CATO Networks

DECEMBER 29, 2019

One of the big selling points of SD-WAN tools is their ability to use the Internet to deliver private-WAN levels of performance and reliability. Give each site connections to two or three Internet providers and you can run even demanding, performance-sensitive applications with confidence. See Figure 1.) (See Figure 1.)

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Kentik

APRIL 15, 2020

SD-WAN, one of the most disruptive network technologies of the past few years, has a fast rate of adoption. Enterprises adopting SD-WAN are driven by key factors such as WAN cost savings, application performance improvement, management and operation simplification, and more. Visualize all transport (MPLS, internet, LTE, etc.)

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CATO Networks

SEPTEMBER 15, 2018

In a recent webinar we conducted at Cato , we asked the audience a poll question: What is the primary driver for your SD-WAN project? We were a bit surprised to find out that secure, direct Internet access was the top driver. Why is security such a big deal with SD-WAN? Secure, Direct Internet Access: SD-WANs Self-Made Headache?

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CATO Networks

APRIL 4, 2018

Enterprise networking is moving from traditional hub-and-spoke WAN architectures to infrastructure that must support the migration of critical applications to the cloud. MPLS: Reliable, But Comes with a Price The popularity of MPLS deployments in corporate WAN infrastructures comes from its predictability.

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CATO Networks

JANUARY 12, 2020

Most enterprise WANs have historically used MPLS, but with the proliferation of cloud resources and mobile users, organizations are realizing the need to facilitate more flexible connectivity. They are faced with many options when making this decision, but one of the first that must be considered is whether to go with a hybrid WAN or SD-WAN.

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CATO Networks

JUNE 19, 2018

WAN optimization has been with us for a long time. Born alongside the expensive MPLS data service, WAN optimization appliances allowed organizations to squeeze more bandwidth out of thin pipes through compression and deduplication, as well as prioritizing traffic of loss-sensitive applications such as remote desktops.

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CATO Networks

APRIL 25, 2018

SD-WAN is one of the hottest technologies in the networking space. Being hot, though, doesn’t mean that SD-WAN has a solid business case to support it. Historically, MPLS was the default WAN choice to maximize uptime and ensure predictable network behavior. How can IT executives justify the investment in this technology?

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CloudFaire

MARCH 21, 2025

Cloudflares global network offers governments and highly regulated customers a unique capability to be within 50ms of 95% of Internet users globally, while also offering robust security for data processing, key management, and metadata storage.

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Government Networking Network Gateway 88

Packet Pushers

NOVEMBER 8, 2024

Elijah had an interesting connectivity challenge to solve for a remote mountain town that relies on a wireless connection for Internet access, and not much budget to solve it with. But he got it done by building his own SD-WAN using Mikrotik boxes and. But he got it done by building his own SD-WAN using Mikrotik boxes and.

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CATO Networks

AUGUST 22, 2023

The corporate WAN connects an organizations distributed branch locations, data center, cloud-based infrastructure, and remote workers. The WAN needs to offer high-performance and reliable network connectivity to ensure all users and applications can communicate effectively.

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CATO Networks

MAY 14, 2018

SD-WAN is all the rage in enterprise networking these days. IT teams are excited about the opportunities SD-WAN creates to transform their networks. Below are some of the use cases that can launch your SD-WAN project. Improved WAN resiliency, availability and capacity The network is the core of our digital business.

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CATO Networks

AUGUST 7, 2018

Work is done in more places and the Internet has become central to how business is conducted. The answer Software-Defined Wide Area Networks (SD-WANs). SD-WAN brings unparalleled agility and cost savings to networking. SD-WAN creates an overlay across the wide area network also bringing incredible efficiency and agility gains.

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CATO Networks

SEPTEMBER 18, 2019

This stat struck a chord with me as it helps to quantify a common problem the Cato team works with customers to solve: reducing WAN latency. However, keeping WAN latency in check while using traditional solutions, like MPLS or VPN, with cloud services has become impractical. Well answer that here.

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CATO Networks

APRIL 12, 2018

The widespread adoption of Software-Defined Wide-Area-Network ( SD-WAN ) in recent years has caused many to wonder whether WAN optimization is still necessary. More specifically, t he rise of WAN optimization began around 2004 and addressed the limitations of the limited capacity of costly MPLS and leased line connections.

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CATO Networks

MARCH 7, 2019

Companies evaluating which SD-WAN approach is best for them will have to decide between deploying an Over the Top (OTT) SD-WAN or having their SD-WAN bundled with the underlying network. The decision certainly has a big impact on SD-WANs complexity, performance, and affordability. Is Cato an OTT SD-WAN?

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CATO Networks

SEPTEMBER 20, 2022

What is the ROI on SD-WAN projects? Most enterprises look at SD-WAN as an MPLS alternative , hoping to reduc e their MPLS connectivity costs. But the actual SD-WAN ROI is a mix of hard and soft savi n gs from increasing overall network capacity and availability to a reduc ed operational load of managing and securing the network.

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CATO Networks

JULY 24, 2023

SASE = SD-WAN + SSE. It identifies two elements that underpin SASE , namely the network access technology ( SD-WAN ) and secure internet access ( Security Service Edge (SSE) ). The East-West WAN traffic visibility gap : SASE converges two separate disciplines: the Wide Area Network and Network Security. Here is why.

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CATO Networks

DECEMBER 29, 2024

The WAN landscape is evolving at a rapid pace, driven by demands of cloud, mobility, and globalization. Addressing MPLS Limitations with SD-WAN Capabilities Businesses need a networking solution that aligns with todays dynamic needs. While SD-WAN eliminates limitations of MPLS, not all SD-WAN solutions are created equal.

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CATO Networks

APRIL 30, 2018

Our new eBook, Cato Networks Optimized WAN and Cloud Connectivity , analyzes those challenges and explains Catos unique approach to overcoming the performance limitations in todays cloud- and mobile-centric organizations. WAN optimization was designed to overcome the limitations of MPLS-based networks.

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CATO Networks

FEBRUARY 21, 2019

One of the key requirements of Unified Communications-as-a-Service (UCaaS) is the ability to connect to service providers via the Internet. As I discussed in my previous blog , few companies, especially global organizations, have Internet access at every branch. Another option is the use of WAN-Cloud exchanges.

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CATO Networks

JULY 31, 2023

SD-WAN has enabled new technology opportunities for businesses. But not all organizations have adopted SD-WAN in the same manner or are having the same SD-WAN experience. As the market gravitates away from SD-WAN towards SASE , research and consulting firm EMA analyzed how businesses are managing this transition to SASE.

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CATO Networks

MAY 16, 2018

SD-WAN adoption is seeing rapid growth as companies look to streamline their WAN infrastructure and move toward more cloud-based applications. Streamlining the network security infrastructure and providing secure Internet access from any location were the top 2 reasons for moving to SD-WAN in 2018.

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CATO Networks

SEPTEMBER 5, 2018

For a while now, there have been two basic SD-WAN solutions offering a choice between DIY (appliance-based) or fully managed (service-based) solutions. Being at opposite ends of the spectrum, customers are increasingly preferring an SD-WAN solution that encompasses the advantages of both solutions.

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CATO Networks

JUNE 17, 2018

Although MPLS circuits are considerably more expensive than general Internet circuits, businesses have relied on MPLS networks for their dependability. Software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN) is making organizations rethink their WAN infrastructure. Internet backup may be used but that adds complexity to the network.

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CATO Networks

MARCH 17, 2022

WAN transformation with SD-WAN and SASE is a strategic project for many organizations. This happens in many developing nations, where the cost of high-quality internet is similar to the cost of MPLS, so migration from MPLS to Internet-based last mile doesnt create significant cost savings. The hub and spokes are changing.

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CATO Networks

MAY 4, 2020

However, when I discuss latency reduction and WAN acceleration with network managers and CIOs, one of the key takeaways is that getting network optimization right has changed significantly over the last decade. So, what exactly are WAN accelerators and what is WAN acceleration in 2020? Here, well answer those questions.

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CATO Networks

OCTOBER 10, 2018

SD-WAN is a flexible solution that integrates low-cost Internet transports into a virtual WAN connection. Utilizing multiple links and additional features such as load balancing, and real-time monitoring of circuit health and performance, SD-WAN can achieve the required high availability todays enterprises demand.

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Kentik

JUNE 14, 2023

Enterprise WAN in 2023 Enterprise networking in 2023 is very much the same. I recently had the privilege of attending the WAN and AWS Summits in London. Not many years ago, all my WAN projects were IPsec tunnels to a headend, dual hub DMVPN designs, coordinating MPLS handoffs from last mile providers, etc. Of a flat universe.

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CATO Networks

MARCH 9, 2022

SD-WAN networks provide multiple benefits to organizations, especially when compared to MPLS. SD-WAN improves cloud application performance, reduces WAN costs and increases business agility. This blog post lists the top considerations for enterprises that are evaluating and deploying SD-WAN.

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CATO Networks

MARCH 23, 2025

Integrating SD-WAN for Improved Network Performance Organizations looking to optimize WAN traffic often start with SD-WAN, which enhances application performance while reducing MPLS costs. When delivered as part of a SASE platform, SD-WAN seamlessly integrates with security controls, reducing complexity.

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CATO Networks

OCTOBER 28, 2020

Anyone who is considering SD-WAN for their WAN transformation project must be a bit anxious about the transition of last mile access to the Internet. SD-WAN projects introduce a mix of Internet underlays to augment or replace MPLS. I would consider that similar to the approach discussed in the next paragraph.

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CATO Networks

JUNE 5, 2023

With the growth of cloud computing, remote work, mobile and Internet of Things (IoT), companies have users and IT assets everywhere, requiring connectivity. Software-defined WAN (SD-WAN) provides the ability to implement a secure, high-performance corporate WAN on top of existing networks.

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CATO Networks

NOVEMBER 26, 2019

Nick Dell is an IT manager who recently led a network transformation initiative at his company, moving from MPLS to SD-WAN. Dell shared why he made that transition and the lessons he learned along the way in the webinar SD-WAN Confessions: How I migrated from MPLS to SD-WAN. I couldnt trust them to manage the SD-WAN, says Dell.

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CATO Networks

DECEMBER 24, 2019

A recent conversation with a WAN engineer got me thinking about how network optimization techniques have changed over the years. Traditional WAN optimization tools do little to help address these challenges, as theyre simply designed to reduce bandwidth consumption. WAN optimization appliances couldnt fix that trombone problem.

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CATO Networks

SEPTEMBER 2, 2018

So in the spirit of the season, weve decided to create a curriculum for learning everything you wanted to know about SD-WAN. SD-WAN Curriculum and Resource Materials Here are five resources of information to understand SD-WAN, but also about other technologies that impact SD-WAN.

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CATO Networks

MARCH 27, 2019

Our research also shows, though,that many enterprises experience an increase in WAN costs to support connectivity to the cloud. Approximately 38% of companies benchmarked by Nemertes Research in 2018 saw their WAN costs rise as a result of their adoption of UCaaS, with a mean increase in spend of 23.5%.

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Akins IT

NOVEMBER 17, 2020

Luckily, SD-WAN can be configured to prioritize business-critical traffic and real-time services like Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and then effectively steer it over the most efficient route. Performance MPLS was the top dog in enterprise WAN before cloud-computing and mobile smart devices exploded in popularity.

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