Apcela Talks | MPLS in the Age of Software-Defined WAN

Regardless of what phase of Office 365 adoption you are in, the O365 Network Connectivity Principles (https://bit.ly/2rkXjkx) always seems to rear its head when performance is not quite what you were expecting. In this webinar, we take a look at some of those principles and how technologies like SD-WAN can help (or in some cases hurt) your performance objectives.

The push to move applications and services to the cloud often opens the security vulnerabilities that you read about as headlines. Conversely, the fear of those massive security events results in network policies that inhibit speed and ultimately the performance of the business. Join us as we discuss the balance between security and enterprise speed from the perspective of the CIO organization. Some topics we'll cover include:

• Do you know who's touching your cloud environments?

• What's the tradeoff in speed vs security? Can you have both?

• How do cloud-first enterprises think about security in a distributed world?

Participants will also receive a free copy of the Gartner report: Four Keys to Building Effective WANs in the Digital Era.

The 2019 ISG Network – Software Defined Solutions and Services Report unpacks the shifting landscape of the managed WAN and MPLS markets, as software-defined networks, and the providers behind them, disrupt incumbent leaders. Join Apcela as they explore some of the core drivers that are pushing enterprises to update their legacy networks and rapidly adopt a software-defined approach. During the discussion, the panel will explore how:

- Software-defined networks are providing enterprise flexibility without vendor dependencies
- Technologies like SD-WAN are enabling enterprises to improve the customer experience
- Cost savings achieved from SDNs are feeding back into the network to further achieve both 1 and 2 above

It’s easy to forget that the “cloud” has a physical footprint, and it’s location is more important than you think. During this Apcela Talks webinar, we’ll take a look at how the physical geography of the cloud impacts the performance of your applications. Join us as we explore:

1) The dramatic difference in application latency across networks
2) Mapping cloud applications to users and branch offices
3) Over-the-Top Internet Services: what they are and how they can help

Experts from Apcela discuss why it has been so challenging for enterprise CIOs to fully transition to SD-WAN and how they can ramp-up their efforts quickly and effectively.

During this Apcela Talks webinar, we’ll take a look at:

• Research and insights on MPLS vs SD-WAN usage
• Common challenges transitioning from MPLS to SD-WAN
• Tips for how enterprises can get started

Watch a group of industry experts discuss some of the common challenges that enterprises face when deploying Office 365, including:

- Single instances supporting globally distributed enterprises
- Centralized internet egress points
- Security and network limitations

SD-WAN is still the shiny object, but that aside – enterprises may have an idea of the ROI it will provide immediately, but what about in the long run? In conjunction with PacketPushers and part of its Virtual Design Clinic, Mark Casey, CEO of Apcela discusses how to increase your SD-WAN ROI. In this webinar, three points are focused on building a cloud-optimized WAN architecture and moving beyond the expected ROI:

1) Map your apps and users
2) Deploy distributed communication hubs
3) Leverage application-aware routing and automation

As enterprise applications continue their migration to the cloud at an accelerating pace, enterprise IT application and networking managers are challenged to deliver application performance across an increasingly complex hybrid IT environment. As most enterprise network architectures were designed to support delivery of applications from the enterprise data center to users, the complexity of hybrid IT requires new approaches to networking.

In his 2018 Guide to WAN Architecture and Design, Dr. Jim Metzler surveyed the current enterprise IT landscape to answer the question:

How are enterprises planning to evolve their network architectures to deal with the cloud, and what are the critical obstacles getting in the way?

Dr. Metzler, along with Mark Casey, will review the findings and share the top imperatives for hitting the challenges head on.

In this webinar, you will:

1) Gain insight on the three key steps to transform network architecture and improve cloud application performance;
2) Discuss how and where SD-WAN fits into a cloud-ready WAN architecture; and
3) Learn how a programmable network infrastructure improves your operational performance, while reducing operating costs.