With Cloud, the Core of Your Network is Moving

Advancements in cloud computing are working to redefine businesses’ network strategies. A new white paper from LightEdge Solutions explores this very phenomenon. The report also highlights LightEdge’s own IT Core (vCore) network architecture that addresses some of today’s biggest network challenges.

Download the full report.

It seems almost everyone is talking about the cloud, or how they are already using the evolving hybrid cloud. The LightEdge report contends the most important question to consider when assessing cloud usage is, “What cloud strategy will your network support?”

For companies who have already begun using the cloud, one of the biggest challenges is creating a predictable and reliable network to ensure a “quality user experience every time.”

LightEdge Solutions explains it seems that with the cloud, businesses seem to have one of two strategies: jump all in or simply stay put and “ride out the status quo.”

What does that mean? LightEdge Solutions says the status quo has always been to house data and systems internally, letting IT staff reinvent the wheel in 3-5-year hardware lifecycles.

“However, there is a smarter way to go about facilitating networking between business users and Core IT resources,” the report states.

For users, there are a variety of ways to get them to the IT Core, including SSL or IPSec VPNs for mobile users. But LightEdge Solutions shares that although it may be tempting to combine the user and data center solutions, the report cautions against this strategy.

Distributed models within cloud environments tend to make point to point private lines single points of failure or create sub-optimal paths.

Look at it from a user perspective: Connecting to a single database is more straight forward, but things can get complicated with they have to connect  to multiple data centers or in the hybrid cloud strategy. Ultimately, most users end up needing some kind of connection broker or steering strategy. Security can become an issue, as well.

You get the idea — there are a variety of challenges that can arise while transitioning to the cloud. To help address these challenges, LightEdge Solutions has developed a virtualized IT Core (vCore) network architecture.

According to LightEdge Solutions, this solution “combines the concepts of regionally placed vCore PoPs (Points of Presence) with a combination of private, public and SD-WAN connectivity options to various clouds and user access methods.”

How does it work? The solution uses routers, firewalls and SD-Wan appliances in our vCore PoPs  regionally consolidate user traffic to this extended Core IT perimeter using Geo-IP rules.

To further show the power of its vCore product, LightEdge Solutions offers in the report a use case from a recent customer that illustrates the holistic need for user consolidation in a regional versus centralized manner.

To read the use-case analysis and more, download the full report, “Redefining Your Cloud Strategy: With Cloud, the Core of Your Network is Moving,” courtesy of LightEdge Solutions.