Blog

Future-proofing means less replacing, less repairing, and a lot less cost down the line as we scramble to be ready for tomorrow. The future, however, is vague, and knowing what to prepare for can be difficult. Make sure your wide-area network (WAN) is ready for tomorrow with a few fairly simple measures right now.

How Can I Future-Proof My WAN?

While no one can guarantee a future-proof WAN—the future is always changing—there are certain points that can help get a network ready.

Embrace automation. Automated systems like the Cisco WAN Automation Engine can automatically optimize a WAN, both simplifying it and making it fully open. The ADVA Ensemble open virtualization suite and EXFO's NFV Service Assurance systems make for one-touch system virtualization. Solutions like these free up the human element to focus on advancement and getting better with “fuzzier” problems automation can't address, protecting against today's and tomorrow's problems.

Shake up the architecture. Being able to understand exactly what's going on in a network—services used, traffic patterns, historical growth rates—are the key to knowing what problems are likely to emerge and responding accordingly. Reshaping network architecture with an eye toward visibility means a better chance at a fully-operating network.

Optimize the WAN. It's a no-brainer; when the WAN is at its peak, it's ready for today, and will almost certainly be ready for tomorrow. So employ WAN optimization today and enjoy the benefits of greater bandwidth, improved application performance, and more.

Downsize...in the router department. Downsizing people is fairly common. Downsizing routers, however, is different. The newest WAN developments allow an organization to work with fewer and simpler routers, however, and with fewer parts comes fewer potential points of failure. Recently, New Seasons Market successfully used pre-configured routers in a redesign of its WAN systems. 

How Do I Get Started Making My WAN Ready for Tomorrow's Challenges?

Is your WAN built to support future applications? Get in touch with us at MHO to make it that much easier to implement a network with the speeds and security you need.