How Managed UCaaS & SD-WAN Complement Each Other
Let’s take a look at how managed UCaaS and SD-WAN managed services can work most effectively together.
What Are Managed UCaaS and SD-WAN Managed Services?
First, a brief overview.
Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) refers to multiple, consolidated communications channels provided through a cloud-based managed service provider. Unified Communications can integrate an organization’s telephone services, data services, fax and more, and managed UCaaS ensures that the organization itself doesn’t have to spend the time to manage the platform themselves. UCaaS makes it easier for employees to connect with each other and manage their information and communications, as well as facilitating accessibility, reliability and remote labor.
Meanwhile, SD-WAN refers to Software-Defined Wide Area Networking. WAN solutions make connections within an organization’s infrastructure faster and more efficient. SD-WAN architecture uses software rather than hardware to control the configuration, and managed SD-WAN architecture is controlled by the MSP, so the organization doesn’t have to do the hard work of maintaining and monitoring it.
How Does Managed UCaaS and SD-WAN Work Together?
UCaaS and managed SD-WAN solutions are both excellent alone. But they work best when used together. There are some major advantages to using both a managed UCaaS and SD-WAN within the same infrastructure.
An SD-WAN Improves the Performance of the UCaaS
SD-WAN solutions improve the routing of the traffic within the UCaaS. UCaaS solutions are required to control and route significant traffic, and this traffic become more substantial the more channels are involved. Without a properly configured SD-WAN, applications and communication channels may start to interfere with each other, reducing the overall effectiveness of the system. A managed SD-WAN can be used to ensure that the data is routed in the most efficient ways.
An UCaaS Platform on SD-WAN is More Reliable
Because an SD-WAN is able to reliably route the UCaaS communications, the UCaaS communications have significantly more guaranteed uptime. In fact, the SD-WAN solutions can react to failures and route traffic accordingly. These failover solutions reduce the chances the system or part of the system can go down. With SD-WAN, UCaaS and the power of the cloud, AI algorithms can even be used to detect and mitigate potential failures and bottlenecks before they occur.
SD-WAN Solutions Can Make UCaaS Agile
UCaaS can be adjusted on the fly through a software defined network, and managed solutions experts can ensure that the system is able to adapt to usage in real-time. As an example, the system may be able to adapt if large volumes of data traffic are going through and not much voice traffic is alongside them, or if voice has to be prioritized regardless of how much data traffic there might be. SD-WAN provides granular control over UCaaS traffic. Organizations are able to work with an MSP to assess and audit their systems regularly, thereby making it possible to transition the system even if its traffic and volume changes.
A Single MSP Can Manage Both UCaaS and SD-WAN
When you hire a single managed service for UCaaS, you can save money as well as streamlining your management and maintenance. An MSP designing your UCaaS and SD-WAN system means that they will be even better integrated together. The MSP will provide a single point of contact for you so that you can connect with ease and address any issues as they arise. The better integrated the UCaaS system and SD-WAN system will be, the better it will perform. Finding the right MSP also means that you can get complete support for training and help desk ticketing.
Together, UCaaS and SD-WAN Can Scale Effectively
As organizations continue to scale, they need to be able to scale their network and communications. A system like UCaaS, SD-WAN and cloud technology is inherently effective at scaling. MSPs can ensure that your organization isn’t disrupted as these changes are implemented and that your organization isn’t crushed by scale. With resources being provided through the cloud, your organization pays for deployed resources rather than any unnecessary fees.
UCaaS Under SD-WAN Improves Security
UCaaS also means that all communications go through similar data channels, which is important in terms of security. When properly secured, UCaaS is a preferred, consolidated and centralized solution. But it has to be properly secured. SD-WAN can be used to control and encrypt data even more effectively, thereby making it far more likely that the UCaaS solutions will be properly secured.
Together, managed unified communications and SD-WAN solutions can create a complete, unified collaborative solution. The only difficulty for many organizations is the process of transition.
