Versa Networks: Deliverance From Legacy Wans and Traditional Hard Networking
Throughout 2017, software defined WAN (SD-WAN) has evolved from pilot to production with a rapid increase in deployments within a number of highly distributed industries, like retail and financial services. As businesses migrate their legacy branch and WAN architectures to SD-WAN, they will need to ensure they deploy the right SD-WAN to meet their existing and new business requirements. The business will need SD-WAN that integrates with the existing WAN and branch network components to ensure continuity and minimize business disruption. The new technology should be truly zero-touch provisioned at the branch and cloud to increase time-to-service and address IT staffing challenges. Lastly the SD-WAN should be industry standards driven to promote and support interoperability with multi-vendor deployments. Recently, Tata Communication selected Versa Networks as one of their SD-WAN vendors for its new managed SD-WAN service offering, IZO SDWAN Select.Headquartered in San Jose, California, Versa Networks, is uniquely positioned in the software defined networking space, providing an end-to-end solution that both simplifies and secures the WAN/branch office network. With a foundation built on software, Versa's Cloud IP Platform delivers a broad set of capabilities for building agile and secures enterprise networks, as well as highly efficient and scalable managed service offerings. Tata Communication's for their IZO SDWAN Select service deploys and leverages Versa's multitenant secure SD-WAN solution throughout its 20 cloud gateways providing global coverage at key exchange points. For their customers’ branch offices, Tata Communications deploys Versa SD-WAN software on non-proprietary x86 appliances to deliver integrated networking and security capable of elastic scalability on-demand. The deployment of Versa software on white-box appliances has proven to be more cost-effective and agile than using separate hardware appliances.
Versa Networks was founded in 2012 by industry veterans with a proven track record of developing and engineering innovative and revolutionary software and multi billion-dollar product lines (including the MX Series router). At Versa, these founders have integrated their deep technical expertise in building and delivering large service provider networks with critical enterprise innovations around virtualized network functions (VNFs)including security.
Versa has been an early innovator in software-defined WAN (SD-WAN), and has more than 35 patents filed around its unique platform-level approach to delivering advanced networking and integrated security. This networking provider offers a cloud-native and fully multi tenant and carrier-grade software-defined branch (SD-Branch)solution that delivers SD-WAN and SD-Security in a single unified software platform. Versa’s solutions enable enterprises to transform the WAN and branch to enable their digital and cloud transformations while also improving on costs and experience. The Versa Cloud IP Platform enables providers to offer a wide range of virtualized networking and security services that can be used to create highly scalable and profitable managed services cost-effectively. Deployed by Fortune 500 enterprises and Tier 1 and 2 providers around the world, Versa SD-WAN and SD-Security is backed by premier venture investors Sequoia, Mayfield, Artis Ventures and Verizon Ventures.
Simplifying Network Management
Security and automation are keys to integrate operations addressing the ever expanding requirements to remotely operate systems and networks. Versa Networks enables enterprises to simplify their WAN and branch by consolidating networking and security functions into a single cloud-native software platform with a broad set of advanced IP and security services, instead of deploying multiple hardware appliances and virtualized software functions. Versa enables the software-defined branch (SD-Branch) by providing a full set of integrated networking (routing, SD-WAN, Ethernet, Wi-Fi) and security (NG firewall, secure web gateway, AV, IPS) functions running on a low-cost appliance with a single and centralized management platform. This unification and consolidation allows enterprises to reduce the Capex and Opex of their WAN and branch infrastructure while increasing IT responsiveness to cloud evolution and digital transformation requirements. Moreover, the time required to manage the network is minimized, and branch security and control are significantly strengthened.
It's no myth virtualizing networking functions decreases the amount of proprietary hardware required to be launched and operate network services. Versa's comprehensive and software-based Cloud IP Platform offers a full suite
of network and security functions that delivers a secure SD-WAN solution to enable its customers to benefit from greater business agility through application level visibility,control and integrated security.
Versa's Cloud IP Platform software, deployable in the cloud or on non-proprietary x86 appliances, as mentioned earlier, has been deployed by Tata Communications. This has enabled Tata Communications to offer a managed SD-WAN service that has integrated networking and security, with instant scalability - much more effectively. The flexibility offered by the Versa software platform enables deployments across many physical form factors depending on the customer throughput and business requirements. It can also be deployed in the public cloud (AWS/AZURE) or private cloud (OpenStack or VMware based Cloud Management systems). To facilitate interoperability and ease-of-use, Versa has implemented the API integration to interoperate and automate natively with the aforementioned cloud management systems. This simplifies both managed service provider and enterprise IT operations for integrating within existing public or private cloud workloads.
Unifying and Centralizing Management
Ongoing operations and management are simplified by Versa's management software-Versa Director. Versa Director provides a single-pane-of-glass for life cycle management, provisioning, configuration, management and reporting of all Versa Cloud IP Platform software endpoints(FlexVNF). A multitenant management and provisioning platform, it provides multitenant portal based access for the entire SD-infrastructure. To simplify service creation, Versa Director provides customizable workflows that simplify the on-boarding of services (Versa and third party) on Versa Cloud IP Platform deployed CPEs.
Enterprise networking and security teams often struggle with evolving their WAN and branch office IT architecture to support the transition to cloud and digital transformation. To resolve this issue, Versa supports the capability to host 3rd party VNFs (Virtual Network Functions) on the Versa Cloud IP Platform. Through the Versa Director Management platform, Versa further simplifies service operations by supporting the full life-cycle management of validated third-party VMs.
Whether service provider or enterprise, the WAN and branch typically consist of multiple functions and are typically multi-vendor, this can create added complexity when the chaining of different services is required. To minimize the operational impact and interoperability challenges, Versa natively supports the chaining of virtual services to physical services further advancing this by allowing for application or signature level matching to dictate the service chain necessary.
Transforming the network to be software-defined is only one aspect of moving away from “hard” networking. Versa Cloud IP Platform further transforms enterprise and service provider networks by providing highly contextually aware integrated networking and security that is aware of the device, user, application and location. This ability to focus policies on application, user, device and location provides immense visibility and control into the branch, WAN and cloud. This is powered by a deep-packet-inspection (DPI) engine that recognizes over 2600+ applications that can also identify encrypted application traffic (TLS, DTLS, etc.) and operate unhindered by an existing Web-Proxy. Visibility and control is enhanced by the ability to group and filter services and applications based on family, sub-family, risk, productivity, and tag. Lastly, native integration to Active-Directory/LDAP enable the use of additional contextual information like Users, and User-Groups to make policy decisions in conjunction with the detected applications, network, device and location.
Versa SD-WAN can improve application performance and lower overall branch and WAN cost by facilitating the migration to a hybrid active-active WAN architecture. However, the power of contextual visibility enables the business to create service level agreement (SLA) policies that work to improve application reliability, availability and ultimately deliver positive end-user application experiences. An example of identifying and mapping applications to the most appropriate connectivity option can be described as follows: A business can define recreational Internet traffic (Facebook, YouTube, etc.,)be assigned to a high speed but low-cost broadband link, while business-critical financial applications can be assigned to a highly reliable but more costly MPLS circuit. Should a violation or service degradation occur, affected traffic can be instantly steered to an alternative circuit or end-to-end network path using versatile dynamic traffic steering. Versa SD-WAN makes use of configured AppQOSSLA polices to ensure preferential treatment to performance-sensitive, well-known or user-defined applications. SLAs and performance requirements can be based on network (latency, jitter, delay)or user-experience (MOS, etc.) attributes. However, in the event that none of the WAN links meet the necessary SLA or experience requirements of an application, the Versa software platform can intelligently discard traffic from non-business critical applications while selectively forwarding traffic associated with the most important applications under strict SLAs. This advanced level of application and user-experience focused policies works to ensure optimal performance and reliability of business and productivity applications.
The utilization of direct internet access at the branch also introduces a need to evolve the method of providing security. Versa provides flexible options to both enterprises and service providers to secure direct internet access without increasing branch device sprawl. Advanced security can be deployed in the branch natively in the Versa Cloud IP Platform (NG-FW, IPS, AV, Malware and more), in the cloud or centralized in the hub or data-center. Whether providing security natively or service-chaining with third-party services, the Versa Cloud IP Platform ensures the business and WAN are secured and hardened.
Surveys and reports cite the same analysis about enterprise customers and their managed service providers being driven by the objective to change legacy WAN and branch “hard” networks for more dynamic, software-defined architectures. Versa Networks is committed to continue innovating on its software platform to further software-define the network, security and other branch services. This has led the company to launch the industry’s first solution for a software-defined branch (SD-Branch).
Versa’s enterprise vision is to leverage the rapid advances in SDN and NFV, application-aware networking, and automation and couple them with proven networking and security technologies to create highly scalable and reliable solutions for SD-WAN and branch security. With its Cloud IP Platform solution and constant innovation, Versa shows promises to drive the future of software-defining the branch, cloud access and along with it much greater business agility and end user experience (UX).
Why Next-Generation WANs and Versa Networks
Enterprise WANs have traditionally used MPLS for connectivity and proprietary single function appliances for connectivity and security. The addition of direct Internet and broadband options, along with the required security, has only increased the complexity of branch office networks. The result continues to be high cost and inflexible WAN and branch architectures, slow responses to service change requirements, and difficulty in deploying and managing the ongoing sprawl of branch hardware appliances.
To make this WAN and branch network transition achievable, Versa has created a carrier-grade and software-based solution for SD-WANs and virtualized branch security that runs on commodity hardware which is open and fully programmable.
Whether service provider or enterprise, the WAN and branch typically consist of multiple functions and are typically multi-vendor, this can create added complexity when the chaining of different services is required. To minimize the operational impact and interoperability challenges, Versa natively supports the chaining of virtual services to physical services further advancing this by allowing for application or signature level matching to dictate the service chain necessary.
Conceptualized Routing and Context Aware Policy to Secure the Applications
The deployment of versa software on white-box appliances has proven to be more cost-effective and agile than using separate hardware appliances
Transforming the network to be software-defined is only one aspect of moving away from “hard” networking. Versa Cloud IP Platform further transforms enterprise and service provider networks by providing highly contextually aware integrated networking and security that is aware of the device, user, application and location. This ability to focus policies on application, user, device and location provides immense visibility and control into the branch, WAN and cloud. This is powered by a deep-packet-inspection (DPI) engine that recognizes over 2600+ applications that can also identify encrypted application traffic (TLS, DTLS, etc.) and operate unhindered by an existing Web-Proxy. Visibility and control is enhanced by the ability to group and filter services and applications based on family, sub-family, risk, productivity, and tag. Lastly, native integration to Active-Directory/LDAP enable the use of additional contextual information like Users, and User-Groups to make policy decisions in conjunction with the detected applications, network, device and location.
Versa SD-WAN can improve application performance and lower overall branch and WAN cost by facilitating the migration to a hybrid active-active WAN architecture. However, the power of contextual visibility enables the business to create service level agreement (SLA) policies that work to improve application reliability, availability and ultimately deliver positive end-user application experiences. An example of identifying and mapping applications to the most appropriate connectivity option can be described as follows: A business can define recreational Internet traffic (Facebook, YouTube, etc.,)be assigned to a high speed but low-cost broadband link, while business-critical financial applications can be assigned to a highly reliable but more costly MPLS circuit. Should a violation or service degradation occur, affected traffic can be instantly steered to an alternative circuit or end-to-end network path using versatile dynamic traffic steering. Versa SD-WAN makes use of configured AppQOSSLA polices to ensure preferential treatment to performance-sensitive, well-known or user-defined applications. SLAs and performance requirements can be based on network (latency, jitter, delay)or user-experience (MOS, etc.) attributes. However, in the event that none of the WAN links meet the necessary SLA or experience requirements of an application, the Versa software platform can intelligently discard traffic from non-business critical applications while selectively forwarding traffic associated with the most important applications under strict SLAs. This advanced level of application and user-experience focused policies works to ensure optimal performance and reliability of business and productivity applications.
The utilization of direct internet access at the branch also introduces a need to evolve the method of providing security. Versa provides flexible options to both enterprises and service providers to secure direct internet access without increasing branch device sprawl. Advanced security can be deployed in the branch natively in the Versa Cloud IP Platform (NG-FW, IPS, AV, Malware and more), in the cloud or centralized in the hub or data-center. Whether providing security natively or service-chaining with third-party services, the Versa Cloud IP Platform ensures the business and WAN are secured and hardened.
Surveys and reports cite the same analysis about enterprise customers and their managed service providers being driven by the objective to change legacy WAN and branch “hard” networks for more dynamic, software-defined architectures. Versa Networks is committed to continue innovating on its software platform to further software-define the network, security and other branch services. This has led the company to launch the industry’s first solution for a software-defined branch (SD-Branch).
Versa’s enterprise vision is to leverage the rapid advances in SDN and NFV, application-aware networking, and automation and couple them with proven networking and security technologies to create highly scalable and reliable solutions for SD-WAN and branch security. With its Cloud IP Platform solution and constant innovation, Versa shows promises to drive the future of software-defining the branch, cloud access and along with it much greater business agility and end user experience (UX).
Why Next-Generation WANs and Versa Networks
Enterprise WANs have traditionally used MPLS for connectivity and proprietary single function appliances for connectivity and security. The addition of direct Internet and broadband options, along with the required security, has only increased the complexity of branch office networks. The result continues to be high cost and inflexible WAN and branch architectures, slow responses to service change requirements, and difficulty in deploying and managing the ongoing sprawl of branch hardware appliances.
To make this WAN and branch network transition achievable, Versa has created a carrier-grade and software-based solution for SD-WANs and virtualized branch security that runs on commodity hardware which is open and fully programmable.
