Challenge
A healthcare client faced a significant challenge managing their network infrastructure across numerous locations. Their existing setup, a blend of MPLS and public internet connections, posed obstacles to ensuring efficient and secure data transmission. Given the critical nature of data integrity and accessibility in healthcare, the client aimed to streamline network management, bolster security and enhance efficiency. These goals underscored the importance of exploring Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) solutions.
Process
The proof of concept (PoC) unfolded as a collaborative effort among the client, WWT and several partners represented in WWT's Advanced Technology Center (ATC). The PoC's topology featured two data centers and three branch locations, with two simulated WANs— one emulating an MPLS mesh and the other a public internet connection.
Palo Alto, VMware and Cisco were among the vendors engaged in the PoC. Each vendor, in tandem with the client and WWT, executed a comprehensive array of test cases. These encompassed diverse functionalities and features such as overlay fabric construction, management and orchestration, LAN routing integration, segmentation, multicast application sets, application classification, custom application classification, traffic flows, bandwidth aggregation, traffic rules, application definition, traffic QoS, per path QoS, per tunnel QoS, application routing configuration, error correction, and SD-WAN appliance isolation and recovery.
Results
The PoC unequivocally showcased the SD-WAN solution's capabilities, equipping the client with a profound understanding of its alignment with their unique requirements in the healthcare sector. Test case outcomes yielded invaluable insights into solution performance, culminating in the creation of a comprehensive recommendation at the PoC's conclusion.
This recommendation document meticulously summarized the data, furnishing decision-makers with contextualized insights into solution performance. Armed with this information, the client could confidently navigate toward selecting the optimal solution for their healthcare network infrastructure.
