Critical success factors for Digital Network Transformations.

Wherever a company is on its Digital Network Transformation journey, enterprises can benefit from technical and operational insights. Common formats include reference architectures, adoption challenges, potential barriers and key areas for consideration. Detailed descriptions of technology used, as well as explanations of how Verizon applies and integrates technology and network management platforms, are provided throughout this document. Some of the key takeaways are:

Digital Network Transformation is all about agility, elasticity and resilience. A hybrid application delivery strategy allows for optimal performance and flexibility.

• Support for multiple Virtual Network Functions (VNF) deployed on a single appliance provides an opportunity for more efficient network infrastructure management and the agility to respond to changing market conditions
• By employing a cloud and container infrastructure package at the network edge, Verizon has enabled a “Cloud in a box” by combining a Linux-based operating system, hypervisor with open source Application Programming Interfaces (APIs), and accelerators

Integrated technology and tools, as well as trusted service and management teams, are keys to a successful Digital Network transformation.

• Continued investment in lab-based testing and APIs helps Verizon to benchmark performance metrics which can identify potential pitfalls specific to an organization’s desired outcomes. Benchmarking these metrics can alleviate potential issues with vendor VNF interoperability and enable delivery of automated service chains and solutions bundles which reduce turn up time and speed customers’ ability to generate revenues
• By maintaining close technology and business relationships with multiple vendors, Verizon is able to ensure end-to-end software and systems integration that is difficult to duplicate for even the largest enterprises due to the scale and the ability to maintain close alignment with the vendors

Optimal network uptime and performance can only be achieved by deep integration of network connectivity management tools, such as automated self-healing, Closed Loop Assurance, centralized policy management, intelligent networking tools, and other extreme automation techniques.

With time, resources and effort, enterprises might be able to do this themselves. However, for a time and resource-constrained IT team, the good news is that a digital network technology refresh need not be complex or time-consuming to deploy or manage. Low-touch provisioning significantly reduces the deployment delays and expense associated with manual turn-ups. Automation and consolidation of policy management means more effective use of limited operational resources, and integrated management tools means optimal uptime and performance in production.

Recognized for innovation, Verizon is not waiting for the future, we are building it! Are you ready to join with us in taking the next steps in your digital network transformation journey?

The network data explosion.

While there are no shortage of signs that delaying an update might potentially lead to detrimental effects on realizing business objectives, enterprises exploring Digital Network Transformation initiatives are finding few common industry standards or best practice models for their projects. A new era of digital business has arrived where organizations must seek ways to apply technology and applications as a means of meeting customers, business partners, and staff expectations. The ability for enterprises to expedite a digital transformation will play a large role in the success of securing a growth position in the new, global, digital marketplace.

The pace of change is accelerating.

The pace of change is only accelerating further with the arrival of 5G, Multi-Access Edge Computing (MEC), SD WAN, virtualized networking services, and other new technologies on the networking side, and Edge Computing, IoT and Artificial Intelligence (to name a few) on the application side. Enterprises are now faced with “always-on, always connected, always performing” application and network expectations from staff and customers. Traditional network deployments are challenged to keep up, making it even more difficult for IT managers to be successful.

The data explosion, combined with increasingly higher user expectations, has been driving technological change at an incredibly fast pace. IT managers are forced to rethink their network strategy – not just the hardware and the software, but the skill sets their staff need to support it. “Digitalization” is possibly an overused term, but this is the environment we are operating in today.

Dynamic applications pressure traditional WAN architectures.

Challenges for traditional WAN architectures also include:

• The proliferation of public and private cloud applications
• The rise in the number of edge computing applications that require a far more sophisticated understanding of application data and compute workflows
• A technology shift from dedicated networking appliances to SD WAN and virtualized CPE (vCPE) platforms
• The rapid evolution of mobile and cloud-based applications underscores the need for an open standards-based, fluid network design
• Accelerating demand for multi-layered security, network resilience requirements, and support for the Internet of Things (IoT) applications

As many enterprises are finding, traditional networks were not designed to optimize (or even be aware of) application performance. They have been complex and cumbersome to manage and maintain, often having been designed for and built on purpose-built proprietary, network equipment such as routers, Ethernet switches, firewalls, and load balancers. Deploying these monolithic network elements has meant long development and installation cycles, overly complex lifecycle management (adding to operational inefficiency and overhead), and increased need for investment in upgraded equipment, often at a rate that exceeds revenue growth.

Often, existing enterprise networks are composed of “bundled” vendor proprietary network elements where the control, management, and data (including user data traffic) functions are physically tied to the network functions themselves. Deployment of new services or modifications to existing services must be done on an element-by-element basis, requiring tight coordination of internal and external resources. This traditional approach limits the ability to tune network operational flexibility and application awareness and potentially forces IT managers into a risky strategy of reliance on proprietary vender point solutions. Verizon’s investment in SDN means less reliance on vendor proprietary solutions and more flexibility to incorporate new technologies as they develop.

Organizations struggle to support technology change.

There are significant challenges to be aware of before undertaking a DIY (Do It Yourself) network transformation project. There are many factors that may need to be changed to support a digital network transformation to a SDN network architecture. Following are some common issues that should be considered and addressed:

• Lack of understanding - The implications of applying traditional networking principles to a technology refresh can lead to less than optimal technology choices. Do not assume that a vendor’s black box magically works without thorough testing and field trials. Not all vendor solutions are created equally. Each have strengths and weaknesses that need to be mapped to an organization’s actual requirements
• Traditional infrastructure mindset – Transformation is often thought of as a standalone project rather than part of an integrated infrastructure. While often overlooked, it is essential to consider how new applications, cloud and systems will impact network design and security
• Outdated staff skillsets – For an enterprise to stay current, investments need to be made in training existing staff or hiring new staff with the skills to support SDN architectures. This applies to not only to the network architects but also the network administrators and service delivery staff.
• These skills are typically not core capabilities for the average enterprise, Attracting and keeping talent is important and becomes a serious challenge
• Poorly integrated tools and management systems – Traditional network architecture tools might not work for a digital network transformation deployment. Organizations need to proactively invest in and build pre-integrated new tools. These systems work better with comprehensive “visibility” tools which may not be included in a given vendor’s solution and are unlikely to work well across multiple vendors

A mix of technology and business reasons are driving Digital Network Transformations.

Digital Network Transformation is still in the early stages of adoption. Many organizations have not yet considered, or are still just starting to consider, undertaking a transformation project. There are great benefits as well as barriers to SDN/NFV adoption. As enterprises learn more about the technology and come to better understand the benefits, the number of field deployments will continue to grow.

The benefits of Digital Network Transformation include:

• Higher network availability and application performance
• Increased agility
• Cost efficiencies

Reasons an IT manager might consider a delay include:

• A perception that Digital Network Transformation may not fully support secure functions against increasingly complex threats
• The total cost of ownership (TCO) balancing new technology investments while maintaining existing infrastructure
• “Rip and replace” may not be seen as a viable option, as the potential for operational disruption might seem devastating for business objectives

An understanding of the financial impact of delaying a digital transformation with newer agile technologies is a commonly ignored variable and critical to keeping ahead of competition. Do It Yourself (DIY) transformations might initially appear to be a cost-effective and efficient option. However, working with a partner (service provider or integrator) who has experience with global digital network implementations, as well as the full breadth of lab and support resources to test, collaborate with disparate technology vendors, and manage a project at scale, can mean the difference between the success or failure of a digital transformation project.

Purpose-built hardware

Purpose-built hardware is often used for smaller sites that might need only one service – typically SD WAN or Software Defined Secure Branch (SDSB) -- for the foreseeable future (e.g., a retail outlet or a remote office). Whatever the situation, there are times that using a purpose built device is the best option in terms of cost and efficiency. These purpose built devices are designed to seamlessly work with the same backend orchestration and automation systems in the SDN portfolio.

Premises based uCPE

Often, remote sites need more flexibility to change services as requirements or technology evolve. In this case, a simple x86 “white box” universal CPE (uCPE) can be dispatched. The desired application mix will then be deployed over the network once a basic secure network connection has been established to the device.

A range of uCPE configurations are available to address different performance, high availability, survivability, and size requirements. As with the software technologies, extensive pre-production testing is performed in Verizon labs with each appliance model series and each service chain to ensure proper performance in the field. This eliminates the need to expend time and effort on extensive re-testing the solutions for your digital transformation. Removing the permutations of service-chained configurations and confirming the versions of code for each partner as fully operational has proven to be a challenge for most implementations in our industry. Verizon has conquered this hurdle with an extensive blue-print and design review process to ensure success for your environment.

Hosted Network Services

For the many companies that have migrated their applications to the public cloud, VNS offers a hosted solution that allows cloud-based applications to be connected via co-located hosted nodes, increasing the application performance characteristics. For example, if you want SD WAN routing functionality at each site, but want an advanced firewall to serve multiple sites with the same policy requirements, then it might make sense to centralize the security services rather than having costly security nodes installed at each remote location.

Public cloud

Some VNS services are available on public cloud platforms, such as Amazon Web Services (AWS). Realizing enterprises have assets across many different technology service providers, Verizon made its VNS SD WAN network function available directly from the AWS public cloud.

• Solutions bundles: pre-tested and certified VNF service chains and universal automated policy change management
• Low touch automation: exceptional provisioning, configuration, and closed loop assurance reduces time to deployment from weeks to just days or hours
• Visualized services across multiple domains: views into access, transport and data center (cloud) reducing troubleshooting time and facilitating management
• Hybrid orchestration: seamless orchestration across physical and virtual network domains reducing total cost of ownership (TCO)
• Transition of operations: Leveraging of orchestration to easily integrate existing systems with other vendor solutions

With VNS, you benefit from an advanced self-service portal that provides a detailed view of security postures, regional and branch level policies, and your micro-services inventory. Think of it as a “shared management” model; you have the ability to manage your sensitive policy changes in near real time, while we manage the automation and complexity behind the scenes. This service offers simplified, centralized, near real-time control of important parameters (security policies, access controls, cost, and performance).

Through the portal, you will also have extensive end-to- end visibility of exactly how your sites, applications and network services are performing holistically. This can help you quickly pinpoint and resolve issues, typically without the need to engage expensive senior-level network or application engineering resources.

Administration can be further simplified with a centralized contracting and billing option that will offer a single bill for multiple locations across the globe. The utility-based contracting and billing model means that there is no longer a need to hold separate contracts with multiple vendors, just a single master contract with Verizon. This offers flexibility to change vendors and functionality as your business needs dictate (e.g., as might be the case with seasonal or cyclical demand spikes). You can also change the features within the services you choose from different vendors. This micro-services approach makes it possible for you to tailor what you need to meet market demands and your business policy requirements on a business segment or down to a site basis.

Verizon provides the “secret sauce and the management fabric” that helps improve agility, remove complexity, and enable your digital business. Our people, processes, and technology elements manage the life-cycle of the service, meeting your business outcomes. Four levels of service management are available depending upon your needs and the solution bundle(s) selected: Full, Co Management, Managed Security Services (MSS) and Monitor. Through extensive pre-production testing and integration, collaboration, and special licensing agreements with industry-leading technology partners and innovators, VNS helps deliver digital transformation simply, securely, and reliably. Using Verizon’s state-of-the-art orchestration platform, you can change which services you consume, without the requirement for multiple hardware devices or network services vendor lock-ins, giving you the operational flexibility you need in the digital economy of today, with a firm foundation for the future.

Verizon’s Digital Network Transformation journey has given us the tools and processes to support our customers as we enter this new decade in the 21st century. We hope that this peek behind the scenes has illustrated the depth of our commitment to your success at every stage of the digital transformation journey. Through our investment in state of the industry integrated platforms delivered to you as a packaged service, we are able to provide cross-carrier dynamic network management with end-to-end visibility across your application supply chain.

Now is the time to act. Your successful digital transformation is our priority. Your Verizon account manager is prepared to show you the way. Are you ready to take the next step in your digital transformation journey?