Wide Area Network Fundamentals By Team A

Introduction WAN is a geographically distributed private telecommunications network that interconnects multiple LANs. A router or other multifunction device is typically used to connect a LAN to a WAN.  Enterprise WANs allow users to share access to applications, services and other centrally located resources.  A VPN facilitates connectivity between WAN sites. A wide area network (WAN) is a geographically distributed private telecommunications network that interconnects multiple local area networks (LANs). In an enterprise, a WAN may consist of connections to a company's headquarters, branch offices, colocation facilities, cloud services and other facilities. Typically, a router or other multifunction device is used to connect a LAN to a WAN. Enterprise WANs allow users to share access to applications, services and other centrally located resources. This eliminates the need to install the same application server, firewall or other resource in multiple locations, for example. A virtual private network (VPN) facilitates connectivity between WAN sites. An IPsec VPN is more commonly used in continuously open site-to-site connections, such as those between branch offices and headquarters locations.

Many Advantages Many MPLS VPNs offer much more flexibility at more cost-effective price-points than other WAN technologies such as T1 lines. They can reduce total telecom costs by as much as 70% by combining voice, data, and video on one network. Due to the labeling technology, the speed of performing lookups for destinations and routing is much faster than the standard IP table lookups non-MPLS routers have to perform ("What Is Mpls And Its Benefits?", 2017).

Quality of Service QoS Can support both IntServ and DiffServ Support for DiffServ can be standardized Enables traffic proritization MPLS is a combination of routing and switching technologies that can provide scalable VPNs with end-to-end quality of service. When an enterprise and service provider must be consistent in order to achieve end to end service levels.

Security An MPLS network doesn’t offer any permanent data protection. The lack of this protection and improper implementation that can leave a network prone to vulnerabilities. MPLS requires IT personnel to be vigilant in it’s usage. IT should work with their provider to ensure that all devices, interfaces, and other hardware are security is hardened. Doing so will secure that all vulnerabilities are minimized.

Price Compared to WAN over the internet a VPN based WAN can be expensive. The cost of MPLS can be based on carrier, certain discount levels, the volume commitments, and other factors that can affect pricing. Geography also plays a major role, if a the carrier cant provide service within a geographical area. When a specific carrier lacks coverage in a given geography, they’ll usually work with another provider to complete their quote, which can also affect their price to you significantly

Cons of Wide Area Network High costs to setup Security concerns Maintenance issues Why it may be true that Wide area networks have many advantages in it’s application, it’s also important to understand that they’re some disadvantages in using such a network. One of the listed cons of using WAN is it’s setup costs. WAN over internet can be very complex to deal with and the larger the WAN the costlier it becomes. The need to connect to far- flung remote stations is one of the reasons that the cost of WAN is so high. Security concerns is another cons of using WAN. A WAN can leave openings to certain security breaches such as, unauthorized usage, information or data theft, and malicious damage to files. When businesses have many locations this makes it more difficult to monitor and prevent security breaches. Maintenance issues are also another con of WAN’s over internet. because of the challenges that comes with WAN, it is very hard to manage a data center. Data center management is one of the biggest problem with WAN. These known issues make it harder for data center to detect problems before becoming a reality.

Conclusion Outsourced routing. With MPLS, the carrier handles WAN routing. ... Any-to-any connectivity. Applications, like voice and video, feature any-to- any traffic patterns. ... Built-in support for Quality of Service (QoS). ... Service-level agreements (SLAs) with delivery guarantees. With all of the cons against VPN based WAN the upside makes it worth it. Cost maybe an issue but that stake holder may have an issue with. With their being many providers, we could find a provider that’s affordable, and that provide a package to suit our needs.

Citations TechTarget (2017). WAN (wide area network). Retrieved from http://searchenterprisewan.techtarget.com/definition/WAN (Accessed April 13, 2007) What is MPLS and its Benefits?. (2017). Retrieved from http://www.etherspeak.com/blog/what-is-mpls-and-its-benefits/ What is the cost of MPLS?. (2015). Retrieved from https://www.mushroomnetworks.com/blog/2015/08/20/what-is-the-cost-of- mpls/ info.oxfordnetworks.com/blog/wide-area-networks-the-pros-and-cons

Picture Citations Page 3 (2017) https://image.slidesharecdn.com/comparisonbetweentraditionalvpnandmplsvpn- 130505070722-phpapp02/95/comparison-between-traditional-vpn-and-mpls-vpn- 20-638.jpg?cb=1367737679 Page 5 (2017) https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja &uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwi8ir_g2qrTAhWBQiYKHdXqBfYQjRwIBw&url=http%3A%2F%2F www.brandonhall.com%2Fblogs%2Fsome-sense-of-security-about-learning- technologies%2F&psig=AFQjCNH5dY1YcwV7EgFmvDChUR5f8aU_fg&ust=1492491619 153439 Page 6 (2017) https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=images&cd=&cad=rja &uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjJpML11qrTAhUGYyYKHeR4CPcQjRwIBw&url=https%3A%2F% 2Fwww.inddist.com%2Farticle%2F2016%2F03%2Fare-costs-poor-pricing-weighing- down-your-financial- results&bvm=bv.152479541,d.eWE&psig=AFQjCNGHafcpt4xC7q3Sp6mVTY5KkV0DTQ &ust=1492490583978757