN overlay technology to achieve on-demand network-wide connections.
Cloud Management Platform: Here in this layer the SDN controller named as Agile Controller implements unified device management, unified overlay network control, and automatic service delivery. The Agile Controller uses NETCONF to accomplish devices in the southbound direction and connects with the application layer through RESTful interfaces in the northbound direction.
Application Layer: The application layer comprises a third-party Business Support System (BSS), Operations Support System (OSS), service portal, and app store. The Agile Controller delivers northbound interfaces so that it can be integrated with third-party applications.
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Fig 1.2- Huawei SDWAN
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Features
1. Provisions and support with all types of WAN links (such as xDSL and LTE/4G) over MPLS or the Internet.
2. Supports different WAN Topologies, such as hub and spoke, partial mesh, full mesh with automatic creation of VPN connections
3. Provides various networking and access modes, such as single-CPE or dual-CPE networking, single-hub or dual hub networking, and SaaS access.
4. Allows deployment of vCPEs on the cloud, optimizing cloud service access.
5. Reduces WAN bandwidth leasing costs by 50 percent while guaranteeing the quality of mission-critical services
