GLOBAL SOFTWARE DEFINED WIDE AREA
NETWORKING (SD-WAN)
An Introductory Assessment

INTRODUCTION
The landscape of networking requirements in the business world is undergoing significant
changes, primarily driven by the increasing adoption of cloud technology and the escalating
consumption of bandwidth. As these evolving business conditions unfold, organizations are
finding themselves in need of new and modernized networking models to effectively manage
the surging demand for network resources, facilitate seamless business operations in thecloud, optimize efficiency, and exercise control over costs.
However, the existing legacy networks are plagued by limitations. They heavily rely on
hardware, have rigid and inflexible configurations, and require the manual deploymentof routers in the field. This process is not only time-consuming but also labor-intensive, as
engineers are compelled to enter complex command line interface (CLI) commands at eachbranch router to set up the network. This traditional approach to networking is proving to
be inefficient and cumbersome, hindering organizations from keeping pace with the rapidly
evolving business landscape.
To address these challenges, the promise of Software-defined wide area networking (SDWAN) emerges. SD-WAN leverages software and cloud-based technologies to simplify thedelivery of Wide Area Network (WAN) services to branch offices. By harnessing the power ofsoftware and the cloud, SD-WAN enables businesses to easily and rapidly utilize multiple WAN
connections. This newfound flexibility offers improved quality, reliability, and security, while
also providing enhanced visibility and analytics capabilities.
With SD-WAN, organizations can seamlessly adapt to the changing networking requirements
brought about by cloud adoption and bandwidth consumption. By embracing this innovative
approach, businesses can achieve greater operational efficiency, better manage network
demand, enable smooth operations in the cloud, and effectively control costs. SD-WAN
represents a paradigm shift in networking, empowering organizations to stay ahead in anever-evolving digital landscape.

PRODUCT DESCRIPTIONThe GLOBAL SD-WAN Service is a comprehensive managed network
solution provided by Nokia Nuage and managed by Batelco. It involves
the installation and management of hardware and software on theCustomer’s premises. This service creates a secure overlay network thatallows enterprises and their branch locations to have full control over theconfiguration and management of application flows.
With GLOBAL SD-WAN, businesses can bring together a variety ofconnectivity options, including MPLS, DIA, DSL, and LTE, to effectively
manage their applications and establish a virtual private network. Thismeans that enterprises can leverage different types of connections tooptimize their network performance and meet their specific requirements.
One of the key features of GLOBAL SD-WAN is its ability to provide
business customers with visibility into the performance of theirapplications. This allows them to monitor and analyze the performance of
their applications in real-time, enabling them to make informed decisions
and take appropriate actions to optimize their network resources.
Another important aspect of GLOBAL SD-WAN is its automatic routing
and optimization capabilities. The service intelligently routes network
traffic to ensure the most efficient and optimal paths are used, resulting in
improved application performance and reduced latency. It also optimizes

the utilization of available bandwidth, ensuring that applications receivethe necessary resources for smooth and uninterrupted operation.
GLOBAL SD-WAN offers several advantages, including speed, ease of use,security, and centralized manageability. With its fast deployment andconfiguration capabilities, businesses can quickly set up and start utilizing
the service. The user-friendly interface and intuitive controls make it easy
for enterprises to manage their network and application flows. Additionally,
the service prioritizes security, ensuring that data and communications areprotected against unauthorized access and threats.
Furthermore, GLOBAL SD-WAN provides centralized management,
allowing businesses to have a unified view and control over their network
infrastructure. This simplifies the management process, reduces complexity,and enables efficient monitoring and troubleshooting.
Overall, GLOBAL SD-WAN is a powerful and innovative service thatempowers businesses to optimize their network performance, enhance
application delivery, and streamline their operations. It offers acomprehensive suite of features and benefits that cater to the specificneeds of enterprises, enabling them to stay ahead in today’s highly
connected and competitive business landscape.

SERVICE BENEFITS
Customers can derive various advantages from a multitude of service
features offered by our platform. These features cater to different
aspects of networking and provide benefits in terms of management,security, performance, cloud connectivity, and cost-effectiveness.
In terms of management, our platform allows customers to simplify thetask of overseeing their Wide Area Network (WAN). Through our userfriendly portal, customers gain real-time control over their network,
enabling them to define network rules and prioritize traffic from criticalapplications using Application-Aware Routing (AAR). The best part isthat all these management capabilities can be accessed within minutes,
without the need for on-site technicians.
When it comes to security, we prioritize the protection of our customers’
data. Our GLOBAL SD-WAN is hosted in a secure platform within
Batelco DC, ensuring that sensitive information remains safeguarded.
To add an extra layer of security, our Network Security Gateway (NSG)
is embedded with built-in IPsec tunneling. Additionally, customers havethe option to enhance security by integrating with cloud-hosted securityplatforms or adding Virtual Network Functions (VNFs). These measures
guarantee the integrity of your business operations and ensure business
continuity.
Our platform also focuses on enhancing network performance. Adding
new locations to the network is made easy and quick, allowing for

seamless expansion. Furthermore, customers can utilize our portal tocontrol and optimize network performance during peak productivity
times, ensuring that their operations run smoothly and efficiently.
In today’s digital age, the cloud plays a significant role in business
operations. Our platform enables customers to unlock the fullpotential of the cloud by providing direct and secure access to
Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications and a wide range ofcloud service providers. By eliminating delays and reducing network
congestion, our platform maximizes application performance andsupports your organization’s digital transformation efforts.
Lastly, we understand the importance of cost-effectiveness for ourcustomers. By entrusting us with the responsibility of managing alarge routed network, customers can offload the operational burden
and focus on their core business. Our team will orchestrate, operate,and optimize your network, resulting in reduced operational costs.
In conclusion, our platform offers a comprehensive range ofservice features that bring about simplified network management,enhanced security, improved performance, increased cloudconnectivity, and cost-effectiveness. We aim to provide ourcustomers with a seamless and efficient networking experience thatsupports their business objectives.

TECHNICAL FEATURES
Technical Features

GLOBAL SD-WAN

Multi-underlay•••

MPLS / Internet / LTE
Active- active load balance and utilise all WAN connections
App-specific failover

Centralized Management from Portal•••••••

Zero Touch Provisioning for CPE
Support for full mesh, partial mesh, hub and spoke topologies
Self-service portal
Centralized controller for policy management
Fast addition of a new branch due to reliance on Internet and virtualized services
Visibility, control & reporting overall customer NW
Minimize Human errors, due to central controller configuration

Cloud Support•••

Cloud-friendly breakout (AWS / Azure)
Easy to enable virtual branches over cloud.
Access to Cloud Hosted Security Brokers (Zscaler)

Applications Visibility••••••Detailed application utilization and performance reporting
Monitor, control and improve business critical application performance
Smart Application Awareness Routing (AAR) - Traffic routing based on defined application and site
profile (Packet Loss, Link Utilization, Latency, Jitter)
Application based QoSOverlay SLA
Service Chaining

Security••••

SSL Encryption/Decryption
Access to SECaaS (Zscaler)
Virtual FW
Built in IPsec tunneling in CPE

Cost Effectiveness•••

Cost effective, by relying mostly on low-cost Internet.
Virtual services (vCPE, vFirewall, etc.)
Making the network smarter, reducing complexity which will help the users to ensure that no wastage inthe connectivity resources.
Lowering the admin & maintenance cost.

•MANAGEMENT TYPESGLOBAL SD-WAN Management is a secure solution that enhances the efficiency
and reliability of the Wide Area Network (WAN) by dynamically selecting themost optimal paths and reducing costs by diverting non-essential traffic over theInternet.
In the Managed GLOBAL SD-WAN option, Batelco takes on the responsibility ofmonitoring and controlling the implementation and changes of policies, which areagreed upon in advance with the customer. Batelco also proactively identifies andtroubleshoots any faults that may arise and provides periodic performance reports
to ensure smooth operation.
On the other hand, in the Self-Managed GLOBAL SD-WAN option, the customer
retains the control over managing policy changes. This includes tasks such as
adjusting application routing and quality of service parameters, which can be done
through the Batelco VNS customer portal. This option allows the customer to havemore direct involvement and flexibility in managing their own network policies.

TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION•Software-Defined Networking (SDN) is a network concept that involves the separation
and abstraction of two main elements in a network: the Control Plane and the DataPlane. The Control Plane handles signaling and control functions, while the Data Planeis responsible for the forwarding and routing of payload packets. In Bahrain, there are
two primary sites, namely TPH and SEF, that host the SDN components.
Let’s take a closer look at the various network components:

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VSD + VSC - The VSD, or Virtualized Services Database, serves as a repository
for policies, business logic, and analytics related to network services. It allows
administrators to define and refine service designs and incorporate enterprise
policies through RESTful APIs. On the other hand, the VSC, or Virtualized Services
Controller, acts as the SDN controller and controls the network services. It
maintains a comprehensive view of the network and service topologies. The VSC
uses the OpenFlow™ protocol to establish virtual routing and switching constructs,
enabling efficient programming of the network-forwarding plane. In Batelco, four
VSCs are deployed to support up to 500 uplinks each.
NSG - The NSG, or Network Services Gateway, serves as the network-forwarding
plane for customers’ network services at both central and remote businesslocations.
ES - Elastic Search is a third-party distributed search and analytical engine
provided by Nokia. It stores detailed information about deep packet inspection(DPI) and customer usage.
Gateways - The NSG UBR, or Universal Border Router, is deployed specifically tobridge connectivity between different underlays. This feature allows customers tomix and match non-SDWAN sites with Global SD-WAN sites, providing flexibility innetwork configuration.

For more information, contact us on globalsales@btc.com.bh••••••

VNS Portal - This active cluster serves as a custom portal forcustomers to monitor and manage their sites. It offers quick andsecure site connections, allowing customers to easily connect newsites as needed.
NAPP - The NAPP, or Notification Application, is an essential
part of the NSG bootstrapping process. It contains configuration
details and is integrated with the Batelco email system to provide
notification functionality.
F5 proxy - Load balancers play a crucial role in the SDN platform.
They are used to balance the load and act as SSL proxies forcommunication between the NSG and VSD.
US - The US, or upgrade server, is a virtual server that hosts
CPE Software Images. It ensures that the customer premises
equipment (CPE) is updated with the latest software version
during booting.
VSAP - The VSAP, or virtualized services assurance platform, is amonitoring tool used by the Network Operations Center (NOC)and Service Management Center (SMC) to monitor the SD-WAN
service. It helps ensure the performance and reliability of thenetwork service.

These network components work together to provide efficient andreliable software-defined networking services in Bahrain.