Cisco SD-WAN Remote Access
- Information About SD-WAN Remote Access. SD-WAN remote access (SD-WAN RA) fully integrates remote access (RA)...
- Supported Devices for SD-WAN RA. The following devices, operating with Cisco SD-WAN, support SD-WAN RA headend...
- Prerequisites for SD-WAN RA. This is optional if all RA users connect to the headend by hardware RA client. RA clients...
Full Answer
What is SD-WAN remote access and how does it work?
... SD-WAN remote access (SD-WAN RA) fully integrates remote access (RA) functionality into the Cisco SD-WAN fabric, extending the benefits of Cisco SD-WAN to RA users. Cisco SD-WAN RA enables Cisco IOS XE SD-WAN device s to provide RA headend functionality, managed through Cisco vManage.
How do I configure a Cisco SD-WAN device to function as an RA headend?
Ensure that the RADIUS server and CA server are reachable in the SD-WAN RA service VPN. This example provides a generic template for configuring a Cisco IOS XE SD-WAN device to function as an SD-WAN RA headend. The template uses variables that prompt you for details specific to your network, at runtime when you apply the template.
Does AnyConnect work with SD-WAN Ra?
However, AnyConnect uses SSL by default, and SSL is not supported by SD-WAN RA, so it is necessary to change the mode to IKEv2/IPsec. In this brief example, the AnyConnect client does not download the profile from the SD-WAN RA headend, but instead uses a locally defined profile.
How does SD-WAN Ra work with a Tloc interface?
When you use a TLOC interface as the WAN interface providing a static IP for an SD-WAN RA headend, Cisco SD-WAN automatically detects that SD-WAN RA is enabled and allows the IKEv2 and IPsec protocols required for RA operation.
Is SD-WAN just VPN?
SD-WAN vs VPN - Differences in Detail Some of the major differences between the two options include: Network Architecture: SD-WAN solutions act as gateways to a fully-connected network of SD-WAN appliances, while VPNs implement point-to-point connectivity.
Is SD-WAN better than VPN?
Overall SD-WAN Benefits Over VPN For businesses requiring a secure network connection, SD-WAN offers a more seamless user experience than VPN. SD-WAN does this by extending from traditional WAN to various public clouds, which minimizes packet loss.
Does SD-WAN provide IP security?
SD-WAN makes it easier to set up a dynamic multipoint VPN using IP-Security (IP-Sec), creating an end-to-end encrypted tunnel over broadband between branch locations and headquarters. Once traffic is encrypted the underlying transport mechanism becomes less relevant.
What is the difference between SD-WAN and SD access?
Both are the ways to approach SDN terminology by taking DNA architecture. SD-Access as name suggested Software defined Access for changing the architecture of the LAN networks while SD-WAN as software defined WAN which can automate and may be next generation networks over the MPLS/VPLS.
Can SD-WAN replace firewall?
95% of SD-WAN solutions, known as premise or hybrid SD-WAN products, are also NAT routers, replacing a primary role of the existing firewall and requiring a change in thought process.
Is SD-WAN better than MPLS?
MPLS can have steep bandwidth costs, while SD-WAN protects your network from vulnerabilities that MPLS cannot. The short answer is that SD-WAN offers better visibility, availability, enhanced performance, and more freedom of action. It's why the industry has seen interest in SD-WAN rising over the past few years.
Do you need a firewall with SD-WAN?
With the expanding threat surface, ensuring the safety of branch users and devices when using cloud-based applications has become paramount. A built-in firewall has become a core requirement for SD-WAN, and several SD-WAN solutions offer one.
Is SD-WAN traffic encrypted?
Traffic encryption and firewalls SD-WAN protects traffic between locations by connecting them all with a secure tunnel that employs strong encryption. You can deploy virtual firewalls to deal with a malicious threat or malware in real-time, and then turn them off once the threat has been neutralised.
What is the point of SD-WAN?
SD-WAN Explained A Software-defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) is a virtual WAN architecture that allows enterprises to leverage any combination of transport services—including MPLS, LTE and broadband internet services—to securely connect users to applications.
What are two main components of SD access?
Software-Defined Access has four core components: 1) The DNA Center Controller; 2) the Network Fabric/Hardware 3) Cisco Identity Services Engine; and 4) DNA Advantage License. Each component works with the others to achieve network automation, assurance, and security.
What is the benefits of SD access?
SD-Access simplifies network management, especially for segmentation and secure access policies, but also for operational consistency, increasing productivity, and a seamless experience.
How does SD access work?
SD Access (Software Defined Access) is a relatively new solution that extends virtualization to the access layer of the network. SD Access is intended to provide greater levels of speed, accessibility, automation, and scalability to administration.
Remote access before 2020
Remote access has historically been relatively low on the priority list for most IT organizations. Census data indicates that approximately 5% of the U.S. workforce worked from home all the time with another 40% working from home occasionally, so IT focused its efforts in other areas.
Remote access in 2020 and beyond
The rapid shift to the current pandemic situation, where the vast majority of employees work at home, caught most IT organizations off guard. With up to 100% of employees working from home, IT organizations are finding that their remote access and VPN services are difficult to use, hard to troubleshoot, slow and not necessarily secure.
A branch of one: The home office
In many respects, the home office is similar to a small branch. Multiple users -- family members and roommates, for example -- typically share an internet circuit. A home office needs to support a range of applications with differing latency and performance requirements, such as VoIP, video conferencing, VDI and Microsoft 365.
Benefits of SD-WAN for the home office
SD-WAN technology offers a number of key benefits a home office can employ, including the following:
Challenges of SD-WAN for the home office
SD-WAN is just one of many potential options for secure work at home networks. While SD-WAN technology is relatively easy to deploy, some IT organizations will be challenged to rapidly scale out hundreds of new sites.
SD-WAN remote access vendor options
A number of technology providers offer SD-WAN remote access options for the home office. These offerings may include client software to access centralized SD-WAN intelligence, remote access as a service and hardware appliances designed for power home users.
SD-WAN remote access recommendations for IT executives
Working from home is now the new normal for many organizations. IT teams will need to plan near-term, medium-term and long-term strategies to deliver scalable, secure work-at-home options for their employees.
Remote Network Access is Only Half the Challenge
Connectivity alone, however, isn’t enough. Even for those organizations that have managed to scale out SSL or IPSec VPN connections from remote workers to the core network, getting business-critical applications to perform the way they need to be is still a challenge.
How SD-WAN Improves Application Performance for Super Users
This challenge is especially difficult for remote super users in an organization. They may be systems administrators remotely managing segments of the network, help desk personnel who need to troubleshoot the devices of remote workers or executives who need real-time access to large volumes of data.
Remote Work is Part of the New Normal – SD-WAN Can Help
Once we emerge from this crisis, things may not ever return to the way they were. Some users may insist on the option of working from home, at least on occasion. Many organizations will appreciate the flexibility of a workforce that can respond to business demands, whether on-premise or at home.
The Limits of VPNs
Traditionally, enterprises have utilized virtual private networks (VPNs) to equip remote workers. They offer support in situations where the user requires intermittent connectivity, but it’s not ideal for workers that need to connect all day, every day. In addition, they can be a bit intimidating for workers who are not tech savvy.
SD-WAN, King of Remote-Access Technologies
This may be giving too much credit, but to workers relying heavily on collaboration tools like video conferencing, access to reliable and high-quality connectivity through software-defined wide area networking (SD-WAN) equips them for improved productivity.
