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Best Practices for Deploying your Branch Network

by | Aug 3, 2020 | SD-Branch, Secure Access Service Edge (SASE)

Even if you’re familiar with these 10 things to consider when choosing a branch solution, you might not be sure about how to overcome the challenges of deploying branch networks. Here are some of those challenges.

Deploying Your Branch Network is a Physical Ordeal

Typically, deploying a branch network involves sending lots of equipment and staff to each satellite location. This is easier said than done, as anyone with any experience can tell you that it can be quite a monumental undertaking. That’s because there are many pieces to set into motion (figuratively and literally).

For starters, you need to define the location’s networking needs, and then develop a plan to set up your devices appropriately. When you’re ready, you need to ship your stacks of equipment to the location, which can take plenty of time and cost a lot of money, especially if the site is isolated.

You also need to define your staff needs and coordinate schedules. Putting the right personnel on-site subjects you to travel times and expenses, which can increase substantially even with minor delays.

Juggling all this can make it extremely difficult to stick to your timelines.

Managing the Branch Pulls Your Resources Away

Once you have all your devices and personnel on-site, all essential duties must be performed at the location. This includes not only your initial set up, but also for ongoing maintenance and management.

Installing, configuring, and provisioning your branch network requires staff to connect to each device. Using the command line interface (CLI) and other tools, they need to perform the tedious tasks that come with manually configuring every component in the stack.

The same goes for troubleshooting issues and managing the location going forward. If a critical issue arises, an outage occurs, or a change must be made, you need to put staff on-site. To keep the branch running, it’s imperative that you maintain some sort of physical staff presence at or near the location, which pulls them away from more critical business duties.

Scaling Doesn’t Scale Well

Deploying one branch network can be a challenge when you follow the typical methods. So what happens when you try to set up three, four, five — or fifteen — new locations?

As you can imagine, the logistics involved can make for a very hairy business situation, one that can bog down your resources and devour your budgets. Think of how costly it could be sending a dozen locations’ worth of equipment through customs, on top of the travel expenses necessary for many teams of specialized staff.

In short, scaling without the right tools and practices requires you to devote heaps of time and resources.

The Good News is, Nodegrid Makes it Easy

Branch Deployment Best Practices

ZPE Systems’ Nodegrid platform was built for branch networking. It includes everything you need to deploy, manage, and scale your branch networks. Features like all-in-one devices and intuitive software cut your stack in half (or more), while ZPE Cloud makes configuration management quick and easy.

 

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How ZPE Systems Improves Secure Access Service Edge

by | Jun 23, 2020 | Improve Network Security, News & Announcements, SD-WAN, Secure Access Service Edge (SASE)

Secure Access Service Edge transforms edge networking. See how ZPE Systems — a leading innovator in network infrastructure management — introduces even more capabilities to this cloud-based solution.

What is Secure Access Service Edge?

Secure Access Service Edge, or SASE (‘sassy’), is a new concept that’s disrupting traditional edge networking. SASE combines networking and security services in the cloud, to deliver both wherever you need them. This means bringing safe access to every edge of your network, whether it’s to your most remote branch locations, or to on-the-go users traveling across the globe.
Jordan Baker
“SASE provides flexible, on-demand edge networking that keeps users protected no matter where they are…” – Jordan Baker, Sr. Technology Writer + IT Nerd

The Problem

Organizations are more distributed than ever, forcing you to backhaul traffic through your data center and main enterprise firewall. This leaves you dealing with several crippling issues, like:
  • Slowed speeds due to bottlenecking
  • Frequent delays from service-chaining latencies
  • Balancing connectivity vs security, especially at remote sites
  • Cumbersome scaling that requires loads of time & resources

The Solution

With SASE, you get a cloud-based solution that delivers safe and reliable access as close to users as possible. SASE combines network services such as SD-WAN, bandwidth aggregation, and NaaS with security solutions like FWaaS, Cloud SWG, and VPN. It delivers all these via an identity-driven, cloud-based model and allows users to connect from anywhere, while your main network can regain smooth operation. In short, SASE untethers your network edge so users can connect wherever they go:
  • Eliminate bottlenecking with agile security
  • Get fast service using tightly-coupled virtualized functions
  • Deliver reliable & secure access anywhere, thanks to the cloud
  • Scale on demand using built-in automation support

Why Use SASE?

Traditionally, scaling involves deploying complex stacks of networking and security solutions. Every device in your stack requires careful provisioning, which drags down a lot of your resources and complicates your ability to bring new locations online. But with SASE, you can deploy fewer devices thanks to a converged, cloud-based stack. Because your critical functions are no longer served by individual devices, you get the flexibility to scale on demand. To manage your network, SASE simplifies your job because it is a converged software stack in the cloud. You don’t need to deal with cumbersome, on-site management or a mishmash of loosely-coupled point solutions. Your IT staff can manage your network remotely because access is no longer bound to certain locations. Your SASE platform connects your network resources and allows you to access them all from one place.

ZPE Systems Gives You Even More Flexibility

ZPE Systems’ Nodegrid family of hardware and software provide you with an innovative SASE network management platform. Nodegrid features consolidated, all-in-one devices that reduce your stack and your hardware footprint. The patented x86 64-bit architecture lets you host virtualized applications as well. Instead of having to juggle third-party hosting solutions, you can deploy network functions directly on Nodegrid appliances. Nodegrid is also vendor neutral, giving you the freedom to tailor your solutions to your needs. You don’t have to compromise based on a specific vendor’s offerings. Instead, choose the combination of SD-WAN, firewall, cybersecurity, and other applications that suit you, no matter which vendors they’re from. The built-in Nodegrid software gives you an additional layer of convenience, providing a single interface that normalizes control of all your solutions. You can perform updates, maintenance, and other tasks across your network, all using one intuitive tool. To top it off, ZPE’s Nodegrid devices support automation using popular tools such as Ansible, Python, JSON, Bash, and others. You can streamline scaling, and even set up zero touch provisioning to automate every deployment. Nodegrid appliances are also modular so you can adapt more easily to your business’ changing needs. Remote out-of-band management capabilities enhance your visibility and control, while dual-cellular failover keeps you more resistant to outages and helps you maintain business continuity. Article originally featured in CIO Review

Shield Your Business with Secure Access Service Edge (SASE)

by | Apr 6, 2020 | Secure Access Service Edge (SASE), Videos

Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) is quickly evolving how enterprises offer secure connectivity. As the modern workforce becomes increasingly distributed, you need to accommodate more branch locations and remote workers. This is especially important given the global coronavirus crisis at hand, which has forced most employees out of the office and made working from home the new normal.

That means you’ve probably got a few very crucial questions on your mind, like:

  • Can you achieve business continuity?
  • Will your traditional network be enough?
  • Can you provide a connection that keeps workers safe?

No matter how long it takes to get back to yesterday’s normal, SASE gives you the power to safely connect your entire workforce.

What is Secure Access Service Edge?

SASE is networking and security delivered via the cloud. It’s identity driven and supports all edges, giving your users safe and reliable access to your network no matter where they are.

SASE addresses the need for more secure and flexible connectivity. Traditional networking wasn’t made for a distributed staff base, leaving you with restricted access that’s slow and vulnerable. Without SASE, you need to backhaul traffic through your main network’s firewall, creating a bottleneck that bogs down business with reduced speeds and frequent delays. Remote connections also remain open to threats due to thinner security measures.

In a nutshell, legacy solutions limit your network to specific locations and devices. And until now, adding agility meant piling on more applications and devices to your already complex stack.

Why is SASE Better for Remote Work?

It’s not difficult to imagine how drastically SASE improves your business. Just look back at recent weeks and consider how your traditional system handled the sudden exodus of your employees. Were they able to pick up and seamlessly get back to work at their homes? Or were your IT staff scrambling to put together a mishmash of solutions, with many employees still struggling to get up to speed?

SASE is better because it lets employees connect from anywhere, and it secures them (and your business) with robust capabilities, all delivered via the cloud.

Instead of making your staff jump through hoops just to take their work away from the office, SASE packs everything they need into the cloud. They’re no longer tethered to their specific workstation or a carefully configured laptop, and can now simply connect to your network from anywhere for secure access to physical and cloud resources.

How does SASE Make Management Easier?

For everything from SD-WAN and traffic management, to firewalling and cybersecurity, SASE brings you control and flexibility via a converged software stack. Instead of using loosely-coupled point solutions that are costly to manage, you can control all of your networking and security functions from one place. Access is no longer bound to specific locations, and your IT staff can manage your entire network even from across the globe.

Your business’ resources and users are all connected to one agile platform, with end-to-end security and capabilities that meet your needs no matter how business changes.

So when a global pandemic forces your staff to go 100% remote, you don’t need to struggle to configure individual point solutions and threaten your business’ productivity. With SASE, you can configure and adapt your infrastructure as needed, and roll out changes across your network. Adjust access policies, QoS, firewalling, and more from the cloud, so you can keep business running through any challenge.

Get Nodegrid for Total SASE Flexibility

Nodegrid offers a truly innovative SASE platform that delivers more flexibility and peace of mind.

Our patented x86 64-bit architecture gives you Guest OS access that supports virtualized applications, which you can deploy directly on Nodegrid devices. You can tailor your networking and security solutions by deploying WAN accelerators, additional firewalls, and more. And you can take advantage of Nodegrid’s modularity for a solution that’s fully customized to your needs.

Nodegrid also features built-in automation that streamlines deployment and scaling, so you can easily set up SASE and connect your entire organization. Coupled with reliable 4G/LTE failover and out-of-band management that gives you in-depth control of SD-WAN, security, and third-party applications, Nodegrid is the only solution to unleash total flexibility for your network.

Now’s the time to offer secure access for everyone in your business. Get in touch to schedule your SASE demo today.