What is SD-WAN - Momentum Momentum

Everything you need to know about SD-WAN

What is SD-WAN?

SD-WAN, or Software-Defined Wide Area Networking, is a revolutionary technology that simplifies IT infrastructure control and management. It delivers a virtual WAN architecture that securely connects users to their applications, providing unparalleled agility and cost savings to networking. SD-WAN is designed to solve many of the challenges associated with traditional WAN design, such as high costs, complexity, and limited scalability.

SD-WAN is a type of networking technology that uses software-defined networking (SDN) principles to manage and optimize the performance of wide area networks (WANs). It enables organizations to securely connect users, applications, and data across multiple locations while providing improved performance, reliability, and scalability. SD-WAN simplifies the management of WANs by providing centralized control and visibility over the entire network

A Smarter, More Secure Network Performance for the Cloud Era

Businesses today require secure, high-performance connectivity to support cloud applications, remote work, and multiple locations, ensuring optimal network performance. Traditional WAN architectures struggle with network inefficiencies, security vulnerabilities, and high costs.

SD-WAN enhances network security by integrating security functions into the cloud-based solution, providing more efficient and centralized management.

SD-WAN (Software-Defined Wide Area Networking) is a modern networking solution that optimizes traffic routing, security, and cloud connectivity—reducing complexity while enhancing performance.

Momentum’s AI-driven SD-WAN, powered by Juniper Mist, goes beyond traditional SD-WAN by incorporating proactive AI-driven automation to improve reliability, security, and operational efficiency.

Why SD-WAN?

The Challenges of Traditional WAN Optimization

Legacy WAN networks rely on fixed, hardware-based routing, making them:

Expensive to scale across multiple locations
Inefficient in managing cloud and SaaS applications
Difficult to troubleshoot, requiring heavy IT involvement
Vulnerable to performance issues and security threats

In contrast, SD-WAN technology offers a more flexible and cost-effective solution, enhancing user experience, securing cloud access, and addressing modern IT network challenges, particularly for organizations with distributed infrastructures.

Momentum’s AI-driven SD-WAN solution addresses these challenges by intelligently managing traffic, automating troubleshooting, and ensuring optimal cloud performance for applications like Microsoft 365, Zoom, and AWS.

SD-WAN vs. MPLS

SD-WAN is often compared to traditional MPLS (Multiprotocol Label Switching) networks. While MPLS is a reliable and secure technology, it can be expensive and inflexible. SD-WAN, on the other hand, offers a more cost-effective and agile solution for WAN connectivity. SD-WAN can provision new links in days, whereas MPLS can take weeks or months. Additionally, SD-WAN provides policy-based routing, which allows traffic to be optimally sent through the network based on the needs of the underlying application.

Getting approved to become an Operator Connect Partner comes with several requirements, including:

End-to-end quality of service and a strong service-level agreement
Direct peering through Microsoft Azure Peering Service (MAPS)
Fully regulated and/or licensed to provide phone numbers and PSTN service
At least two employees who have passed the Practical Guidance Assessment for Voice
At least two employees with Microsoft 365: Certified Teams Administrator Associate
Capacity to provide Tier 1 support, acting as the initial point of contact for customers
Suitable architecture, integration infrastructure, and interconnection infrastructure
E911 support

Operator Connect is currently supported in more than sixty countries, and most major telecommunications vendors and carriers are approved operators. Because Operator Connect is a managed service, vendors take care of all the technical work for PSTN integration. Operator Connect Partners may also offer a range of different value adds such as on-demand scaling, a self-service portal for billing and management, and unlimited calling plans.

Enhancing Business Agility with AI-Driven SD-WAN

Momentum’s AI-powered SD-WAN technology enhances business agility by:

Predicting and resolving network issues automatically

Ensuring high-security standards with zero-trust architecture

Providing real-time network visibility for smarter decision-making

Optimizing cloud and SaaS application performance

Reducing costs through intelligent traffic management and automation

Dynamically adjusting bandwidth allocation to meet business demands

Who benefits from SD-WAN?

SD-WAN is essential for businesses that need secure, high-performance network connectivity across multiple locations. SD-WANs provide better performance, cost-effectiveness, scalability, and support for cloud adoption, making them a superior alternative to traditional networking solutions like VPN and MPLS.

Retail

Retailers benefit from SD-WAN by ensuring secure, high-speed transactions and seamless inventory management. With cloud-based POS systems and real-time inventory tracking, retail businesses can improve operational efficiency while maintaining PCI DSS compliance for secure financial transactions. The ability to provide customers with a smooth shopping experience, both in-store and online, makes SD-WAN a crucial component in the retail sector.

Healtchare

In healthcare, SD-WAN supports encrypted, HIPAA-compliant communications, ensuring the safe transfer of patient data. With the rise of telemedicine, hospitals and clinics require low-latency, high-bandwidth connections to facilitate virtual consultations without interruption. Additionally, SD-WAN enables seamless access to cloud-based Electronic Health Records (EHRs), allowing medical professionals to retrieve and update patient information securely from any location

Finance

Financial institutions, including banks and fintech companies, rely on SD-WAN for secure, high-speed data transmission. Low-latency connections are essential for real-time financial transactions, stock trading, and banking operations. With built-in encryption and advanced security measures, SD-WAN safeguards against cyber threats while optimizing network performance for cloud-based financial applications.

Remote and Hybrid Work

For remote and hybrid workforces, SD-WAN provides reliable and secure access to cloud-based applications, reducing dependence on traditional VPNs while maintaining enterprise-grade security. Employees working from home or satellite offices benefit from optimized bandwidth allocation, reduced latency, and improved access to collaboration tools like Microsoft 365, Zoom, and Google Workspace. This ensures a seamless work experience regardless of location.

Advantages of Operator Connect

Keep your existing carriers

If you’re already working with an Operator Connect Partner as your carrier, you’ll be able to retain your current relationships, pricing, and contracts. You’ll also keep your current business numbers, with no porting required to integrate them into the Microsoft Teams phone system. Most leading carriers and PSTN providers are already vetted and approved by Microsoft.

Cost-effective calling

Operator Connect is generally viewed as the most cost-effective way for a business to add PSTN functionality to its Teams deployment. It’s important to note, however, that Operator Connect Partners maintain many different pricing models. Choosing the wrong provider could potentially undercut any savings gained from using the service.

There are a few factors which together make Operator Connect so efficient from a budget standpoint:

Minimal hardware requirements leading to reduced hardware spending.
Less time, effort, and resources spent configuring voice for Teams.
Dynamic scaling.
No need to maintain or support on-premises hardware.

Simple configuration, deployment, and management

Administrators can connect third-party carriers to Teams via an interface which also allows them to handle user management, provisioning, and de-provisioning. There’s no coding or PowerShell knowledge required on the backend; everything is simple enough that even a business with no IT professionals can understand and leverage it.

Expert partnerships

Using Operator Connect allows an organization to benefit from their PSTN provider’s comprehensive professional expertise. Many providers also track and report usage on the behalf of their clientele, enabling businesses to identify possible bottlenecks in their deployment.

Enhanced networking

Operator Connect also provides at least some guarantee of connectivity, as clients are connected to both their carrier’s and Microsoft’s infrastructure. Coverage for Operator Connect typically spans a more comprehensive area compared to its alternatives, as well. Most importantly, because Microsoft holds its Operator Connect Partners to such a high standard, Operator Connect Partners typically provide superior security coupled with an excellent service-level agreement.

Disadvantages of Operator Connect

May require additional licensing

Operator Connect isn’t something you can use straight out of the box with your other Microsoft products. In order to deploy and leverage the service, you may need to purchase additional licenses. At the minimum, this includes a basic Teams license, a Microsoft Phone System license, and a PSTN add-on. The price of these licenses together typically starts around $22.50 per user per month. Less expensive than many alternatives, certainly — but still by no means free.

Less customization

Operator Connect is a highly flexible service in its own right. However, it offers less customizability compared to its predecessor, Direct Routing. This means that if your organization needs to accommodate complex telecommunications needs, you may find Operator Connect somewhat lacking. The service’s reduced complexity also renders it slightly less versatile.

Limited carrier choices

Because Microsoft has incredibly stringent requirements for its list of approved carriers, your options are naturally somewhat more limited with Operator Connect than with other choices. In most cases, if your carrier of choice doesn’t appear on that list, you’re out of luck. With that said, most major carriers are also approved.

Momentum offers Operator Connect for Microsoft Teams in the following places* :

*Disclaimer: Momentum Operator Connect may not be available in select remote areas

Operator Connect goes well beyond basic voice calling. The service also supports a wide range of additional calling features. These include, but are not limited to:

Auto Attendant/Call Queues
Voice Policies
Connectivity
Third-Party Integration via the 365 API
Streamlined Number
Provisioning
Number Porting
Service Management
Joint Microsoft/Carrier Support
Flexible, Usage-Based Pricing
Streamlined Number
Management
+ More

Microsoft Operator Connect

Operator Connect is the more hands-off version when compared to Direct Routing. With Operator Connect, businesses can access all the best features of a Microsoft Teams-enabled phone system without the complexity. Adding new users, porting numbers, and making account changes are all done through an intuitive dashboard.

Teams Direct Routing

Direct Routing lets you choose any PSTN carrier, while Operator Connect restricts you to approved partners. It’s more complex, making it ideal for larger enterprises with specific infrastructure needs and greater control over their Teams Phone environment. 

Teams Calling Plans

This option replaces both Operator Connect and Direct Routing, making Microsoft your carrier. You’ll need to cancel any existing contracts and pay Microsoft’s rates. Calling Plans work well for smaller organizations needing inbound calls but can be inefficient for larger teams with high usage.

Do you need advanced control and configuration options due to your unique requirements?
Does your IT staff or managed service provider have the necessary expertise to manage Direct Routing’s complexity?
Is your existing carrier an Operator Connect Partner?
Do you still want to maintain on-premises hardware?
Does Operator Connect meet your coverage requirements?