Some companies realize that they can reduce their WAN costs by moving to a different MPLS carrier, but the thought of managing such a project can be overwhelming with limited IT staff resources. But inertia takes hold and it is human nature to just keep things the way they are and make no changes at all.
Outsourcing this entire project management and implementation process is so affordable, that the savings will usually pay for the out-sourced costs in short order. Since the new network will have identical IP and routing schemes, the process can be easily managed, ending simply with a change of connection from the old router LAN port to the new router LAN port.
This is the process that is typically involved:
1. Telephone meeting to discuss your present network and any changes that will be effective on the new network, such as Class of Services to be applied to different applications on your network. We can advise you on the Class of Service planning. The action items from this meeting will be the following:
A. Visio diagram of your network
B. Clear IP numbering scheme and routing rules for your network. If you already have a WAN, this information can be obtained with read-only access from your present routers, which SD-WAN-Experts can obtain with your authorization.
C. Contact person at each facility.
D. Information to complete the CoS templates for the new network.
2. If you are paying for managed services, the carrier will ship routers that are ready to plug-and-play based on the above information. If you are using routers that you own, then package and ship routers to our facility for configuration. SASE Experts will:
A. Upload latest IOS
B. Add base configuration to allow plug-and-play with the ability to access the router via your present network or modem for troubleshooting as needed.
3. Arrange date and time window to install routers at each location. Our field technicians can be scheduled to do the installation or your staff can do this, if you have the resources. Routers will be delivered prior to the arranged date.
4. Arrange VPN or Citrix access to your network to permit SASE Experts access to the routers after they are installed.5. At agreed upon time, the routers will be connected to network and the circuits turned on. This process is performed with the carrier technician while on a conference call. If everything runs smoothly, the process will take no more than twenty minutes for each location.
6. Once the network is live, we then will test to confirm that all the routing works correctly, but this typically is flawless as long as the proper preparation takes place at step 1.
The engineers at SASE Experts have implemented network migrations of this nature with locations all over the world. All the engineers are CCIE certified and have a reasonable hourly rate. For circuits procured through SASE Experts, the project manager service is at no charge.
