Versa Secure SD-WAN and AWS Cloud WAN Tunnel-Less Connect

leo-jiao
By Leo Jiao
Sr. Systems Engineer. Versa Networks
October 24, 2023

Today, AWS announced Tunnel-less Connect on Cloud WAN. This new capability provides customers with a simple, high-performance mechanism to build a global SD-WAN architecture using AWS Global Network as a middle-mile transport network. With this capability, SD-WAN appliances can natively peer with Cloud WAN using Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) without the need for tunneling. Native BGP support between SD-WAN appliances in a VPC and AWS Cloud WAN, without the need for tunnels, simplifies the extension of SD-WAN deployments in AWS cloud and enables access to AWS’ high bandwidth global network for branch-to-cloud connectivity.

As part of this announcement, Versa Secure SD-WAN Solution is named an official AWS Cloud WAN Tunnel-less Connect partner.

How this integration benefits Versa and AWS customers

Improved enterprise global reachability with AWS Global Network

For enterprises with SD-WAN deployed at branches and data centers spread across various global locations, reliable and expedited global network reachability using AWS Cloud WAN offers additional advantages. AWS’s Global Network infrastructure enables worldwide SLA-driven deployment that delivers high-capacity and low-latency performance.

<em>Figure 1 Overview of AWS Cloud WAN and SD WAN Architecture<em>
Versa Secure SD-WAN integration with AWS Cloud WAN Tunnel-Less Connect

Traditional SD-WAN sites often connect from a branch network to AWS Cloud with either an IPSec or GRE tunnel. While this enables connectivity, it adds packet overhead and can also introduce throughput limitations. These disadvantages are removed with the partnership between Versa and AWS Tunnel-less Connect on Cloud WAN. This partnership would provide all enterprises with global network connectivity using application-aware end-to-end traffic-engineered paths between their sites. Tunnel-less integration provides the full VPC attachment bandwidth (100 Gbps peak per tunnel).

<em>Figure 2 Versa Secure SD WAN Integration with AWS Cloud WAN Tunnel Less<em>

Cloud-Enabled SD-WAN Provisioned by Versa Concerto

AWS Cloud is natively integrated with Versa Secure SD-WAN’s unified management console, which centrally provisions the on-premises, private cloud, and public cloud infrastructure. Now, enterprises can design, deploy, and manage all secure connectivity between sites and the AWS infrastructure from a single pane of glass that enables management of the entire lifecycle of the secure network.

<em>Figure 3 Device template and profile on Concerto<em>

End-to-End Application-aware traffic engineering and visibility

The Versa Secure SD-WAN solution supports application-aware networking between sites and AWS Cloud, dynamically selecting the appropriate links and end-to-end traffic-engineered paths based on the required SLA. This approach takes into account key network attributes that include latency, packet loss ratio, and bandwidth. SLA monitoring allows application-based link selection, intelligent traffic engineering, and smart re-routing based on user-defined SLA and forwarding profiles. The Versa Secure SD-WAN solution supports measurement and historical reporting of application performance parameters leveraging TCP and HTTP performance-monitoring scoring.

In conjunction with Versa Deep Packet Inspection (DPI) capabilities, these monitoring capabilities allow the Versa Secure SD-WAN solution to perform Layer 7 application identification and classification. The Versa Secure SD-WAN solution provides application-aware queuing, scheduling, and routing, and can consider time of day, link type (MPLS versus internet), application requirements (bandwidth, delay, jitter, and error rate), and link performance.

<em>Figure 4 Application Identification on Concerto<em>

Figure – 5 Application Performance monitoring

We are excited about our ongoing partnership with AWS and the integration with Tunnel-less Connect on Cloud WAN capability. This transformative feature offers our customers an efficient and straightforward approach to construct a global SD-WAN architecture that leverages the robust AWS Global Network for superior branch-to-branch connectivity. By enabling third-party SD-WAN appliances to natively peer with Cloud WAN using BGP, we’ve eliminated the need for complex tunneling protocols. This not only streamlines the SD-WAN extension within the AWS cloud but also emphasizes the importance of security with its in-built network segmentation, paving the way for a secure and globally scalable SD-WAN solution.

About Versa Networks

Versa Networks, the leader in single-vendor Unified SASE platforms, delivers AI/ML-powered SSE and SD-WAN solutions. The platform provides networking and security with true multitenancy, and sophisticated analytics via the cloud, on-premises, or as a blended combination of both to meet SASE requirements for small to extremely large enterprises and Service Providers. Thousands of customers globally with hundreds of thousands of sites and millions of users trust Versa with their mission-critical networks and security. Versa Networks is privately held and funded by Sequoia Capital, Mayfield, Artis Ventures, Verizon Ventures, Comcast Ventures, BlackRock Inc., Liberty Global Ventures, Princeville Capital, RPS Ventures, and Triangle Peak Partners. For more information, visit https://www.versa-networks.com or follow Versa Networks on Twitter @versanetworks.

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Gartner Research Report

2023 Gartner® Critical Capabilities for SD-WAN

Versa Networks has been positioned in the highest ranked three vendors for all five Use Cases in the 2023 Gartner® Critical Capabilities for SD-WAN Report.