Operationalization of SD-WAN services

SD-WAN service orchestration and control allows managing the life-cycle of SD-WAN services as available with API, automation tools, and eco-systems from SD-WAN providers.

There is a need to operationalize SD-WAN services using existing IT systems in CSPs that have customer data.

The key capabilities of SD-WAN are as follows.

SD-WAN includes secure overlay connectivity that uses IP packet forwarding and routing based on policies for end-user applications and their traffic demand.

SD-WAN has multiple options for Transport underlay and is independent of it.

Service assurance is automated for each SD-WAN connection (as a virtual tunnel). SD-WAN Orchestrators and Controllers centralize management, orchestration and control of SD-WAN services.

Services are highly available; this helps automate deployments of specific SD-WAN offerings from SD-WAN vendors.

Operationalization via IT systems integration

Integration with these systems would depend on a few factors – at least three.

  1. Whether the CSP SD-WAN solutions include multiple SD-WAN vendors
  2. Whether the deployment is on a large scale, especially at the Telco Edge
  3. How well any automation loop can be closed with the operational stack’s downward-facing service fulfilment and the operational stack’s upward-facing service assurance

All of these factors call for the introduction of a NaaS layer to allow IT systems to use the SD-WAN deployment systems.

Options for such a NaaS layer can be implemented

  • Using standards as described in TMForum NaaS
  • Using Hyperscalers
  • Using a Customized in-house adaptation of Vendor offering

Using TMForum NaaS

This is described in TMForum IG1224, and the application of NaaS to SD-WAN has my contribution to IG1224 with my SD-WAN PSR model (Product-Service-Resource) model as peer reviewed and approved in Appendix A.

Using Hyperscalers

Using compute, storage and network from hyperscalers increases the cost as management and orchestration endpoints at the edge increase. Large-scale edge deployments with virtualized CPEs may not scale cost-wise on hyper-scalers.

In-house

Using a customised in-house adaptation of Vendor offering depends on CSP’s existing system and capabilities.

Finally, for any SD-WAN service, aligning with the performance and capacity of the underlying transport layer is required for closed-loop automation.

The existing performance monitoring solution and its closed loop will ensure that SD-WAN services meet their SLAs.