Is A Cloud-Managed Network Right For You?Here’s how to find out.

A SOLUTION WHITE PAPER

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IntroductionSuccessful businesses leverage their network as a platform to engage staff

and customers. Increased dependency, combined with the need for pervasive

connectivity and greater insights and control over behavior, is driving organizations

to embrace a Cloud-Managed Network (CMN) model.

A Cloud-Managed Network uses a SaaS model to securely provide the ease of

use and simplicity for control and analytics of on premise devices deployed over

geographically- dispersed organizations with a few, hundreds or even thousands of

locations. At the same time, it maintains physical and software-based security for

the critical network switching and wireless infrastructure located on premise.

When provided by a reputable company, a CMN will provide you with ease-of

use for management and deployment, enterprise grade wired/wireless network

equipment and security. Do not risk running your business on some consumer

grade access point or switch that you find on the Internet. Always remember you

get what you pay for.

With functionality like zero touch and automated provisioning, a CMN can be

deployed easily and quickly without requiring an onsite-networking expert. Anyone

can install the device (which automatically discovers the cloud management

system), grab its configuration and be ready to go. Software updates and

configuration updates are pushed out to the devices from the cloud regardless of

where they are located in relation to the IT person.

This comprehensive white paper provides you with information needed to

successfully guide you through the decision-making process of determining the

right network for your business. Here’s what is covered:

• Evolution of Wireless LANs – Understanding the progress of wireless LANs

from the early days (not that long ago) to the present state of LANs as

business-critical assets, including the latest trend –Cloud-Managed Networking.

• The Ins and Outs of Cloud-Managed Networking – What is a Cloud-Managed

Network and how is it different?

• The Many Benefits of a Cloud-Managed Network – Including a review of the

CapEx and OpEx savings.

• Top Considerations You Need to Know When Evaluating Solutions – A look

into the key areas to examine when planning a Cloud- Managed Network. Like

anything else, doing your homework and creating a plan is always critical to

the success of the project. And in this case we are talking about the success of

your business.

Do not risk running your business on

some consumer grade access point or

switch that you find on the Internet.

A Cloud-Managed Network uses a

SaaS model to securely provide the

ease of use and simplicity for control

and analytics of on premise devices

deployed over geographically-dispersed

organizations with a few, hundreds or

even thousands of locations.

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Evolution of Wireless LANsBy the late 1990s wireless LANs emerged as a viable market opportunity for

enterprise deployments. The IEEE 802.11b standard was the first in a series of

wireless standards to become available, followed by 802.11g/a, 802.11n and currently

802.11ac Wave 1 and Wave 2. Each new standard provided increases in performance,

with 802.11b hitting about 11Mbps, increasing to today’s 802.11ac Wave 2 standard

coming in at around 1.73Gbps and poised to provide even higher speeds in the

future. These wireless standards use unlicensed radio frequency (RF) in the 2.4GHz

and 5GHz spectrums. Today many businesses use wireless as the main connection

for employees, customers and partners –the all-wireless office.

Wi-Fi: Dramatic Progress in Performance

200018001600140012001000800600400200

0802.11(1997)

802.11b(1999)

802.11g/a(2003)

802.11n(2009)

802.11acWave 1(2013)

802.11acWave 2(2015)

1733

1300

600

54112

Mbp

s

Figure 1 — Displaying the major increases in throughput as access points continue to evolve.

In the early days of wireless, access points (APs) were mainly used to provide

connectivity in conference rooms, lobbies and other more public areas. Security

was all but nonexistent, coverage was limited and connectivity (versus coverage)

was the main concern. Access points were deployed and managed individually.

These were sometimes referred to as thick APs, because each individual AP had all

the intelligence built in.

It was not long before users preferred the flexibility and convenience of wireless

over wired or tethered connections and the demand for more ubiquitous coverage

and connectivity grew. The model of managing individual access points no longer

scaled when IT was faced with the prospect of managing 100s of access points.

Additionally, early access points did not communicate with each other so concepts

like roaming and negotiating co-channel interference were big issues.

As always, technology came to the rescue. To solve these problems, wireless LAN

vendors moved to a centralized controller model where data, management, and

control plane traffic is sent back to the controller. In this model, the controller is the

brains of the wireless operation and provides a means to centrally manage 100s

of APs, enforce security and policy, coordinate roaming and work out co-channel

interference. This model spurred the growth of bring your own device (BYOD)

and led to wireless becoming not only the connection of choice, but critical to

employee satisfaction and business success. Centrally-managed APs lost much of

the intelligence they once had and are sometimes referred to as thin APs.

But again this centralized controller model had its own set of issues. The controllers

created bottlenecks in the wireless network, particularly as APs got faster, and also

became single points of failure when the network was not built with redundancy

in mind.

Todays on premise wireless APs

provide the flexibility for all APs to run

independently of the controller, or have

all traffic run through the controller,

or a combination of both where most

APs are independent of the controller

and some send their traffic back to

the controller to maybe go through a

dedicated firewall for additional security.

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Again engineering progress came to the rescue. With the next generation,

enhanced intelligence moved back into the AP with the controller providing a

centralized management and control plane for 100s or even 1000s of access

points. Once configured and loaded with their operational software these APs can

run independently of the controller even when connectivity is lost between the

AP and controller. This latest generation of APs and controllers can be setup and

deployed with redundancy, thereby eliminating any serious outages. This wireless

architecture is often referred to as a hybrid model. This hybrid model provides the

flexibility for all APs to run independently of the controller, or have all traffic run

through the controller, or a combination of both, where most APs are independent

of the controller and some send their traffic back to the controller to maybe go

through a dedicated firewall for additional security.

These latest access points are also built with strong security enablement between

wireless clients and APs as well as secure management, control and data plane

traffic between APs and the controller.

For larger installations, an independent and centralized management system can

be deployed to manage and control multiple controllers and their associated APs

as well as the wired network.

This brings the discussion to the Cloud-Managed Network (CMN), a merger of

wireless with the Software as a Service (SaaS) model.

The Ins and Outs of a Cloud-Managed Network: What is it?Cloud-Managed Networks (CMN) bring the benefits of the cloud to enterprise

networking, delivering easy to use, cost effective wired and wireless networks that

are centrally managed and controlled over the web. Initially, CMNs were limited

to wireless access points and have since added support for wired (switches),

applications and more, to the point where they offer a full-fledged alternative to

the on premise managed network.

With a Cloud-Managed Network, the management and control plane traffic is

hosted from the cloud, data plane traffic and the devices (access points, switches,

etc.) stay on premise. It is very important that the data stays on premise as this

allows the business to maintain their high-level of security and control over their

data and intellectual property.

Cloud-Managed Networks are built using a multi-tenant architecture for the cloud

resident controller type functionality. This allows multiple customers to be serviced

without data or management overlap. Physical and virtual cloud based network

resources adapt to network expansion or contraction based on individual customer

demand.

Typically, CMNs use some form of subscription-based pricing model for the cloud

hosted services in addition to the purchase or lease of the on premise devices.

Schools, small business, clinics, hotels, retail and enterprises with branch offices

and home offices can reap large benefits by using the Cloud-Managed Network

approach.

Smaller locations and remote locations often are not staffed with sufficient onsite

IT to provide support for the more traditional on premise-managed solutions.

On the other side of the coin, a CMN may or may not be a good fit for larger

organizations that have already built out their wireless / wired infrastructure and

have the resources to manage it.

Cloud-Managed Network are built

using a multi-tenant architecture for

the cloud-resident controllers. Physical

and virtual cloud based network

resources adapt to network expansion

or contraction dynamically based on

individual customer demand.

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Benefits of Cloud-Managed NetworkThe goal of a Cloud-Managed Network (CMN) is to make deployment, management

and control over network infrastructure devices, such as wireless access points and

switches, very easy and provides both OpEx and CapEx savings.

There are many benefits to using a CMN for your business, including:

• On premise wireless controllers are not required for a CMN. The control and

management plane functionality is maintained in the cloud. This means that

you no longer need to deploy a controller to multiple locations for multi-site

installation. Management is centralized while access points can easily be

distributed throughout various geographies. Additionally controllers often

have some limit on the number of APs they can manage; a CMN eliminates

these limitations and scales almost indefinitely.

• Easy to deploy, use and manage. Cloud-Managed Networks are ideal

for geographically dispersed organizations with a few, hundreds or even

thousands of locations. The cloud provides a single point of management

regardless of where the IT staff is located and is available from anywhere via

Internet connectivity.

• You no longer need to worry about software updates. With a Cloud-Managed

Network updates are pushed out from the cloud to the on premise access

points and switches. This decreases risk and lessens the burden on IT.

• Cloud-managed wireless provides elasticity and instant scalability. The access

point or switch can be quickly provisioned or re-provisioned with changes

taking effect immediately for individual or multiple devices. IT can quickly

bring up a new branch or remote office without sending trained personnel to

the location. Plug in the device and it automatically and securely locates its

configuration file in the cloud and comes up running.

• Reduced CapEx. With the management platform residing securely in the

cloud, eliminating the need to purchase, deploy, maintain, power, secure and

locate network appliances on premise reduces CapEx.

• Network expansion is pay as you grow. Buy only what you need.

• Reduced OpEx. With Cloud-Managed Networks, IT no longer needs to worry

about on premise network management platforms, software updates or

sending IT resources to remote locations for installations and troubleshooting.

Additionally, there are fewer maintenance windows and less overtime.

Software management is handled within the cloud.

• You don’t need to be an IT expert with Cloud Managed Networks. By their

very nature, CMNs are easy to purchase and deploy, you do not need to be an

expert to install and deploy.

The goal of a Cloud Managed Network

(CMN) is to make deployment,

management and control over network

infrastructure devices, such as wireless

access points and switches, very easy

and can provide both OpEx and

CapEx savings.

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Top Considerations When Evaluating Cloud-Managed Network SolutionsAs with anything, do your homework. A CMN can be a great TCO saver, however

at some point the CMN TCO may start to exceed that of on premise solution TCO,

so make sure you run the numbers. Carefully compare the expected product life

of on premise managed verses Cloud-Managed deployments. The TCO should

include the number of CMN devices, subscription fees, size and requirements of

your organization, trained IT staff available, user requirements and integration with

existing infrastructure, applications and users. It is also worth noting that larger,

geographically dispersed organizations might find that the benefits of functionality

like ease-of-use, zero touch device deployment and management provide more

advantages than just looking at the device TCO of an on premise solution.

Additionally you might want to start with a CMN and move to an on premise

managed solution as your business grows and requirements change, so make

sure that the equipment you select has the flexibility to move from a cloud to on

premise without a rip and replace.

With that said, there are still several things to consider before jumping in.

Important Recommendations to Consider When Looking at CMN Solutions:

ENTERPRISE-GRADE FUNCTIONALITY

Be sure you are selecting quality enterprise grade networking equipment and

services from a reputable networking vendor or partner. Make sure that:

• The latest enterprise grade 802.11ac Wave 2 access points are available.

• The same with the switches. They should provide power over Ethernet plus

(PoE+) to power the access points and other devices that require power, such

as VoIP phones and security cameras. They should also have the appropriate

number of ports and port speeds for your situation as well as options for high-

speed 10Gig uplinks to offload wireless traffic to the rest of the network in

larger deployments.

• The cloud based management system must be able to seamlessly manage

both the wired and wireless infrastructure from a single web-based user

interface. The cloud-based management should minimally be able to provide

provisioning, troubleshooting, layer 1 – 7 analytics/reporting, policy control

and firmware management for both switches and access points.

AUTOMATED PROVISIONING

Switches and access points should support zero touch provisioning (ZTP) for a

plug and play installation. ZTP allows anyone to plug in the device, which then

automatically discovers the cloud management system, grabs its configuration

and is ready to go. There should be no need to send an expensive IT resource to a

location. Software updates and configuration updates are pushed out to all devices

regardless of where they are located in relation to the IT person.

WAN CONNECTIVITY

You will still need some sort of WAN service and connectivity at every location that

you wish to deploy a Cloud-Managed device.

Be sure you are selecting quality

enterprise grade networking equipment

and services from a reputable

networking vendor or partner when

looking at a Cloud Managed Network

solution.

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WHERE IS THE CLOUD-BASED SERVICE HOSTED?

You want to make sure that the Cloud-Managed Network is hosted on a reliable

cloud-based infrastructure. Amazon Web Services is a good example of a large

cloud based platform as a service (PaaS) provider. These large cloud based

platforms provide very good availability and seldom have connectivity issues.

They have redundancy built into each hosting center as well as redundancy

between hosting centers for failover in the event that connectivity to a given

hosting center is lost.

DEVICE INDEPENDENCE

All wired/wireless infrastructure devices should be able to run independently of the

cloud management system in the event that connectivity to the cloud is lost for any

reason, for example if you lose your WAN connection.

SECURITY, SECURITY, SECURITY

This can be an entire discussion all by itself. Security should be deployed in layers

with various parts of the overall network secured with the appropriate tools; from

strong encryption to authentication and firewalls. Control plane and management

plane traffic should be the only traffic going between the Cloud-Managed Network

and the devices under management. This traffic should be secured using strong

encryption like HTTPS/SSL, which also uses TCP port 443 and is usually open on

existing firewall and NAT implementations. Strong encryption and authentication

security should be available between the access points and the clients. In general,

user data and intellectual property should never be sent to a Cloud-Managed

Network. Lastly, you want to make sure that you have taken the steps to secure

your network with a firewall.

POLICY

Policy can be considered part of your security strategy. It allows you to easily

setup rules that control who can do what on your network and when they can do

it. A good policy offering provides role-based access with context-based control

over users, devices, and applications to deliver priority, QoS, access and security

in accordance with the business need. Policies should not have to be tied to a

particular VLAN, they should be able to roam with the user/device and dynamically

change based on user/device location, time of day and so forth. These changes

should be transparent to user/device as they roam throughout the mobile world.

ABILITY TO MIGRATE, INVESTMENT PROTECTION

As your business grows and requirements change you may want to move from

a Cloud-Managed Network to an on premise managed network solution. Make

sure the network infrastructure that you purchase can be migrated from a Cloud-

Managed to an on premise managed solution using the same hardware and indeed

even the same vendor. Many vendors force a one-time choice as to whether you go

with cloud or on premise devices and will not allow you to move from cloud to on

premise without ripping and replacing the infrastructure.

Investment Protection — Make sure

the network infrastructure that you

purchase can be migrated from a cloud

managed to an on premise managed

solution using the same hardware,

without a rip and replace.

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CHOOSE A VENDOR OR PARTNER WITH EXPERIENCE

There are a lot of businesses out there trying to capitalize on the rapid growth of

wireless and Cloud-Managed Networking, some good, some not so good. Make

sure that you are selecting your products and services from a vendor or partner

with solid networking experience; one that has been in business for a long time and

will be there when you need them. Again do your homework on technology and

support/service.

A QUALITY NETWORKING EXPERIENCE

To deploy a quality network that provides complete coverage across your site and

multiple locations, handles always-on connectivity for your user community and

provides functionality like seamless roaming takes some planning. For complete

details on how to plan your deployment, check out the comprehensive Extreme

Networks Wi-Fi Buyers Guide.

SummaryThe network and how it is managed is the lifeblood for your business, regardless of

the size of that business. Make sure that you are working with a knowledgeable and

reputable vendor or partner that can help you pick the solution that is right for you

and best meets the requirements of your business – whether that is a cloud or an

on-premise managed network solution.

This paper looked at the evolution of wireless as it has moved into the cloud,

provided a view of the many benefits of cloud manage networks, and presented

suggestions on areas to consider when moving to the cloud.

Make sure you do your homework and have a plan. If you do, you will have a very

good experience with your network and a very important asset for your successful

business.

Interested in learning more about ExtremeCloud? Visit our webpage to find

additional resources and discover how the ExtremeCloud solution can benefit your

organization.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

ExtremeCloud Product Page

ExtremeCloud Onboarding Video

ExtremeCloud Datasheet

Request an ExtremeCloud Demo

Make sure you do your homework and

have a plan. If you do, you will have a

very good experience with your network

and a very important asset for your

successful business.

Make sure the network infrastructure

that you purchase can be migrated from

a cloud-managed to an on-premise

managed solution using the same

hardware without a rip and replace.