Spectrum Enterprise, Charter Communications' (NASDAQ:CHTR) business services arm, announced the details of its Hybrid Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) solutions and is demonstrating the solution in a networking proof-of-concept (PoC) at the fourth annual Metro Ethernet Forum (MEF) global conference.
Spectrum's Hybrid SD-WAN solution is designed to enable businesses to leverage Ethernet, Internet connectivity and SD-WAN to create Hybrid WANs by stitching together native Ethernet WANs and Internet-based SD-WAN connections. The solution is intended to enable businesses to establish, modify or expand their WAN or transition away from legacy network services. The solution is designed to let businesses:
- Overlay an SD-WAN solution over any access technology for new locations or over their existing WAN
- Extend their current native Ethernet WAN by stitching in remote sites using SD-WAN over Internet access
- Build a network of their choice by choosing connectivity options on a per-site basis and based on unique needs for each site
"As businesses go through digital transformations, their networking needs evolve to require dynamic services that provide visibility and control," said Greg King, senior vice president, Product, Marketing and Strategy for Spectrum Enterprise. "Our Hybrid SD-WAN strategy offers choice and flexibility to help our clients address their individual networking needs."
The Spectrum Enterprise Hybrid SD-WAN solution will also provide a number of software-controlled features including:
- A client portal to manage visibility and control over the entire service end-to-end
- Application-level use of business policies at each site for routing traffic
- Pre-defined network security templates and policies
- Automation of connectivity to the cloud
Spectrum Enterprise is targeting existing clients with complex networking needs to participate in the field trials.
Spectrum Enterprise is demonstrating its Hybrid SD-WAN solution with a client use case during the Metro Ethernet Forum's MEF17 Conference this week in Orlando, FL. The demonstration includes the activation and stitching of SD-WAN overlay locations into an existing Ethernet WAN connected to the public cloud, applying business policies and traffic routing, activating a virtual firewall in real time and setting firewall policies through a user portal.